It seems to me there is quite a difference between "vast potential range"
and actual known range. Aside from one sighting Western Australia, in the
past 25 years the dead specimens have been in SW Queensland where John Young
reportedly found this bird. Without extensive field surveys we can't assume
we have more than 1 or 2 critically small, critically isolated, critically
endangered populations.
The one thing that could help to change that picture is extensive field
surveys taking advantage of John's recorded calls, should he agree to make
them available to a small number of people.
Cheers
Ross Macfarlane
-----Original Message-----
From: Chris
Sent: Saturday, October 19, 2013 9:53 PM
To: Ian May
Cc: birding-aus ; Greg Roberts
Subject: Night Parrot Debate
Hi Ian,
Mining is an ongoing process in this country, and with little to no ability
in the short periods of time allocated to environmental impact field surveys
to pick up Night Parrot (or other cryptic species) there is a real concern
that this property, along with any other potential Night Parrot populations
not yet discovered, could easily fall beneath the bulldozer. Don't forget
the way our legislation works means that pastoral land can be mined in spite
of any objections landholders may have, so at the stage the only known
population of Night Parrots is definitely not secure from mining or coal
seam gas. Announcing the location, at least to the government, may help
ameliorate this risk, though of course that isn't guaranteed if you look at
the Great Barrier Reef at the moment.
There is also the potential benefit of releasing the call to consultants
employed to survey these areas prior to development in that they should in
theory have much more success at finding Night Parrots if they are there.
Lack of ability to find the species is probably one of the greatest
threatening processes for them at this stage given resource development
continues in potential habitat at a rapid rate.
Cheers,
Chris
Sent from my iPhone
On 19/10/2013, at 6:26 PM, Ian May <> wrote:
What is the urgency? Because of its vast potential range and extreme
cryptic behavior i doubt that virtually anything anyone does or does not
do in the near future would or could affect the ultimate survival of Night
Parrot
It's survival so far within the Channel Country and Boulia area despite
the history of regular drought, extreme heat, heavy domestic animal
grazing, mega infestations of rabbits, foxes, cats, weeds, wind and water
erosion and just about every other ecological pressure that has been
applied is testimony to this..
The only conceivable short term local threats would be from misguided
researchers influencing misinformed land use and bird conservation policy.
Especially 1, Policy that might recommend significant change to the
current ecological blend that has allowed this species to survive so far
and 2, misguided policy that allows intervention such as targeting,
capturing and handling Night Parrots for some other quasi research purpose
including captive breeding.
"Lessons in History" might also consider some other prominent parrot
species recovery programs that have developed into research conservation
disasters and lack adequate transparency.
Ian May
St Helens. Tasmania
Greg Roberts wrote:
I have been asked by several people to contribute to the latest exchange
on
this subject and do so reluctantly.
David Adams has a point when he speculates that the controversy
surrounding
the Night Parrot discovery can be explained by the fact that it has been
handled in a "novel manner".
I believe Nikolas Haass is correct when he suggests it is reasonable for
further evidence to be produced publicly to consolidate the discovery.
A lesson in history. In the mid-1970s I rediscovered the plumiferus race
of
the Marbled Frogmouth. It was a highly significant finding at the time;
the
so-called Plumed Frogmouth had not been seen for some decades and its
call
was unknown. I immediately publicised the whereabouts of the site. With
Chris Corben and other colleagues, we recorded the bird's call; the
recordings were distributed widely. Surveys were conducted throughout the
bird's range in south-east Queensland and north-east NSW to determine its
status and distribution. I published the finding in a peer-reviewed
journal,
Emu. The results of surveys were published in another journal, Sunbird. I
took the view that the interests of the Plumed Frogmouth were best served
by
both verifying the record publicly and by gathering and publicising as
much
information as quickly as possible.
It's called transparency, and without adequate and incontrovertible
transparency, controversy is inevitable.
This debate is not about attacking or defending any particular
individual.
It is not primarily about believing or not believing the Night Parrot
record; I personally believe it.
What this debate should be centred around is the welfare of the Night
Parrot. Too many people forget that this endangered species is not the
property of any individual, however noteworthy their efforts in the field
may be.
Greg Roberts
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