Sadly, the situation with Albert's on Tamborine Mountain is more serious
than just inbreeding. Their habitat has been fragmented by human
settlement.
Although the Parks Service in its wisdom (or lack of? Deviousness?) refers
to a Tamborine Mountain N P, there are in fact a number of small discrete
reserves. Witches' Falls, The Knoll, Joalah, Macdonald, and Palm Grove, all
have Albert's but they are separated by what is effectively suburban
residential development.
South from Palm Grove N P, there is an area below the scarp opposite Hartley
Road and running south, that has Albert's. And another area below the scarp
immediately north of St Bernard's Hotel (in Mount Tamborine village), also
with Albert's. And finally the Australian Army's Canungra Jungle Training
Area, running south from Mt Tamborine to Beechmont has several Albert's
areas.
In at least three places on Tamborine Mountain, Albert's have taken to
foraging in gardens adjoining their habitat. So maybe, just maybe, they
will overcome their distrust of humans to the extent of being able to move
between at least some of those tiny areas of habitat. If so, the population
just might survive long enough for inbreeding to be a problem, and
introduction from another area, to be worth trying.
At least initially however, I suggest that it would be preferable not to
introduce birds from elsewhere; that it would be sufficient to move one or
a few from just over the scarp at Mt Tamborine to say Witches' Falls and
Palm Grove. And the reverse. Can't see it happening, however.
Cheers
Syd
> From: John Leonard <>
> Date: Tue, 2 Nov 2010 10:01:52 +1100
> To: Birding-aus <>
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Genetic isolation and inbreeding
>
> I would have thought that with species with sub-populations in danger
> of inbreeding it would be relatively easy to capture individuals from
> larger populations and introduce them into the smaller ones
> occasionally to maintain diversity. For example you might capture an
> Albert's in the Border Ranges and release it on Tambourine.
>
> John Leonard
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