Newsletters
July 2007 - President’s Report
Dear Friends,
Well the most important news we have to tell you is that on 4th April, 2007 a healthy sub-adult Brush-tailed Rock-Wallaby male, approximately 20 months old, was trapped at the site of the Kangaroo River colony and transferred to Waterfall Springs Conservation area for inclusion in the captive breeding program. This BTRW, named "Warugul", has been put into Enclosure no. 43 which is the enclosure the Friends sponsored a few years ago. After a couple of weeks of being in the enclosure alone, enabling him to establish himself as "king pin" of that area, he had two young females from the Watagan Mountains brought in to join him. The Recovery Team for the BTRW in NSW has always been very keen to have a BTRW from Kangaroo Valley included in the captive breeding program for the purpose of genetic diversity. Fortunately there were enough males in the colony to carry on the breeding in the wild, for Warugul to be able to be taken for the program. After more than two years of meetings and discussions, and a new remote-controlled trap designed and made, the Recovery Team with help from some of the members of the Executive, were successful. The Executive Committee of the Friends will regularly be in contact with Waterfall Springs and other Recovery Team members for the purpose of keeping in touch with Warugul's well-being and reproductive progress.
Our new website is up and running having been designed and implemented by Morf Design. If you would like to have a look the web is www.rockwallaby.org.au.
An Autumn fox shooting and trapping program is presently taking place in the Kangaroo Valley, Bugong, and Illaroo areas.
There was another Grand Parade at the Kangaroo Valley A&H Show this year and the Friends participated with a float and members walking ahead around the arena with a large new banner and placards.
We have also had the Friends' video "Bouncing Back" converted to DVD, and are in the process of having new covers made for these.
A comprehensive Bushcare Group Action Plan has just been completed, as the Friends' group is a registered Bushcare Group, and has been sent into Shoalhaven Council.
The Friends are grateful to the Fitzroy Falls Visitor's Centre for the selling of the last of the Friends' merchandise, and for the accommodation of a donation box at the Centre.
Thank you to Lindy Ross Real Estate and Harcourts Real Estate for taking the Friends' brochures and membership forms for inclusion in their mail outs.
Thank you also for the support given to the Friends' group and their work, by Crystal Creek Meadows B&B and Day Spa, and which is ongoing. This is much appreciated.
We still need members. Please encourage others to join.
Many thanks,
Susan Robertson,
President
NPWS News
Just to keep everyone up to date, our the current Technical officers working on the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby program conducting fox baiting and monitoring works are Alison Prentice and Juliet Dingle.
In regards to the NSW BTRW Captive Breeding program there are a total of 6 breeding groups (a total of 21 animals) in breeding facilities. These animals have come from Hunter Valley, Shoalhaven and Blue Mountains. Pouch young are now present in 3 of these groups. Another 2 breeding groups still need to be captured from the wild once appropriate sites are found.
In the Shoalhaven, funding received from the Hawkesbury/Nepean CMA has been used to extend our baiting program and to continue our fox shooting program. Over the past 12 months we have had total of 49 bait takes by foxes and 43 foxes shot. Thanks to all landholders participating in the baiting and shooting programs for their support.
Over 100 fresh rock-wallaby scats from 4 colonies within the Shoalhaven were collected over the past 3 months and their genetics determined. The results of this sample analysis suggests that there are between 7 and 16 individuals at 3 of the colonies and only one animal remaining at the 4th colony. We have also just completed the 2007 monitoring sessions of 3 of these BTRW colonies as part of our obligations to the NSW Fox Threat Abatement Plan and its statewide monitoring of the impact of fox control on BTRW. The results of this monitoring suggest that two of these colonies are at relatively stable levels while the third (which we now believe has the one animal left) has declined continually over the past 5 years. We are now urgently trying to find out what our options are to conserve this colony before it disappears forever.
Finally, just a reminder to all local residents that we are still doing monthly baiting in Kangaroo Valley and 4 sessions a year in the Illaroo/Bugong area. Please ensure that all dogs are kept under control for both their protection and the protection of our wildlife.
