Saturnday 7 September 2024 marks National Threatened Species Day in Australia.
It marks the anniversary of the death of the last Tasmanian Tiger in 1936.
Depressing for many people of course – but it’s also a date to remind us of what can be done and is being done to reverse species extinctions.
Winton Wetlands is significant for its overall biodiversity, supporting well over 1,000 animals and plants onsite with at least 29 species listed under Victorian state legislation as threatened, including 13 recognised as endangered or vulnerable.
Some species have called Winton Wetlands home for a very long time but others, including the Growling Grass Frog and two notable fish species, the Southern pigmy perch and Southern purple-spotted gudgeon, became lost to the local river system in the late 20th century.
Certain species – especially birds – are able to return by themselves as efforts to restore their natural habitat bear fruit. The wonderful Rakali (a native water rat) has also been able to find its way back recently and is looking to become well established once more.
But the small-bodied fish mentioned above, and Growling Grass Frogs (Growlers), have needed some human intervention to return to the site, previously part of their natural habitat. A “rewilding” program is in place now for Growling Grass Frogs and small-bodied native fish.
Growlers are living in protected breeding pods with a view to eventual release of progeny into the wild, and we have already released multiple batches of Southern pigmy perch and Southern purple-spotted gudgeon out into two locations, with evidence that both these fish species are beginning to breed once more.
We will continue these re-stockings for several years to ensure the populations can build to robust proportions, and thus help return their habitat to a more balanced and sustainable ecosystem once more.
Threatened species such as these are important, not only for the biodiversity they bring but for their contribution toward recreating an ecosystem capable of supporting vital ecological processes.
That’s something we can all celebrate and support on National Threatened Species Day – and at any other time of year.
Expect to hear more in times to come about the growing working relationship between Winton Wetlands and Odonata Foundation, recently selected by the Victorian Government to become responsible for management of the Crown Land on which Winton Wetlands is located.
With a strong focus on protection of species from extinction, Odonata will add further dimensions to the work of the Winton Wetlands restoration team over time, just as the wetlands team can also be expected to reinforce Odonata’s collective expertise. We’ll be standing together to do even more over time for threatened species.
Winton Wetlands’ Aquatic Ecologist Lance Lloyd has been announced as keynote speaker at a major forum on ‘rewilding’ work in regional Victoria, Australia, being convened by Biolinks Alliance on 13-14 September 2024: “The Time is Now: Rewilding aquatic species to improve biodiversity and ecosystem function”.
Further information and bookings: https://biolinksalliance.org.au/rewilding-symposium
Top image: Lance Lloyd (right) and colleagues surveying native fish populations near the Duck Pond area at Winton Wetlands.
Above left: Restoration Manager Dr Lisa Farnsworth inspecting a Growling Grass Frog on its way from a protected indoor laboratory into outdoor breeding pods at Winton Wetlands.
Above right: Southern purple spotted gudgeon, found at the Duck Pond, Winton Wetlands, following rewilding efforts at that location.
Posted 6 September 2024
