The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has unveiled plans to attract more members of the community to help protect the State’s shore birds as the 2019 breeding season begins.
Senior Conservation Planner with NPWS, Max Beukers, said the plan will be to tap into people’s love of nature.
“This will support the long-standing South Coast Shorebird Recovery Program – established in 1999 by NPWS to reduce the rate of decline of threatened shorebirds and enhance breeding success by monitoring and safeguarding these mysterious birds,” Mr Beukas said.
“I call it the ‘David Attenborough effect’; as more and more people are enjoying reconnecting with nature, their care factor for their local environment skyrockets,” he said.
“This year, the Shorebird Recovery Program will capitalise on this trend by increasing people’s knowledge of the unique behaviours of these pretty shorebirds and encouraging the local community to help protect them.”
Mr Beukas said nesting was a challenging time for the migratory Little Terns and the local threatened species of Pied Oystercatchers, Sooty Oystercatchers and Hooded Plovers.
He said the nest scrapings of these birds were easily damaged by storms, dogs, vehicles and people.
“We’re asking the community to give the birds space and to keep dogs leashed in shorebird areas.”
“NPWS and volunteers will be fencing off breeding areas, putting up signs and monitoring the birds to help people give their eggs and little chicks some space,” Mr Beukas said.
