Media Releases

WIRES concerned for threatened species on mid-south coast of New South Wales

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

In recent weeks, WIRES has received calls from concerned members and the general public, regarding logging in Mogo State Forest.

There are concerns for a number of threatened species living in compartments 147 and 148 near the Dunns Creek area.

Earlier this month, WIRES members and the National Parks Association sighted two Greater gliders in the area. They also saw markings and heard calls of Yellow-bellied gliders, which are listed as ‘Vulnerable’ by the NSW Government.

The discoveries, made by volunteer members of WIRES, Coastwatchers, and The Dunns Creek Resident Action Group, have caused them to call into serious question the adequacy of the Forestry Corporation of NSW’s pre-logging assessments.

“The Regional Forest Agreements that govern Forestry Corporation of NSW logging procedures are meant to provide protection for Threatened Species and their habitat but have not been updated since 1998 and are grossly inadequate”, said Lisa Pfitzner of the resident’s action group.

“It is absolutely ridiculous that, unlike the community, the Forestry Corporation of NSW does not have to do a species impact statement,” she said.

Clearing native vegetation is listed in the Biodiversity Conservation Act as a key threatening process.

WIRES CEO Leanne Taylor, said, “Research shows that glider species are especially sensitive to fragmentation, as they rarely cross open ground and may be constrained in gliding by the maximum distance between successive trees”.

The Greater glider is a large gliding marsupial (900-1700g) that feeds exclusively on eucalypt leaves and buds. Adult Greater gliders occupy a relatively small home range with an average size of 1 to 3 hectares (Kavanagh and Wheeler 2004) from which they rarely disperse. (1)

Another population of Greater gliders, in the same Local Government Area of Eurobodalla, is already listed as an ‘Endangered’ population.

“We are also concerned for other species due to the impact of logging such as the collapse of burrows which can crush animals inside such as wombats and reptiles,” said Ms Taylor.

Media Contact: Paula Wallace, 0404 088 501, paula@wires.org.au

WIRES (NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service Inc.) is Australia's largest wildlife rescue organization. WIRES’ mission is to actively rehabilitate and preserve Australian wildlife and inspire others to do the same. For more information visit: www.wires.org.au

1. http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/GreaterGliderEndPop.htm

Contact media@wires.org.au for enquiries or call 0416 272 153.

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