ABC news
Concern has been expressed by wildlife carers and a veterinarian that the Tasmanian state government does not have a dedicated eagle officer. This is despite an increase in the number injured and a decline in populations as old growth forest habitat is logged.
posted by shaun on August 20, 2008 at 11:32 am · filed under 
ABC News
Climate change has had detrimental effects on migratory birds along Australia’s coastal zones. Eric Woehler from Birds Australia has envisaged losses of the majority of beach nesting birds most due to increasing sea levels, presence of livestock, construction and various recreational activities within the next 70 years. According to Woehler, the population of some species originating in Tasmania have already been halved.
posted by cecie on August 18, 2008 at 6:50 pm · filed under 
The Age
The Victorian Government is expected to set strict aesthetic guidelines on the appearance of the new desalination plant project at Wonthaggi, and bidders for the project are scrambling to hire the best architects in order to help secure the contract. The draft environment effects statement has been completed and will be released soon, showing the expected environmental impacts that the project will have, but it is believed that this will concentrate on visual amenity. Eight bidders are contending for this $3.1 million project, but this is expected to be shortlisted to three within a few weeks.
posted by steve on August 18, 2008 at 10:03 am · filed under 
The Age
The World Conservation Union (IUCN) yesterday released its Red List of Threatened Species for Cetaceans. Formerly classified as ‘vulnerable’, the new Red List identifies the Humpback Whale’s status as of ‘least concern.’ Nevertheless, certain stocks of the species remain endangered, such as those in the South Pacific and the Arabian Seas.
posted by ruby on August 13, 2008 at 5:48 pm · filed under
IUCN
An extensive review of the world’s primates has found the group in danger, with monkeys, apes and other primates vanishing as a result of forest destruction and hunting for food and the illegal wildlife trade. Of the world’s 634 kinds of primates, the review discovered that nearly 50 per cent are in danger of extinction, and within Asia, over 70 per cent are vulnerable to extinction. Conservationists are emphasising the importance of protecting forests and reforesting to provide habitat for primates, actions that can help to save humankind’s closest relatives.
posted by anna on August 12, 2008 at 10:38 pm · filed under 
The Sydney Morning Herald
A recently released paper by Dr George Wilson and Melanie Edwards has found that by increasing our kangaroo industry for human consumption Australia could significantly decrease its greenhouse gas emissions.
This report comes as scientists are becoming aware of the volume and impact of methane emissions from traditional farm stock. In light of sheep and cattle giving off 11 per cent of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions, Wilson and Edwards have proposed that their production be cut back by 30% and replaced by Kangaroos, who emit much less methane. This, they claim, could reduce Australia’s total emissions by 3%.
posted by megan on August 12, 2008 at 3:35 pm · filed under 
National Geographic
A census of apes in the northern regions of the Republic of Congo has found 125,000 western lowland gorillas which could double the world’s estimated population. There was knowledge of some apes, but the numbers were not anticipated until the first survey was carried out.
posted by shaun on August 6, 2008 at 11:18 pm · filed under
ABC News
Although the Queensland Government is already building one desalination plant on the Gold Coast, it has begun taking the next steps in a search for additional sites for another desal plant that could be built in the future. Six prospective sites are currently under investigation in the south-east of Queensland. State Premier, Anna Bligh, stated that a future plant will only be built if necessary, but stressed that the Government are taking a long-term view in planning for future scenarios over a 40 year time-frame.
posted by steve on August 4, 2008 at 6:19 am · filed under
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts
A development proposal including construction of 40 residential lots near Mission Beach has been rejected by Environment Minister Peter Garrett because it would compromise habitat of the endangered southern cassowary.
“Only around 20 to 25 per cent of former cassowary lowland habitat remains today and this proposed development site is very important as a cassowary movement corridor between the adjoining Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area and the nearby coastal cassowary habitat.” said Mr Garrett.
posted by shaun on August 3, 2008 at 12:21 pm · filed under
The Age
After an assessment found that savannah cats pose an extreme threat to native wildlife, Environment Minister Peter Garrett has banned their importation. The legal definition of ‘domestic cat’ will be altered to exclude cats with genes from the African wildcat, the serval.
posted by shaun on August 3, 2008 at 12:07 pm · filed under
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