National Threatened Species Day

NATIONAL THREATENED SPECIES DAY

861. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the Minister for Environment:

In reference to National Threatened Species Day —

(1) What is the major threat to threatened species and biodiversity in the Perth metropolitan region?

(2) Is the minister aware that 38 per cent, or six of 16, roost sites identified in Birds Australia’s Carnaby’s black cockatoo recovery project for the Swan coastal plain of 2006 have either already been cleared or are earmarked for clearing in the near future?

(3) Have the following species on the department’s declared threatened fauna list been identified as living in Beeliar Regional Park in the vicinity of the Roe Highway stage 8 extension —

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  (a) Carnaby’s black cockatoo—fauna that is rare or likely to become extinct;

  (b) Baudin’s black cockatoo—vulnerable;

  (c) forest red-tailed black cockatoo—vulnerable;

  (d) peregrine falcon—specially protected; and

  (e) lined skink—priority fauna?

Hon DONNA FARAGHER replied:

I thank the member for some notice of the question.

(1) The major threat is loss and degradation of habitat through clearing, and impacts such as feral animals, weeds and dieback.

(2) The Department of Environment and Conservation has advised me that it is aware of this figure.

(3) Each of the listed species has a wide range, with the bird species in particular being highly mobile. The peregrine falcon is distributed widely across Australia and internationally. In the following answers “living in Beeliar Regional Park” is taken to mean resident or breeding within that area rather than just being an occasional visitor.

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  (a) Yes.

  (b)-(c) No.

  (d) Yes.

  (e) Yes. The lined skink is not a threatened species but is on the Department of Environment and Conservation’s priority reserve species list for species that do not satisfy the criteria to be considered threatened.