Context Threatened native black cockatoo species are affected by vehicular collisions in Western Australia.Aims We examined the interaction of a range of geospatial variables on black cockatoo collisions with vehicles during two time periods (2011-2015 and 2016-2020) to identify hotspots for vehicle trauma in the Perth metropolitan area.Methods A geospatial desktop analysis was conducted using publicly available datasets for road networks, traffic volumes, remnant native vegetation and water bodies, along with Perth Zoo Veterinary Department admission records for Carnaby's and forest red-tailed black cockatoos.Key results Admission records for 547 black cockatoos showed significant non-random clustering of locations where black cockatoos collided with vehicles. Temporal regression modelling showed that the number of collisions with vehicles was positively correlated with road density and percentage of remnant vegetation but negatively correlated with distance to nocturnal roosting sites. Spatial regression modelling showed that the distribution of collisions with vehicles across both species was influenced by road density and distance to cockatoo roost sites, with percentage of vegetation and water bodies as explanatory variables.Conclusions A large number of black cockatoos have been injured or killed along major roadways in the Perth metropolitan region, with injuries and deaths tending to increase in frequency over the surveyed time. The distribution of collision locations was non-random and showed evidence of significant clustering around hotspots where future mitigation efforts may be most effective or most needed.Implications Identifying locations of trauma hotspots and contributing factors provides opportunity for decision-makers to better design road networks to ensure sustainable development and improve black cockatoo conservation.

Context Nest hollow resources provided by native eucalypts in south-west Western Australia are a diminishing resource.Aims We investigated the change in nest hollow availability in two common species of eucalypts used by Carnaby's cockatoo (Zanda latirostris) across multiple land tenure types over a 25-year period in the northern wheatbelt of Western Australia.Methods Changes due to natural and anthropogenic causes in the persistence, canopy health and nest viability in wandoo (Eucalyptus wandoo) and salmon gum (E. salmonophloia) nest trees across four land tenure types were monitored after a 22-year interval. A proof-of-concept trial to repair unviable nest hollows was conducted on a limited sample of salmon gum trees.Key results The loss of nest trees was consistent across land tenures and tree species. Mean annual rate of loss of trees was 29-242% higher than species-specific rates previously reported in the literature. Tree canopy health was unchanged in 33-45% of trees, while 43-53% of dead standing nest trees were lost over 22 years.Conclusions The increased rate of loss recorded, along with the decline in canopy health of living trees indicates that a major collapse in eucalypt woodland nest availability can be expected in the northern wheatbelt over the next 50-70 years.Implications Maintenance of eucalypt woodland nest hollow resources will depend on provision of artificial nest hollows, repairs to existing viable and currently unviable nest hollows and the urgent need to establish new woodlands through targeted planting programs.

Context Extinction rates for Australian species are a major concern that requires new approaches to conserving species. Sustainable collecting, which is taking individuals of a species from the wild without affecting overall population numbers, has emerged as one method of placing a value on endangered species, that can help protect them from extinction. Aims We evaluated a case study to sustainably collect an endangered cockatoo species, Carnaby’s cockatoo (Zanda latirostris). Methods A 3-year program was conducted where Carnaby’s cockatoo eggs or nestlings were collected from the wild, hand reared and a sub-set sold on the domestic aviculture market to drive down prices and reduce incentives for poaching. Key results Fledging success of the source population was not significantly different from unharvested populations (χ2 = 3.02, d.f. = 2, P = 0.221). The unit market price of Carnaby’s cockatoos decreased from AUD4500 in 1996 to AUD2800 in 2018 (AUD1658 in 1996 dollar terms adjusted for inflation) following the program (P < 0.001). There were other possible explanations for the fall in market price, which occurred concomitant with this study, and limited data available on poaching showed no difference in the number of poaching cases before and after the program. Conclusions We demonstrated that Carnaby’s cockatoos can be sustainably harvested from the wild in the short-term, but only with the benefit of sound knowledge of the species’ ecology. Implications This program is the first study to show that an endangered cockatoo species can be successfully collected from the wild.

Context Feral cats (Felis catus) prey on a wide range of Australian native bird species, with most records related to smaller, ground-dwelling or ground-nesting species. Aims This study examined the impact of feral cat predation on endangered Carnaby’s cockatoo (Zanda latirostris), a large obligate hollow-nesting species. Methods Cat predation was measured during a study into the breeding ecology of Carnaby’s cockatoo at a long-term study site in the northern wheatbelt of Western Australia. Key results Feral cats predated Carnaby’s cockatoo adult females in their nest hollow, their nestlings, and eggs in at least three out of 38 years. When it occurred in those 3 years, the feral cat predation impact, expressed as a percentage of breeding attempts on cockatoo nesting were 5.2%, 11.6%, and 24.1%. The increase in predation rate in the year with the highest recorded rate coincided with the breeding season following an intense 8-month drought in mid-western Western Australia, which likely had an adverse impact on prey species more often consumed by feral cats. Conclusion The results suggest that predation by cats can be a significant threat to Carnaby’s cockatoo because it reduces the survival of adult breeding females and recruitment of fledglings. Implications Control of feral cats by local-scale shooting and cage trapping have both been used to achieve short-term success, offering a possible means of mitigating the long-term impact of feral cats at the study site, and potentially elsewhere.

ABSTRACT Barn Owls Tyto alba were recorded breeding in natural nest hollows in a Wandoo Eucalyptus wandoo woodland in the northern wheatbelt of Western Australia infrequently and at low densities during the period 1969-2022. During a record cropping season in 2022, Barn Owls were first recorded nesting successfully in natural hollows and in artificial nest hollows designed for use by Carnaby’s Cockatoos. The large clutch sizes (5-7) and complete fledging success observed in three artificial nest hollows was likely facilitated by a large House Mouse Mus musculus population associated with the record cropping season experienced at the study site.

Context Carnaby’s Cockatoo Zanda latirostris is an endangered species endemic to south-western Australia. It has been the subject of long-term studies of its ecology from 1969 to the present. Aims This paper examines the maximum recorded life of the species in the wild. Methods The life spans of eight wild Carnaby’s Cockatoos that were more than 20 years old were compared with longevity records of long-lived birds recorded on the banding registers in Australia, USA, and UK. Key results Eight wild Carnaby’s Cockatoos were recorded living from 21 to 35 years, putting the species in the top 2% of all bird species in the wild for which there are longevity records. Conclusions The longevity of Carnaby’s Cockatoo is similar to that of long-lived seabirds. Implications Several years of immaturity and low reproductive output mean that Carnaby’s Cockatoos must be long-lived for the species to be sustainable. Conservation actions need to minimise threats to the lives of adult cockatoos.

Context Carnaby’s cockatoos in Western Australia are experiencing ongoing population declines. Despite being highly mobile and adaptable, this endangered species has been impacted by fragmentation of its habitat, with an ongoing need for research on its movements in regional areas across its range to gain an understanding of habitat requirements, and to inform conservation plans.Aims This study aimed to determine whether regional differences in movement (distances travelled, revisitations and home range) exist for foraging and roosting behaviour for this species.Methods Movement analysis of satellite-tagged Carnaby’s cockatoos (n=11) across three agricultural regions was conducted.Key results When comparing distances between roosts and daily foraging behaviour, no significant differences were found between regions (P≥0.05). Resident home ranges (home ranges in areas of resident daily movement) of flocks were much larger in the Esperance region, however, showing differences in movement patterns between regions.Conclusions Because flocks were similar in size (n=±300) between regions and used a similar amount of native vegetation for foraging (±20%), we concluded that movement may have been influenced by the spatial separation of patches of native vegetation. In addition, key foraging habitat often occurred within patches of non-native foraging species.Implications The information derived from this research has proven valuable in assessing the use of native vegetation in the landscape, identifying key habitat and determining daily and seasonal movement patterns. In addition, the importance of non-native food sources must be recognised and protection of native and non-native food sources must play a critical role in the species’ conservation management.

ABSTRACT The Regent Parrot Polytelis anthopeplus is a species that is now far less common and widespread than previously recorded. The nominate subspecies Polytelis anthopeplus anthopeplus found in southwest Western Australia is still widespread, but nowhere common, while the other subspecies P. a. monarchoides is listed as Endangered in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. A conservation project conducted in Western Australia to develop a register of artificial nest hollows deployed for target species of black cockatoos Calyptorynchus sp. and Zanda sp. identified the Regent Parrot as being the species that used artificial nest hollows most often after Carnaby’s Cockatoo Z. latirostris. In most instances Regent Parrots took advantage of newly deployed artificial hollows within the first 1-2 years of them becoming available. Regent Parrots used 35 of 40 large diameter (375-400 mm), 1.0-1.5 m deep artificial nest hollows at two study sites near Lake King, Western Australia. Of the artificial nest hollows used by Regent Parrots across nine monitored sites, each artificial hollow was used within 1.9±2.93 years of deployment and for an average of 2.3±1.47 years (avg±standard deviation). Individual artificial hollow use ranged from no use through to six years of use. This finding has important implications for the conservation of both subspecies of Regent Parrot.

The ghost bat Macroderma gigas (Megadermatidae) is native to Australia. Its current distribution has dramatically contracted northwards in the past 150 years and the extant populations are scattered and isolated due to climatic and anthropogenic factors. To investigate the potential for reintroductions of wild ghost bats into suitable habitats, we examined the potential for refuges located in the southern-most parts of the species’ former range to once again support populations. We identified Drovers Cave, located in Drovers Cave National Park in Western Australia, as a potential reintroduction site and used thermo-hygrochron iButtons to demonstrate that the microclimate conditions within the cave are suitable for ghost bats with temperatures close to 20 °C and 99% humidity throughout a ten-month period (December to September). We also showed that in the Pilbara region, ghost bats are opportunistic and flexible predators relying on small birds and mammal species. After comparing these data with the local fauna species list reported from Drovers Cave National Park, we concluded that the habitat at the proposed reintroduction site could provide sufficient diversity of potential prey species in terms of species richness, but we had no data on their relative abundance.

The collection of baseline health data is an essential component of an endangered species conservation program. As for many wildlife species, there are minimal health data available for wild populations of the endangered Carnaby's cockatoo (Zanda latirostris). In this study, 426 wild Carnaby's cockatoo nestlings were sampled from nine breeding sites throughout the range of the species over an 11-year period. In addition to a physical examination, samples were collected to test for hematologic and biochemical parameters, psittacine beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), avian polyomavirus (APV), psittacine adenovirus, psittacine herpesvirus, Chlamydia, disease serology and endoparasites. Environmental sampling was performed to screen for BFDV and APV in nest hollows. Descriptive health data are presented for nestlings of this species, with BFDV, APV and Chlamydia infections reported. Reference intervals for hematologic and biochemical parameters are presented in three age groups, and factors affecting blood analytes and body condition index are discussed. This longitudinal dataset provides insights into health parameters for Carnaby's cockatoo nestlings and a reference for future monitoring of breeding populations.

Context. With climate change causing unprecedented and rapid changes, conservation agencies need to establish the impacts on vulnerable and threatened species to prioritise actions to minimise threats associated with those impacts. Aims. Carnaby's Cockatoo (Zanda latirostris) is endemic to south-western Australia and this paper provides data to underpin future conservation management actions. Methods. We used data on the commencement of egg laying, breeding success, nestling condition, fledgling survival over their first year, and annual survival from the first year to construct a life table to examine the impacts of decreasing annual rainfall and increasing temperature in south-western Australia on the future viability of Carnaby's Cockatoos. Key results. Long-term survival of Carnaby's Cockatoos will be impacted by changes in rainfall, projected to be 16% drier in winter and up to 20% drier in spring, and by an increase in the number of days with maxima >= 35 degrees C, conditions when the birds are unable to forage. Conclusions. This drying and warming is likely to lead to a further contraction in the range of Carnaby's Cockatoo. Implications. Conservation management needs to address revegetation of foraging and breeding areas, repairs to derelict natural hollows and their maintenance, and provision of artificial hollows. Management should concentrate on areas with the best prospects for species survival and recovery including in the areas identified in this paper based on life table analysis and mapped across regions.

Context. Carnaby's Cockatoo is an endangered species and the subject of a recovery plan. Aims. Our study examined movements of adult and fledgling Carnaby's Cockatoos from 11 breeding populations in southwestern Australia to establish where the cockatoos spent the non-breeding season (February-May) and sub-adult life-stage. Methods. Data were collected on point-to-point movements from re-sightings and recoveries of cockatoos individually marked with patagial tags or leg bands. Sites were mostly located in the wheatbelt of Western Australia. Distribution patterns in the breeding and non-breeding seasons, including nesting sites were derived from location data from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions' Threatened and Priority Database. Key results. After breeding, adults and their fledglings moved from breeding areas to higher rainfall areas closer to the west and south coasts of south-western Australia where the food supply is greater and more reliable. Sub-adult cockatoos roam much more widely than adults and utilize foraging habitat not previously recognized as being important to this species. Conclusions. Important foraging habitat and locations have been identified for breeding populations in the north and south of the range of Carnaby's Cockatoos. Implications. More conservation attention needs to be focussed on locating additional breeding populations, assessing the viability of these populations, and the extent and condition of their nesting and foraging habitat used during their non-breeding season. Conservation of Carnaby's Cockatoo depends on the maintenance of remnant native vegetation and revegetation of nesting and foraging habitat throughout its range.

The use of anthropogenic resources is becoming increasingly common as species adapt to human-induced environmental changes, but their use can expose species to new risks. Understanding how animals exploit these resources is important for guiding conservation management, particularly where species are threatened. The introduction of canola cropping to breeding areas of endangered Carnaby's cockatoo (Zanda latirostris) has been attributed to an increase in the birds' reproductive success; however, the seed may be protein-limiting for nestling growth and its use by cockatoos has been implicated in the emergence of a new disease. We used high-resolution accelerometer-capable GPS tags to track eight birds. Accelerometer data were used to calculate overall dynamic body acceleration (ODBA), a proxy for energy expenditure, and to identify and quantify canola and native vegetation foraging behaviours. We used linear mixed models to determine which factors affected patterns of resource use and to determine whether, and to what extent, canola use was associated with reduced energetic and movement costs. We then compared the energetic content of canola seed and native food sources to inform patterns of behaviour and habitat use revealed by our tracking data. Use of canola was associated with reduced movement costs and energy expenditure. However, there was an apparent reluctance to increase foraging on canola above a threshold of time, even when conditions reduced time available to utilise native food sources. While anthropogenic resources may appear to improve population trends in some cases, careful investigations of patterns of resource use are necessary to guide appropriate conservation management efforts. For Carnaby's cockatoos, conservation efforts should focus on retention, protection and expansion of native food sources.

Context Loss of nest hollows in eucalypt woodlands is a major cause of decline for a range of Australian native birds including Carnaby’s cockatoo Calyptorhynchus latirostris, resulting in fewer nest sites for this species. Provision of artificial nesting hollows for Carnaby’s cockatoo is a recent part of approved environmental offsets under Western Australian and Australian government environment approvals processes. Aims We examined the continuing utility of natural and artificial nest hollows over time at Coomallo Creek, WA. Methods Data collected included the location of natural hollows, and their rates of utility and decay. We also installed artificial hollows and measured their use over time, as well as costs associated with their installation and maintenance. Key results Both nest types require repairs on average every 3–4 years. Repairs extend the working life of natural nest hollows and ensure that any artificial nest hollows established for conservation management purposes should continue to fulfil their purpose. Our results demonstrate the importance of regular maintenance to ensure hollows remain available for breeding cockatoos. Conclusions Artificial nest hollows provide a short-term solution to a larger problem of loss of native woodlands, but will only serve that purpose if current and future artificial nest hollows are monitored and repaired on a regular basis, and that adequate funds are provided to ensure that those nest hollows remain serviceable. Implications Provision and maintenance of large numbers of artificial hollows in association with restoration/replanting of woodlands in breeding areas is the only long-term solution to loss of breeding habitat.

Managed breeding programs are an important tool in marsupial conservation efforts but may be costly and have adverse genetic effects in unavoidably small captive colonies. Biobanking and assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) could help overcome these challenges, but further demonstration of their potential is required to improve uptake. We used genetic and economic models to examine whether supplementing hypothetical captive populations of dibblers (Parantechinus apicalis) and numbats (Myrmecobius fasciatus) with biobanked founder sperm through ARTs could reduce inbreeding, lower required colony sizes, and reduce program costs. We also asked practitioners of the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) captive recovery program to complete a questionnaire to examine the resources and model species research pathways required to develop an optimized biobanking protocol in the black-footed ferret. We used data from this questionnaire to devise similar costed research pathways for Australian marsupials. With biobanking and assisted reproduction, inbreeding was reduced on average by between 80% and 98%, colony sizes were on average 99% smaller, and program costs were 69- to 83-fold lower. Integrating biobanking made long-standing captive genetic retention targets possible in marsupials (90% source population heterozygosity for a minimum of 100 years) within realistic cost frameworks. Lessons from the use of biobanking technology that contributed to the recovery of the black-footed ferret include the importance of adequate research funding (US$4.2 million), extensive partnerships that provide access to facilities and equipment, colony animals, appropriate research model species, and professional and technical staff required to address knowledge gaps to deliver an optimized biobanking protocol. Applied research investment of A$133 million across marsupial research pathways could deliver biobanking protocols for 15 of Australia's most at-risk marsupial species and 7 model species. The technical expertise and ex situ facilities exist to emulate the success of the black-footed ferret recovery program in threatened marsupials using these research pathways. All that is needed now for significant and cost-effective conservation gains is greater investment by policy makers in marsupial ARTs.

ABSTRACT During the early 1900s, the Acclimatization Committee of Western Australia introduced several species to Rottnest Island, most of which ultimately failed to establish. The Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus was one that was successful and became synonymous with visits to the island. Peafowl eventually became too much of a nuisance and in 2009 the population was reduced by the Rottnest Island Authority leaving just male birds. In April 2022 the last peafowl died. We present the history of peafowl on Rottnest Island and describe how the introduced species' residence on Rottnest Island came to end.

Sex allocation theories predict that under different ecological conditions the production of sons and daughters will affect parental fitness differently. Skewed offspring sex ratios often occur under captive conditions where individuals are exposed to nutritional and social conditions that differ from nature. Here, we analyzed 29 years of offspring sex ratio data from a captive population of an endangered marsupial, the Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus). We partitioned variation in offspring sex ratio based on parental origin (captive- vs. wild-bred), parental weight, maternal age, and maternal reproductive history. Our analyses revealed no effect of parental weight or maternal origin on offspring sex ratio-however, there was a significant effect of paternal origin. Data visualization indicated that captive-bred males tended to produce male-biased litters. We discuss the result in relation to recent studies that have shown that male mammals have the capacity to be arbiters of sex allocation and highlight candidate mechanisms, but consider it with caution due to the small sample size from which the result was derived. We performed a population viability analysis (PVA) to explore the potential impact of a sex ratio skew on the sustainability of the captive Numbat population under hypothetical scenarios. Our PVA revealed that supplementation with wild individuals is critical to the persistence of the captive Numbat population and that a biased sex ratio will lead to extinction of the captive colony under certain conditions. Overall, our study demonstrates that covert sex ratio skews can persist undetected in captive populations, which have the potential to become impactful and compromise population sustainability under changed management processes.

A method for the safe and effective euthanasia of large beached humpback whales using explosives is described. Five recent case studies involving live stranded humpback whales measuring 9.1–12.7m are described to show how the method was applied, and the capacity of the method to deal with the varying conditions encountered when dealing with large baleen whales. Issues relating to the wider application of this method to other species of baleen whale and large odontocete species are discussed along with key safety implications for the safe use of this method.

Efforts to euthanise stranded cetaceans remain highly variable in their outcomes, with few field tested operational procedures available. This study sought to validate the efficacy of using modern firearms technology to euthanise small (<6m length) stranded cetaceans. Post-mortem evidence was gathered from the standardised shooting of cetacean cadavers (n = 10), representing six species, using .30 caliber (7.62mm) firearms and blunt solid copper-alloy non-deforming projectiles, in southwestern Australia. The six species studied were Risso’s dolphin, common dolphin, bottlenosed dolphin, pygmy sperm whale, Cuvier’s beaked whale, and humpback whale. Post-mortem data revealed that 100% of bullet wound tracts fully penetrated the skulls of shot animals, with associated indirect skull fracturing, secondary bone missiles and brain parenchyma laceration. The results suggest that appropriate firearms technology is fully capable of inducing instantaneous fatal pathology to the central nervous system of these species. In comparison to alternative methods for the euthanasia of stranded cetaceans, the use of firearms is associated with superior animal welfare outcomes, public safety levels and accessibility. This paper provides a template for the safe, humane and repeatable use of this technique to euthanise <6m length stranded cetaceans.

Anthropogenic landscape modification which leads to the displacement of species, is arguably one of the most profound impacts on animal movement globally. In urban landscapes, animal movement is generally impacted by varying levels of increased urbanization. However, this is species dependent and is mostly guided by the surrounding habitat. Fragmentation and habitat patch isolation must be considered at scales appropriate to the study species. Using telemetry, we test these assumptions investigating movement patterns of flocks of Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus banksii naso; RTBC) between three regions: urban, peri-urban, and forest using GPS and satellite PTT. This species occurs at varying levels of urbanization, however, how this might affect its movements is largely unknown. We did not find evidence that RTBC movement was impaired in the urban region compared with peri-urban or forest regions. It found, however, a significant within-region variation in movement extent among flocks and across regions depending on foraging resource availability and location. Differences in daily movement distance (Av. 4.96 - 16.41 km) and home range size (6.02 - 52.57 km2) between urban flocks appeared to be associated with the proximity of green spaces as roosts and foraging sites, with roadside vegetation providing important foraging resources and movement corridors. Key urban habitats were predominantly located in public nature reserves and private properties, with roadside vegetation connecting these sites for RTBC. The findings of this study highlight that conservation management for this and many other threatened species should regard the urban landscape as a critical habitat for urban adapted species. This would include management of its green spaces with connectivity and offsets from roads in mind. Furthermore, future research should focus on identifying additional key habitat sites (resource selection) and species distribution modeling, which will facilitate an active and adaptive approach towards this species' conservation management.