There are four major environmental events in September: it’s National Biodiversity month; Save the Koala month; National Threatened Species Day on the 7th; and National Bilby Day on the 11th.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
They are all very important events, and actually are connected one with the other. Koalas and bilbys are threatened species, and biodiversity is important to all living things, including us.
As the WIRES mission is to actively rehabilitate and preserve Australian wildlife and inspire others to do the same, I will concentrate on National Threatened Species Day.
National Threatened Species Day is held on September 7 each year as it is the anniversary of the death of the last know Tasmanian Tiger (thylacine) at Hobart Zoo in 1936.
It is a day to reflect on past losses, and think about how we can help preserve the species that are still with us, especially those that are at risk of disappearing.
Australia has the worst mammal extinction record in the world: 27 mammal species or subspecies, along with 23 birds and four frog species ‘gone’ since European settlement. No other country or continent has such a tragic record. In addition, of our surviving biodiversity, more than 1500 mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and plants are listed as threatened with extinction under government legislation.
We all know about the plight of the koala, northern hairy-nosed wombat, leadbeater’s possum and other iconic creatures through the media coverage and publicity they receive.
We may wish to help, but apart from supporting environmental groups and perhaps donating money, there is little we can do in our day-to-day living.
However, it is different with birds, especially our small birds. Many of them are in sharp decline, even threatened, but these are creatures we can help.
The major cause of the decline in our small birds is land clearing. We can plant as many replacement trees as we like, but these will only help the bigger birds: our small birds need native shrubs and under-storey. They need dense bushes to hide from predators, to roost in and build their nests.
Even if you don’t have a garden, potted shrubs on a balcony or in a courtyard will help.
The environment and our wildlife are in trouble, and their biggest threat is assuming that someone else will save them. So, don’t wait until Threatened Species Day to think about this: please get planting now.
For advice or help with injured or distressed wildlife in the Southern Tablelands area, call our volunteers on 4822 3888. Elsewhere, call 1300 094 737.
