Latest news with #ZoosVictoria
ABC News
08-05-2025
- General
- ABC News
Victorian helmeted honeyeaters returned to the wild in historic release
More than 20 iconic yellow and black helmeted honeyeaters have fluttered off into their new forest home on Bunurong Country in eastern Victoria. The birds were bred at Healesville Sanctuary near Melbourne as part of a conservation program establishing a crucial wild population in the fight against extinction. Zoos Victoria helmeted honeyeater field officer Nick Bradsworth said the release in Gippsland this month was a bittersweet time for those involved in the program. "It is an emotional moment for the recovery team, and so many of our partners, to have had helmeted honeyeaters return to this area after an absence of over 40 years," Dr Bradsworth said. Scientists are hopeful the continued introduction of new colonies of the birds will help re-establish their numbers and ensure their survival. Honeyeaters are unique to Australasia, with around 170 species recorded. The helmeted honeyeater is known for its striking black and yellow plumage, and a bright yellow crest or "helmet", which distinguishes the bird from other honeyeaters. Dr Bradsworth said the helmeted honeyeater was chosen in 1971 as Victoria's bird emblem partly because it was only found east of Melbourne. "Its historic distribution used to be from the Yarra Valley down to the Westerport Bay and through the hills of the Koo Wee Rup swamps," he said. Zoos Victoria estimated there were only 200 helmeted honeyeaters in the wild. The birds are listed as threatened under Victorian legislation and endangered under Commonwealth legislation. The species has not been seen in the Cardinia area since the Ash Wednesday fires in 1983. The team at Healesville Sanctuary has been part of a national recovery plan for the species, with a focus on population management and the establishment of new colonies in the wild. Healesville Sanctuary's helmeted honeyeater breeding program lead, Kim Miller, said the team was hopeful the new population of birds at Cardinia would help improve the genetic diversity of the species. Dr Bradsworth said Zoos Victoria had been working closely with other local organisations to rehabilitate the habitat ahead of the birds' release. "They are listed as critically endangered still, but we're actively working to help reverse their decline, and so one of those factors is through re-introductions into the wild, mainly with captive-bred birds," he said. As the honeyeaters establish themselves, a dedicated team will monitor and provide supplementary food to ensure the species thrives in its new location. Scientists from Healesville have managed to attach tiny VHF radio transmitters to the birds' tails, allowing them to track the birds, although Dr Bradsworth has managed to come up with his own way of identifying the colony. "All of the birds have unique colour combinations on their legs, so I can actually identify which individuals are which … who they pair off with, and where they go," he said. All involved hope the release is the beginning of re-establishing the iconic species. "We do hope to increase the number of sites in years to come, bolster numbers with captive-born birds and hope that they thrive into the future."
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists rediscover rare species thought to be extinct with help from specially trained dogs: 'A career highlight'
Daisy, the wildlife detection dog, found her first dragon after months of training and searching. As part of a program run by Zoos Victoria in Australia, Daisy and her canine teammate, Kip, have been on a mission to locate Victorian grassland earless dragons — extremely rare reptiles that had not been seen for about 50 years and were assumed to be extinct before a rediscovery in 2023, the Guardian reported recently. The dogs have found at least 13 of the critically endangered creatures. The challenge for the dogs — and their human collaborators — is that there are likely fewer than 200 of the reptiles in the wild, and they often hide in spider burrows or under rocks, per the news outlet. The zoo's search team uses the dogs' skills in tandem with technological and traditional methods of surveying. "If something is hidden, or camouflaged, in a burrow, and just difficult to see, it might be easy to smell," Emma Bennett, a detection-dog trainer and researcher not involved with the project, explained to the Guardian. Dr. Nick Rutter, who trained Daisy and works with her in the field, described her first find as "a career highlight" for him and told the news outlet he felt "an overwhelming cascade of joy." He added that the light-brown, distinctively banded lizards are "bloody gorgeous." According to the news article and accompanying video, the dogs appear happy doing their duty of finding reptiles. They take payment in the form of "treats, cuddles, ball games, and praise." This doesn't change the fact that the team does important work. A 2023 Australian government report called the Victorian grassland earless dragon "nationally significant for being the most imperilled reptile on mainland Australia." Understanding more about threatened and endangered species, the roles they historically played in their habitats, and what it takes to protect them can lead to positive outcomes for animals and their surroundings. One 2023 study documented how 29 formerly threatened species in Australia are thought to have recovered from immediate risks after investments in conservation. Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely Depends on the animal No way Just let people do it for free Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The Guardian reported that only about 0.5% of suitable grassland is left for the dragon, as its habitat has been encroached on by housing and farmland expansion. The effects of a warming planet are also having impacts on various habitats and animals in Australia. Yet the discovery of the lizard species hanging on is a reminder of nature's persistence, argued Jane Melville, a senior curator at the Museums Victoria Research Institute, per the Guardian. "They've shown amazing resilience," Melville said. "This little dragon has managed to hold on under really difficult circumstances." Meanwhile, the cooperative approach of humans and dogs taking action to locate the reptiles is an inspirational interspecies story. Detection dogs — along with other animal hero species — have helped humans in Australia and elsewhere, as the Guardian noted, finding threatened species, sniffing out viruses and disease-carrying organisms, and surveying for birds and bats at wind farms. As for the dragon detectors, Rutter said in the video that they are training additional dogs and expanding their search areas. They also want to see if their current team can generalize from their training to search for similar species that also "haven't been seen for quite a long time." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Incredible moment sniffer dog makes rare discovery in Aussie bush
Wildlife experts have trained three specialised dogs to detect some of Australia's rarest animals, which they say will be a 'game-changer' for protecting the species. This is the incredible moment a sniffer dog made a rare discovery in the Aussie bush. Wildlife experts have trained 3 specialised dogs to detect some of Australia's rarest animals, which they say will be a game changer for protecting the species. The 3 dogs, Daisy, Sugar and Kip, were selected for a month-long programme that taught them to sense the critically endangered Victorian grassland eless dragon. For decades, scientists feared the Tiny lizard species was extinct as they hadn't been seen since the 1960s. But in 2023, it was accidentally rediscovered by ecologists who were surveying private farmland that was earmarked for development. Dragons spend much of their time out of sight, hidden inside wolf spider holes, but the dogs are able to detect them with their specialised sense of smell that's up to 100,000 times more acute than a human's. Specialist trainer Doctor Nick Rutter said, When Daisy and I found our first dragon, it was absolutely incredible. She alerted to a little hole in the ground, and I quickly got out my endoscope and put a little camera down in the hole. And there was this tiny, adorable little dragon face staring back at me. The dragon detection is helping researchers collate data about population density and helping them locate animals to add to Zoos Victoria's captive breeding programme.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Rare discovery in Aussie bush by sniffer dog: 'Incredible'
Wildlife experts have trained three specialised dogs to detect some of Australia's rarest reptiles, which they say will be a 'game-changer' for protecting the species. The three dogs, Daisy, Sugar and Kip were selected for a months-long program that taught them to sense the critically endangered Victorian grassland earless dragon. For decades, scientists had feared the tiny lizard species was extinct because less than 0.5 per cent of its original habitat has yet to be destroyed, and they hadn't been seen since the 1960s. But in 2023, it was accidentally rediscovered by ecologists who were surveying private farmland that was earmarked for development. The Zoos Victoria-led detection mission involved specialist trainer Dr Nick Rutter, who said the relationship each handler builds with an individual dog is the 'cornerstone' of how effective their work is. Because dragons are so rare, the dogs only had limited opportunities to smell them during training, but they were quick to learn. "Training them, being out in the field — is really important,' Rutter said. Dragons spend much of their time out of sight, hidden inside wolf spider holes. But the dogs are able to detect them with their specialised sense of smell that's up to 100,000 times more acute than a human's, discovering 10 new dragons that ecologists had previously been unaware of. 'When Daisy and I found our first dragon, it was absolutely incredible… she alerted to a little hole in the ground and I quickly got out my endoscope and put a little camera down in the hole, and there was this tiny, adorable little dragon face staring back at me,' Rutter said. Related: 🐕 Sniffer dog's remarkable wildlife discovery 😳 'Incredible' 500-year-old discovery hidden behind invasive weed 🐠 Fisherman shocked by 'unfathomable' scene at beaches 👏 Aussie camper's brave act after spotting massive emu in need A similar program after the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires trained dogs to locate pungent koala scats, so burned animals could be brought down from trees and treated. The dragon detection is helping researchers collate data about population density and help them locate animals to add to their captive breeding program at the zoo. The dragons were rediscovered in Melbourne's west, a region that has been flagged for extensive housing development. Zoos Victoria now plans to take their dogs on sniffing missions outside the rediscovery site, in the hope more dragons will be found. They could also be used in the hunt for another dragon species that hasn't been seen since the 1990s, that ecologists in Bathurst are currently searching for. The trial was a collaboration between the Resilient Landscapes Hub, Wildlife Detection Dogs and Zoos the results published here. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
The Guardian
07-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Morning Mail: Trump threatens more China tariffs, Dutton's ‘isolationist' student plan, Fowler fires up Matildas
Good morning. As Donald Trump's tariffs announcement continues to reverberate around the world, causing stock markets to tumble, the US president is showing no sign of cooling the trade war. Instead he has threatened an additional 50% excise on imports from China after the country imposed retaliatory 34% tariffs. Trump also met with the visiting Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who came to talk tariffs but also discussed Iran's nuclear program. Back in Australia, a peak higher education body has accused Peter Dutton of using Trump's playbook for the opposition's plan to cut international students to 240,000 a year. And our Last chance series examines the plight of the eastern curlew, the ultimate avian endurance athlete. Higher education | The peak body for higher education says the Coalition has played an isolationist 'Donald Trump anti-migration card' with its election policy to slash international students. Last chance | Populations of the world's largest migratory bird have dwindled as their habit comes under threat. It's the latest in our series on the extinction crisis that is being ignored this election. Schoolyard politics | The education minister has written to the peak independent and Catholic school bodies, warning a Peter Dutton government will 'dictate' what students are taught and promising private school funding will remain unchanged under Labor. Doctor strike | The doctors' union in NSW has called a strike from Tuesday to Thursday this week after pay negotiations with the government broke down. Here's what you need to know. Good dogs | Wildlife detection dogs have successfully sniffed out 13 critically endangered earless dragons in Melbourne's west, thanks to a training program launched by Zoos Victoria in 2023. Trump tariffs | Trump has threatened extra 50% tariffs on China if the country does not withdraw its retaliatory levies. Global stock markets have been plagued with volatility as the world economy reacts. The EU has said it offered the US a 'zero-for-zero' tariff deal on cars and industrial goods weeks before Trump launched his trade war. Leaders meeting | The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is in Washington for a second meeting with Trump since the US president's return to office, where the pair are expected to discuss the 18-month-old war in Gaza, Iran's nuclear threat and US tariffs. Follow the live blog here. Music | Clem Burke, the drummer whose backbeats powered Blondie to huge chart success across multiple decades, has died of cancer aged 70. Request denied | Director Yorgos Lanthimos was refused by Greece's culture ministry when he applied to shoot scenes for sci-fi comedy Bugonia at the Acropolis. Aristocratic subterfuge | Police in the Brazilian state of São Paulo have uncovered that a judge spent 23 years working under a false identity – and a distinctly British one: Edward Albert Lancelot Dodd Canterbury Caterham Wickfield. The dark digital lives of teenage boys The new Netflix series Adolescence has become one of the streaming service's most popular shows. The drama follows the arrest of a 13-year-old boy for the murder of a female classmate, exploring the growing risks of online radicalisation. Nour Haydar speaks with anti-violence advocate Tarang Chawla about fostering healthy masculinity in a digital world awash with misogyny. Sorry your browser does not support audio - but you can download here and listen $ Peter Dutton has backed down on plans to make public servants work from home and to cut federal government jobs. The turnaround comes after months of little explanation about how the opposition's plans to manage the bureaucracy would work. Josh Butler examines how junking a signature policy for the Coalition could be the circuit breaker his campaign needs to get back on track – or ripping the Band-Aid off may expose an ugly wound. Whenever Georgina Woods is hit with a sense of melancholia, her favourite refuge is the natural world. The feeling is so powerful it can cut through political, social and economic divisions. She writes: 'Nature shows me that we don't have to choose between beauty and freedom on the one hand, and good living on the other.' Sign up to Morning Mail Our Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Soccer | Mary Fowler gave the Matildas cause for optimism ahead of next year's Asian Cup after a fine first-half finish and some second-half wizardry helped secure a second friendly victory over continental rivals South Korea. Rugby | World Rugby insists there is no medical evidence that 7-1 bench splits will lead to more injuries and the governing body has no plans to outlaw the tactic as a result. Athletics | A huge throw elevated Matthew Denny into rarefied air on Sunday as the discus athlete recorded the fifth longest effort of all time while becoming the first Australian to eclipse the 70m mark at the Oklahoma Throws series in the US. Superannuation funds are urging their members not to panic after nearly $100bn was wiped from the S&P/ASX 200, reports the Australian Financial Review. Sand pumping has begun on the Gold Coast to restore beaches eroded by Cyclone Alfred, per ABC News. reports on who won the Australian Idol finale last night. Melbourne | A man charged with antisemitic abuse of federal and Victorian MPs will have his first hearing. Wagga Wagga | There will be a hearing for the Pfas inquiry. If you would like to receive this Morning Mail update to your email inbox every weekday, sign up here, or finish your day with our Afternoon Update newsletter. You can follow the latest in US politics by signing up for This Week in Trumpland. And finally, here are the Guardian's crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow. Quick crossword Cryptic crossword
