Starving Carnaby’s cockatoos call into question State Government's management of iconic endangered species

Reports of critically endangered Carnaby’s cockatoos coming into care, emaciated and starving, has cast doubt on the State Government’s management of the iconic species.

WA Nationals leader Shane Love joined with Carnaby’s Crusaders carer Dean Arthurell at State Parliament last week to call for urgent action to prevent the mass starvation of Carnaby’s cockatoos.

Speaking to Parliament, Mr Love said dry seasonal conditions and land clearing in the metropolitan area had resulted in a food shortage for the birds with Government intervention needed.

He said allowing a threatened species to starve was “irresponsible” and claimed the situation was a “complete failure” of Environment Minister Reece Whitby‘s duty to safeguard WA’s environment and biodiversity.

“There are wildlife volunteers ready and willing to feed the Carnaby’s and protect this threatened species from further losses, however, under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, it’s illegal to feed wildlife without the authority of the government,” Mr Love said.

“The Minister for Environment must act urgently to approve supplementary feeding to save these protected birds.”

Responding to Mr Love’s assertions in Parliament, Mr Whitby said the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions was examining the issues impacting WA’s black cockatoos as breading season approaches and will consider feasible actions to help.

“Our Government is providing specific additional support to the Perth Zoo veterinary department to ensure it can provide treatment for sick birds and to specialised black cockatoo rehabilitation centres to enable them to rehabilitate birds and release them back to wild populations,” he said.

Mr Love was joined by Mr Arthurell in his calls. The carer said the DBCA had denied requests for assistance allowing the cockatoo populations to “starve to death.”

“A feeding program is the only immediate option to avoid mass starvation in the short term,” he said.

“The department has told us it’s morally opposed to feeling wildlife, however, we see both dolphins and pelicans fed for tourism purposes in other parts of the State.

“We are asking for a feeding program to ensure the survival of this threatened species.”

In response to the claims Mr Whitby said the DBCA does not consider setting up feeding stations a feasible solution because Carnaby’s cockatoos were so widely dispersed through their breeding habitat.

“Any supplementary feeding program for wild animals requires careful consideration to ensure it can provide greater benefits than risks,” he said.

“Considerations include appropriate locations and food types, mitigating disease risks, increased predation and aggression between wild animals, and avoiding increases in pest and feral animals being attracted to the feed sites.”

Mr Love said Mr Whitby was at odds with his Federal counterparts.

“The Federal Government has acknowledged the threat faced by our endemic Carnaby’s cockatoos, stating it doesn’t accept that environmental decline and extinction is inevitable,” he said.

“A failure to act by the State Government flies in the face of decades of work dedicated to the recovery of this unique, endangered species.”

Mr Whitby disagreed.

“We are also working with the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, responsible for developing a new multi-species recovery plan for all three threatened black cockatoo species in Western Australia,” he said.

A State Government spokesperson also noted it was “ironic” for Mr Love to claim starvation was caused by State Government inaction given the National Party opposed the State Government’s push to end native logging in 2023.

They said the State’s previous Liberal-National Government did not fund its Forest Management Plan while the State Government had invested $67.2 million over four years to its own plan.

“We have promised to officially conserve 400,000 hectares of karri, jarrah and wandoo within the next decade as part of the Forest Management Plan, which itself is providing modern protections for almost two million hectares of native forests in our State’s South West,” Mr Whitby said.

“DBCA will continue to examine issues affecting WA’s black cockatoos as this breeding season continues and will consider any action that may be feasible to assist these species.”