The Gang-Gang cockatoo, the faunal emblem of the ACT, is in dire need of support, according to the Conservation Council of the ACT. Photo: Conservation Council ACT.
When ACT Conservation Council Executive Director Simon Copland saw a Gang-Gang cockatoo at Lake Burley Griffin recently, he was delighted.
The bird, the faunal emblem of the ACT, enjoys iconic status in the nation’s capital but he said it was, sadly, also becoming an indictor of something else – a threatened species.
The species, like many others, suffered greatly during the 2019-20 bushfires, in both mortality and habitat loss.
Often a regular sight in the heavily-treed inner suburbs near Black Mountain and Mount Ainslie, they are becoming increasingly rare.
It is estimated that the fires impacted the bird’s distribution by up to 36 per cent, reduced the carrying capacity for the species by 40 per cent and resulted in a 10 per cent reduction of the overall population.
These worrying statistics, according to the Conservation Council, include the estimate that the population has declined by about 69 per cent now over the previous three generations.
It is for these reasons that Canberra’s favourite bird was assessed recently for national listing in the endangered category.
Mr Copland said the Gang-Gang was also becoming an emblem of the environmental crisis facing the city – which is why the Conservation Council launched its Gang-Gang Guardians, a new regular giving program for Canberrans committed to protecting our environment and fighting climate change.
He said through the Council, a non-profit organisation with more than 40 member groups in the ACT, concern for the bird could be amplified so its plight could reach the decision-makers.
He urged interested people to join up as Gang-Gang Guardians by making regular monthly donations “to allow us to plan strategically for meaningful, long-term, powerful action”.
“It allows us to work towards our vision for a healthy planet for humans and all other life, where nature is protected and communities respect and live in harmony with the environment,” he said.
People interested in becoming a Gang-Gang Guardian can show their support online via the ACT Conservation Council site.
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