THREATENED AND IMPORTANT SPECIES

PRIORITY BS6

Raptors and owls

Tasmanian Wedge-tailed Eagle, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Grey Goshawk and Masked Owl are all species listed under Australian Government or Tasmanian threatened species legislation. In addition, other owls and raptors are important to the community, and their population sizes are not well understood. The Actions planned for the Priority will address the three main threats affecting raptors and owls – loss of habitat, infrastructure collisions, and the impact of rodenticides which kill the predators of rodents too.

outcome

By 2030, three priority threats (infrastructure collisions, rodenticide impacts and habitat loss) to raptors and owls in the Cradle Coast region are being reduced by NRM activities.

threats

Local threats that can be addressed by NRM actions:

  • Land use pressures including development, intensification of agriculture and other industries
  • Inappropriate land management practices including vegetation clearing
  • Roadkill
  • Weeds and feral animals
  • Increasing fire risk due to climate change
  • Rodenticide use
  • Collisions with electricity infrastructure
  • Lack of knowledge and understanding in the community about threatened species

Actions

BS6.a

Provide support and advice to managers of electricity infrastructure to implement best practice management that reduces raptor collisions.

Lead a community education program to minimise raptor and owl deaths from rodenticide impacts.

Facilitate citizen science mapping of owl and raptor habitat and support nest hollow and nest box management.

implementation

Investment Opportunity

  • Australian Government
  • Tasmanian Government
  • Regional or Local
  • Private or philanthropic

  • Information gathering activities including supporting professional and citizen science fauna surveys.
  • Policy and planning activities such as prioritisation of appropriate management actions and locations for investment, engagement in council land-use planning processes, support for council and state government-led roadkill mitigation planning.
  • On-ground work including roadkill mitigation measures, support for Tas Networks (and others) undertaking raptor collision mitigation, and land management agreements focused on protection and rehabilitation of remnant habitat.
  • Behaviour-change and capacity-building activities – education, awareness and skill-building focused on biodiversity values, roadkill reduction and best management practices.

Local Councils; Government agencies; Landcare, Wildcare, community groups and not-for-profits (e.g. NatureTrackers); Industry groups (e.g., Dairy Tas, beef groups); TasNetworks; Farmers and land managers – land management agreements for on-ground works and habitat protection.

Field days, workshops and educational activities; extension, capacity building and land management agreement opportunities for landholders; volunteer and citizen science opportunities; domestic animal management education and support.