Untangling wildlife entanglements: patterns represented in rescue data from New South Wales, Australia

As the demand for adventure tourism in national parks increases, the number of adventure tour operators also increases, and the debate regarding their presence in national parks ensues. This paper focuses on the operators’ interpretation of adventure tourism in New South Wales (NSW) national parks, and explores why the operators have particular perspectives on adventure tourism in national parks. This paper draws on identity theory as a foundation for exploring the operators’ perspectives. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 adventure tour operators based in four NSW national parks. Based on the interview data, this study found the operators played a variety of roles in the operation of adventure tourism business in national parks, such as escape facilitators and stewards of the natural environment. These roles were related to the operators’ concerns for clients, the natural environment and their businesses.

The provision of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation services in New South Wales (NSW) relies heavily on the volunteer sector. The NSW Government regulates the sector and is responsible for identifying measures for its support and delivery of services. To inform this process, we undertook an extensive review of the sector. We report here on the results from our survey of NSW volunteer wildlife rehabilitators, who have collectively reported over 1,000,000 rescues of sick and injured free-living wildlife over the past 16 years. The survey provided a unique insight into the demographics of the sector, the challenges faced, and the value of their contribution to wildlife rehabilitation. Volunteers’ views on the operation of wildlife rehabilitation providers cover five key areas: governance, training, standards of care, service capacity and reporting, as well as the support received from other stakeholders, NSW Wildlife Council (the peak body for the sector), veterinary professionals and government. We found that the volunteer wildlife rehabilitation sector in NSW provides a significant public good that is of high value to the environment, community and government. We make recommendations for investment and strategic improvements to the capacity of the sector to continue to deliver services including transitioning wildlife rehabilitation providers towards a system of accreditation in the future.

Immediately following the review of the New South Wales (NSW) Kangaroo Management Program (KMP) in 1997, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service initiated a strategic planning process involving the NSW Kangaroo Management Advisory Committee. In April 2000 the strategic planning process progressed into a full review of the KMP 1998-2002 and various reports were commissioned. The draft KMP 2002-2006 was released for public comment on 14 July 2001. Key issues considered when preparing the new program were the legislative framework, the inclusion of goals and objectives that can be audited, the merits of damage mitigation as a rationale for commercial kangaroo use and the format and writing style of the KMP 1998-2002. Following analysis of submissions on the draft KMP 2002-2006, the program was finalised and submitted to the Australian Commonwealth Government for approval. The KMP 2002-2006 was approved by the Commonwealth and is valid from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2006. The KMP 2002-2006 has a single overarching goal to maintain viable populations of kangaroos throughout their ranges in accordance with the principles of ecologically sustainable development. This goal is serviced by six new management-based objectives, each of which is covered by a specific section in the new management program. The new management program no longer relies on identification of damage as justification for commercial kangaroo use, and facility for an adaptive management approach has been added for the first time. Specific arrangements for ongoing program audits, periodic full program reviews and community awareness and participation are further additions to the new management program.

This paper presents how a 2015 public space design competition, made available to students of landscape architecture in Australia and New Zealand, provided an opportunity for investigations to be carried into the experiences, values, and the importance of hangout places in public settings. Following successful and enriching partnerships with Indigenous communities as part of previous design studio teaching and research activities we developed a brief for our current landscape architecture students from the University of Canberra and the University of Melbourne to explore the notion of hangouts, inclusive of Indigenous perspectives. With support from the Local Eden Aboriginal Land Council from the South Coast region of New South Wales (NSW) and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, we formulated a design brief that involved students spending five days camping at an Aboriginal site of significance known as the Haycock Point Culture Camp. Located at the northern end of the NSW Ben Boyd National Park, the Culture Camp site is a space that has been, for some time, purposefully set aside for the local Aboriginal community to share, celebrate and transmit their knowledge. Consisting of a set of separate family camping sites, each connected to a central meeting place, the campground is located within walking distance of bush foods as well as fishing and diving spots that have been important to the local Aboriginal people for generations. And while the Culture Camp serves as a modern-day hangout, where Aboriginal families typically travel to on weekends and holiday periods, the archaeological record and oral accounts indicated that the site h as been occupied for thousands of years. Indeed, the site represents an old hangout location. Through the act of hanging out at the Culture Camp with our students, and by learning about the use and history of the site through the insights of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal knowledge holders, we explore in this paper how the knowledge gained through the experience helped to inform and inspire design thinking about hangout places in both regional and urban contexts. This paper features design concepts developed by students, along with critical reflections on how the fishing, sketching, bushwalking, storytelling, and other camp activities imbued their design approaches with meaning.

The integration of social media, smartphone technology and the widespread sharing of images has reshaped tourism, sparking new trends such as selfie-tourism and social media-driven travel. National parks, offering scenic and pristine landscapes, have become prime destinations for these pursuits. The popularity of platforms like Instagram and Facebook, combined with the influence of travel-focused social media personalities, has inspired a wave of visitors seeking "selfie-worthy" locations. However, this shift in visitation motives has raised environmental and safety concerns: visitors venture off-trail, engage in risky photography practices and disrupt natural habitats, increasing the risk of injury and fatalities in hazardous coastal and cliff areas. National parks face growing challenges, with social media's allure prompting a variety of visitors who may lack awareness of responsible tourism practices. This trend imposes costs on park management, emergency services and local ecosystems, necessitating new strategies to balance tourism promotion with ecological protection and public safety. This cross-sectional survey involved New South Wales (NSW) residents aged 18+ who had previously visited a coastal national park in NSW. Conducted online from 18 to 25 August 2023, the survey recruited a demographically representative sample through Dynata, an established survey panel provider. Demographic data included age, gender, education, country of birth, years in Australia, main language spoken at home and language proficiency. The survey examined park visitation behaviours and safety perceptions, with specific questions assessing social media's influence on visitation motivations. A total of 1009 NSW residents completed the survey, with 51.5% identifying as female and 75.4% born in Australia. Social media influenced 32% of respondents to visit coastal national parks, with Instagram being the most popular platform, followed by Facebook and TikTok. Younger age groups (18-34) were significantly more likely to visit parks because of social media compared to older adults (55+; χ2 = 252.07, p < 0.05), though no significant difference was found by gender. Social media platform preferences differed by age, with younger respondents favouring Instagram and TikTok and older respondents favouring Facebook (χ2 = 316.18; p < 0.001). Of those who visited due to social media, 65% took photos and 36% engaged in risky photography (e.g., cliff edges), though no significant age difference was found for risky photo behaviour. Although 56.8% considered park infrastructure safe for social media photos, 43.1% did not, with respondents suggesting improvements in barriers, signage and individual responsibility. The study findings underscore the need for a stronger focus on visitor safety related to photography in NSW national parks, with acknowledgement of visitation instigated by social media. Risky behaviours associated with photography are prevalent and pose significant safety challenges. Public health initiatives should prioritise educational campaigns and safety infrastructure improvements that address risky photography behaviours, independent of social media influences. SO WHAT?: Park management should highlight personal responsibility and consider educational campaigns about the potential dangers of photography in these settings. Nevertheless, social media companies have a role to play in controlling dangerous content that is published on their platforms which is leading to risky behaviours in the real world.

This paper examines aspects of the politics of the establishment and early management of national parks and state recreation areas (SRAs) in New South Wales (NSW). The premise of this paper is that, to understand the contemporary politics of recreation policy and management, one must first understand their historical development. Considerable attention is given to Crown land legislation and policy from the early nineteenth century to 1980, and to the NSW Department of Lands, the organisation responsible for much Crown land administration and policy for most of that period. The discussion leads to an explanation of why national parks and SRAs were initially established and managed by the Lands Department but then transferred to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service in 1967 and 1980, respectively. Crown land legislation and policy dating back to the nineteenth century left indelible marks on recent public land administration and management in NSW. Compounding these broader historical influences were the archaic organisational frameworks and entrenched culture of the Department of Lands, the institutional and management structures of which adapted too slowly to the challenges and demands of the mid- to late-twentieth century.

The grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) typically occurs within 300 km of the eastern and south-eastern Australian coastline from the mid-coast of Queensland to Adelaide, South Australia. We report the unprecedented occurrence of a grey-headed flying-fox colony in Curlwaa, a semi-arid town in New South Wales (NSW) more than 300 km from the nearest other known roost used by the species. Notably, the colony has been continually occupied since first forming in mid-July 2024, a period of 11 months to date. This roost represents the first confirmed grey-headed flying-fox roost anywhere in the western half of NSW and one of only three colonies of this species known to have persisted in a semi-arid region over a timeframe of months.

Managing the Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus as a species vulnerable to extinction in New South Wales (NSW) is complicated by contentious issues arising from flying-foxes feeding on commercial fruit and roosting in populated areas. Two decades on from their threatened species listing in 2001, there have been major developments in managing these issues. The NSW Flying-fox Consultative Committee was formed in 2001 with representation of a range of stakeholder groups. A transition towards non-lethal means of protecting horticultural crops from flying-fox damage was supported by government programs that encouraged the uptake of exclusion netting in orchards. Cull limits and restrictions on licences to shoot flying-foxes on horticultural land were steps to the phasing out of legal shooting of flying-foxes. The need to address community concerns about flying-fox camps in populated areas led to the development of the Flying-fox Camp Management Policy and funds to support land managers to implement policy actions. Dispersing camps has been largely ineffective in the long-term, placing the emphasis on managing camps in-situ. This has involved physical buffers between flying-foxes and human settlements and subsidising equipment and services for residents to self-mitigate impacts from flying-foxes. However, community sentiments continue to be influenced by the difficulties experienced by affected communities, perceived disease risks from flying-foxes, frustrations with there being no immediately effective solutions and the portrayal of flying-foxes and associated issues in the media. To address these issues, there has been considerable effort to engage communities to promote the ecological importance of flying-foxes, reduce misconceptions about disease transmission risks, and promote precautionary measures for reducing these risks; as well as research on mitigation measures for flying-fox impacts. To conserve the Grey-headed Flying-fox while addressing ongoing contentious issues impacting horticulturalists and communities, there needs to be investment into long-term solutions, such as public education, social research and conserving and restoring habitat in less populated areas. There is a need for cross-jurisdictional collaboration on managing the Grey-headed Flying-fox since this threatened species is mobile and not constrained to jurisdictional borders.

The Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus was listed as a vulnerable species by both the New South Wales (NSW) and Australian Governments in 2001. The NSW Government has since collaborated with other organisations and stakeholders on projects and initiatives for flying-fox conservation and population monitoring. While contentious issues for horticulturalists and communities are detailed in a companion paper, this paper examines a number of persistent threats and conservation issues, such as habitat destruction and food shortages, anthropogenic injuries and extreme heat events. While there have been several independent efforts to conserve flying-fox habitat leading up to the recent commencement of a state-wide funding program for flying-fox habitat restoration, the continual loss of foraging habitat to urban development occurring at a greater scale is a conundrum. Flying-foxes suffering from injuries with anthropogenic causes are primarily addressed by wildlife carers rescuing and rehabilitating them. Additionally, preventative actions, such as promotion of wildlife-friendly netting, are implemented by different organisations to reduce injuries. There is also work being done by government agencies, land managers, scientists and wildlife carers to improve heat stress management, including moving towards a more coordinated and collaborative approach for responding to extreme heat events and undertaking scientific research. The diversity of threats affecting the Grey-headed Flying-fox means that the species’ conservation is beyond the capacity of any one organisation and relies on the collaborative efforts of a broad range of stakeholders across the entire species’ range.

Introduction: In 2018, the Australian Centre for Cannabinoid Clinical and Research Excellence (ACRE), a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Centre of Research Excellence was funded to develop a suite of state-wide medicinal cannabis prescribing guidance documents. At this time, regulatory changes in Australia were enabling broader access to medicinal cannabis in a medical model. The initiative funded through the New South Wales (NSW) Government’s Clinical Cannabis Medicines Program enabled the development of practical resources to support NSW medical practitioners in prescribing medicinal cannabis to patients for conditions where cannabinoids are perceived to have some benefit. Aim: To provide interim guidance to support medical practitioners in the prescription of medicinal cannabis where they are perceived to have potential benefit. Methods: A team of clinical pharmacologists, pharmacists and clinicians collaborated in the development of the first tranche of prescribing guidance documents. The suite of six medicinal cannabis prescribing guidance documents covered the most common indications for which prescriptions for medicinal cannabis were being sought by NSW patients: dementia; anorexia and cachexia; nausea; chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting; spasticity; and chronic non-cancer pain. In 2019, the draft guidance documents underwent a comprehensive review and consultation process involving fifty key stakeholders before publication. Results: The ACRE medicinal cannabis prescribing guidance documents have been widely adopted, both in NSW and around the world. The prescribing guidance documents are now recommended as a health professional educational resource by the Australian national medicines regulator the Therapeutic Goods Administration and state health departments. The prescribing guidance on epilepsy from the second tranche of guidance documents has recently been published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. National medicinal cannabis prescribing pattern data and enquiries to the first-of-kind, state-government funded medicinal cannabis advisory service for medical practitioners informed the themes of the second tranche of six medicinal cannabis prescribing guidance documents being developed in 2022. Conclusions: ACRE medicinal cannabis prescribing guidance documents delivered interim guidance to Australian medical practitioners on the evidence-based and best-practice prescription of medicinal cannabis. Prescribing guidance document themes align with Australian medicinal cannabis prescribing patterns and areas where medical practitioners are seeking further information and advice. It is anticipated that the prescribing guidance documents will be updated periodically as further evidence becomes available. Acknowledgements: NSW Government through the NSW Clinical Cannabis Medicines Program supported development of the NSW Cannabis Medicines Prescribing Guidance. ACRE was established and is funded through the National Health and Medical Research Council Centres of Research Excellence scheme.

Injured flying-foxes (Pteropus spp.) are frequently taken into care in eastern Australia. In particular, the grey-headed flying-fox (P. poliocephalus), a vulnerable species, is affected by several threats, which are partly mitigated through rescue and rehabilitation. This study examined patterns in flying-fox rescues in New South Wales (NSW) between 2011–12 and 2016–17 using annual reporting data from wildlife rehabilitation organisations. Specifically, we examined (1) species and demographic patterns in flying-foxes rescues; (2) the geographical distribution of flying-fox rescues; (3) reported causes of injury; and (4) release rates of rehabilitated flying-foxes. P. poliocephalus accounted for the largest proportion of flying-fox rescues. Most rescues occurred in coastal regions, with more than one-third of P. poliocephalus rescues occurring in the Sydney region and more than one-third of black (P. alecto) and little red (P. scapulatus) flying-fox rescues occurring on the NSW Far North Coast. A broad range of factors was involved in flying-foxes coming into care, the main ones being entanglements, heat stress, orphaned pups and electrocutions. Release rates of rehabilitated flying-foxes were high, especially in pups and juveniles. These results demonstrate the potential conservation value of flying-fox rehabilitation. High proportions of injuries caused by entanglements, heat stress and electrocutions highlight the importance of ongoing threat mitigation efforts.

The eastern pygmy possum (Cercartetus nanus) has a wide distribution in New South Wales (NSW), but is infrequently detected in fauna surveys. We collated available information on the distribution, habitat and detection rates for C. nanus in NSW from results of published and unpublished fauna surveys. These data, and those from the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Australian Museum databases, suggest that C. nanus populations are concentrated in south-eastern NSW and are sparsely distributed throughout the rest of the state. Several records extend the distribution of this species further west than currently shown by published distribution maps. Records show differences in habitat types occupied by C. nanus between south-eastern and north-eastern NSW. In south-eastern NSW, C. nanus occupies a range of habitats including heath, woodland and open forest, at a range of altitudes. In north-eastern NSW, C. nanus appears to be associated mainly with rainforest at high altitudes. Of the range of techniques available, nest boxes and Elliott traps positioned against flowering Banksia species are most effective at capturing C. nanus. Given the large survey effort and the small number of surveys detecting &amp;gt;I0 C. nanus, it appears that this species is rare throughout most of NSW. We recommend that C. nanus be considered for listing as a vulnerable species in NSW.

Our aim in this study is to provide the first ever quantitative, historical and map-based information of what fauna has been studied and recorded both outside and inside the protected areas of New South Wales (NSW), which are principally National Parks and Nature Reserves. Our objective was to consider the value of National Parks and Nature Reserves for fauna research and biodiversity conservation, and gauge the extent and limits of our knowledge of the fauna of NSW. We compared the increase in the area of parks and reserves in NSW with the expansion of the fauna records in the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) Atlas of NSW Wildlife, and analysed the use of Scientific Licences issued by OEH for fauna research for 3.5 years to mid-2014. We found that the distribution and the number of Scientific Licences within protected areas show a heavy bias to the eastern strip of the State, with a greater clustering for the area around Sydney and the north coast, but it is evident that researchers make considerable use of protected areas. The 6, 070, 769 Atlas fauna records were divided by tenure type: National Parks held 1, 118, 204 records (21.4 records/km2), while Nature Reserves held 386, 755 records (40.6 records/km2). The off-park records total was 4, 407, 486 representing 72.6% of all records, with a density of 6.0 records per km2. Of the grand total of all the fauna records, 7% were of threatened species. Birds and mammals comprise 81% of all fauna records in the Atlas. The greatest number of records are of birds (n = 4, 913, 511), followed by mammals (n = 832, 361, of which 321, 721, or 39%, were from WildCount). Given the success of the growth of the number, area and distribution of parks and reserves in NSW, the idea that they can carry the heavy load of the aspiration to conserve the biodiversity of NSW now seems feasible, even desirable, especially given the increasing intensity of land use from never-ending population growth and its impacts, such as land clearing, roading, logging, water use, alien invasive species and climate change. However, this study has also revealed that we have a very poor understanding of some faunal groups, in particular invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians. Fauna accumulation curves of both records and of species match closely the growth in the area of parks and reserves since the formation of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service in 1967. Thus, the greater the area of parks and reserves, the greater the number of fauna records and of species. We took the historical view so that research is encouraged and the trajectory of the acquisition of new protected areas can be maintained. This study shows the ever-increasing value of protected areas to fauna conservation, and that it is vital to uphold the protected areas concept as a principal way to conserve our fauna. It should also be a guide to help recognise the importance of sustaining the effort to study our native fauna.

Context The grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) is a vulnerable species endemic to eastern and south-eastern Australia. Environmental stressors are important contributors to physiological stress, leading to synchronous abortions. Aims We investigate the possibilities of weather conditions and anthropogenic disturbances contributing to synchronous abortion events in a grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) roost. Methods We recorded observations of two synchronous abortion events in a flying-fox roost in Tamworth, New South Wales (NSW), Australia, during October 2017 and August 2019. Key results Roost searches found ~200 (October 2017) and 41 (August 2019) foetuses, equating to ~0.5% and &amp;gt;0.1% of adults present at the time, respectively. Neither event was associated with significantly colder than average temperatures nor hot extremes (&amp;gt;42°C). Synchronous abortions cannot be easily attributed to unusually cold or hot site conditions. However, the surrounding region suffered from rainfall deficiencies, known to cause failure of flowering in diet plants, in the 6 months preceding both abortion events. Notably, no rainfall deficiency occurred in 6 months preceding August 2015 when colony size was also large, and no synchronous abortions occurred. Conclusions Natural background rates of abortions are unlikely to explain the abortion events. The 2017 abortion event coincided with intense harassment of flying-foxes using noise agents; thus, it is possible that physiological stress was a contributor. The 2019 abortion event was associated with harassment of lesser intensity but coincided with a severe food shortage throughout surrounding regions. Implications While it is not possible to attribute the synchronous abortion events conclusively to a single factor, the results suggest that the combination of chronic physiological stress from food shortage and acute stress from anthropogenic disturbance may have precipitated both synchronous abortion events.

In New South Wales (NSW), Australia, the number of 'online liquor licences' - packaged liquor licences with conditions restricting the sale of alcohol to online, phone or fax orders - increased from 101 in 2010 to 500 by May 2018. International and national evidence is emerging that this growth in online liquor licences has been accompanied by increased risk of supply to young and intoxicated people. This study aimed to determine the extent to which online liquor retailers in NSW have adopted safeguards to prevent people younger than 18 years purchasing alcohol online; and the supply of alcohol to intoxicated people. It also aimed to assess the regulatory framework in NSW for these licences. We undertook an audit between May and November 2018 of regulatory controls for 213 online liquor retailers in NSW with publicly available websites at the time of auditing. A comparative analysis of the NSW Liquor Act 2007 and the NSW Liquor Regulation 2018 was conducted. Three gaps in the existing legal safeguards for online liquor retailers were identified: inconsistent application of the NSW Liquor Act 2007; the inability of the regulator to complete compliance auditing; and an absence of consistent mandatory signage. The study also identified inconsistencies between the regulation of physical and online liquor retailers. Study findings led to the formulation of recommendations for regulatory change, which were presented to the government oversight agency, Liquor & Gaming NSW, in April 2019 and followed up by written submissions from the research group on behalf of Northern Sydney Local Health District Health Promotion. Several key reforms were subsequently incorporated into the NSW Liquor Amendment (24-hour Economy) Bill 2020. Findings have informed an advocacy approach which has led to improved regulatory reform within NSW.