Queensland Parks Research Articles

A seat at the table? Planning, meetings and the ‘stable relation’ of a joint managed National Park in northern Australia

Over the last fifteen years, most national parks in Cape York Peninsula, far north-east Australia, have been transferred to Aboriginal ownership and are now jointly managed by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and the relevant Aboriginal traditional owner groups. The park in which this research was conducted has been jointly managed for just over a decade, but the transition to joint management is entwined with challenges related to the bringing together of different knowledge and management systems. The main forum for discussing and implementing change is in the mutual space of formal joint management meetings. However, this mutual space is not co-produced on equal terms. Joint management meetings and the production of management plans function as a way for Queensland Parks to fulfil their obligations to Aboriginal traditional owners while simultaneously reaffirming their status as the more powerful co-managing institution. Rather than fostering a space of indeterminacy, in which management partners could co-create new forms of managing and caring for land, meetings and management plans function to construct a ‘stable relation’ between Aboriginal traditional owners and Queensland Parks.

Forging Preferred Landscapes: Burning Regimes, Carbon Sequestration and ‘Natural’ Fire in Cape York, Far North Australia

ABSTRACT Fire management is a right and responsibility shared by all land managers in Cape York Peninsula, far north Australia, bringing together Aboriginal traditional owners, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers and settler-descended cattle graziers. The landscape of Northern Australia has been socialised by fire over millennia, resulting in a fire-adapted and fire-dependent landscape. While fire knowledge originated with Aboriginal traditional owners, decades of engagement in the multi-ethnic pastoral industry have resulted in contemporary burning practices that have been interculturally mediated. The Australian government’s carbon sequestration scheme has further transformed local burning practices, precipitating new forms of burning and new forms of critique. Through examining the burning practices and perspectives of Aboriginal traditional owners, Park rangers, and – in particular – cattle graziers, the ideological underpinnings of different fire regimes emerge. These insights disrupt some of the accepted wisdom around fire management and cultural burning in Australia.

Breaking the wildfire cycle: progressive fire management can shift fire regimes and improve ecosystem condition. A case study from a large conservation reserve in northern Australia

Extensive late dry season fires in northern Australia have long been considered detrimental to biodiversity conservation, pastoral production and other cultural and landscape values. Fire management programs in these landscapes typically aim to shift the fire regime from wildfires occurring predominately in the late dry season (LDS), when they tend to be extensive and destructive, to prescribed burns in the early dry season (EDS), when fires are generally smaller and less intensive. The intent is to create heterogeneity in vegetation age classes, reduce the scale of LDS fires and, in doing so, retain long-unburnt vegetation, a critical asset for biodiversity in a flammable landscape. Boodjamulla National Park, in Queensland’s Gulf Country, experienced a cycle of large LDS wildfires every 5 years for most of its history as a pastoral property and park until a progressive EDS burning program was introduced. Although there is limited information for defining the ideal fire regime for spinifex (Triodia spp.) rangelands, this program has improved a range of spatial metrics which the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) believes can only benefit biodiversity; these include decreased annual and LDS area burnt; a greater number of small burnt patches; shorter distances between recently burnt and long-unburnt spinifex; and, consequently, a greater area of long-unburnt spinifex embedded in the mosaic across the landscape. There has been an improvement in the ecological parameters of these landscapes, as well as the protection and persistence of fire-sensitive vegetation communities and species, because of the burn program.

‘We are the ones who know the intimacies of the soil’: Grazier claims to belonging and changing land relations in Cape York Peninsula, Queensland

AbstractAcross Cape York Peninsula, the cattle grazing industry has declined in recent decades due to falling cattle prices, shorter wet seasons and land tenure changes. Remaining graziers perceive their status in the region as increasingly marginal and explain this precarity with the ‘locking up’ of Cape York land regimes and environments by National Parks and Aboriginal interests. Based on 14 months of ethnographic research in south‐east Cape York conducted in 2018–2019, in this article I describe and analyse how graziers construct their claims to belonging in the region in response to land tenure changes. Drawing on recent scholarship on non‐Indigenous forms of belonging in settler states and using the case study of one particular grazing family, I discuss how graziers position themselves as those who ‘know the intimacies of the soil’, as one grazier stated, due to multigenerational work on the land. Their claim to belonging tends to ignore prior Aboriginal occupation and instead emphasises their long‐term relationships with local Aboriginal families, while the third main stakeholder in the region, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, is perceived as a kind of dispossessor representing non‐local ‘Green’ ideologies and interests.

A prescribed fire cost model for public lands in south-east Queensland

Prescribed fire is a management tool in many Australian and international ecosystems, where it can benefit biodiversity conservation and potentially reduce the risk of extreme wildfires threatening highly valued assets. However, the economic efficiency of prescribed fire is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to progress this understanding by improving estimates of prescribed fire costs. A generalized linear prescribed fire cost model for south-east Queensland has been developed from a dataset of 527 prescribed fire on public land over the period 2004 to 2015, to estimate prescribed fire costs per hectare as a function of environmental predictors. The best model explained 88% of the variance, and significant predictor variables were prescribed fire burned area, fire vegetation group (FVG), forest fire danger index (FFDI), fuel quantity, distance to the nearest building, distance to the nearest Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and Partnerships (QPWS&P) base, and distance to the nearest freshwater body. Prescribed fire costs per hectare were negatively related to prescribed fire burned area, distances to the nearest building and nearest freshwater body and the FFDI, but positively related to fuel quantity and distance to nearest QPWS&P base. Prescribed fire costs also varied significantly between some FVGs. Prescribed fire burned area had the strongest influence on prescribed fire costs (83% of variation in cost explained). Prescribed fire cost for riparian, foredune and beach ridge vegetation was significantly higher than for heath, while prescribed fire cost for melaleuca vegetation was significantly lower than heath. Higher costs were associated with prescribed fires within 500 m of the nearest building. The model can support the estimation and justification of annual operational budgets for prescribed fire.

Planned and unplanned fire regimes on public land in south-east Queensland

Land management agencies in Queensland conduct planned burning for a variety of reasons, principally for management of fuels for human asset protection and biodiversity management. Using Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service’s archived manually derived fire reports, this study considered the individual components of the fire regime (extent, frequency and season) to determine variation between planned and unplanned fire regimes in south-east Queensland. Overall, between 2004 and 2015, planned fire accounted for 31.6% and unplanned fire 68.4% of all fire on Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service state-managed land. Unplanned fire was more common in spring (September–October), and planned fire was more common in winter (June–August). Unplanned fire affected 71.4% of open forests and woodlands (148563ha), whereas 58.8% of melaleuca communities (8016ha) and 66.6% of plantations (2442ha) were burnt with planned fire. Mapping fire history at a regional scale can be readily done with existing publicly available datasets, which can be used to inform the assessment of planned burning effectiveness for human asset protection and the management of biodiversity. Fire management will benefit from the continued recording of accurate fire occurrence data, which allows for detailed fire regime mapping and subsequent adaptive management of fire regimes in the public domain.

Contemporary dingo management on K’gari (Fraser Island, Great Sandy National Park) under the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service

ABSTRACTK’gari (Fraser Island) is the world’s largest sand island, lying off the east coast of mainland Australia, approximately 300 km north of Brisbane, Queensland. The island is the ancestral home of the Butchulla people, who call it K’gari, meaning paradise, and they continue to be active participants in the management and protection of the island. K’gari (Fraser Island) also has a shared history of logging and sand mining, and was partly designated as a National Park in 1971 with further additions in the following years. In July 2013, the Queensland Government, through the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), released the Fraser Island Dingo Conservation and Risk Management Strategy (FIDCRMS), which included a range of management approaches to promote the best outcomes for human safety and dingo welfare on K’gari (Fraser Island). The strategy presents four programmes: Risk Intervention, Communication and Education, Research and Evaluation and Review. Compliance is recognised as an integral part of the strategy. Here, we describe and distil two of these programmes (Risk Intervention and Communication and Education) from a practical, on-ground perspective.

Human–dingo interactions on Fraser Island: an analysis of serious incident reports

Wild predators that attack people represent a significant challenge to the management authorities charged with conserving populations whilst minimising human safety risk. Fraser Island is home to an iconic population of dingoes (Canis dingo). However, conflict stemming from negative human–dingo interactions (incidents), some resulting in serious human injury and in one case, a fatality, is an ongoing concern. In an effort to highlight important factors influencing incident dynamics, we investigated the most serious incident reports gathered by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service for the period 2001–15. We found a consistent pattern of incidents peaking in March/April and also July, corresponding with dingo breeding and whelping seasons (respectively). Monthly vehicle permit numbers (a proxy for visitation) were not positively correlated with incident rates, except during the breeding season. Male dingoes, particularly subadult males, featured heavily in incidents. Despite the fatality being highly publicised and the advent of copious on-site warning messages and other management interventions, serious incidents continue to occur annually, including some involving children. This suggests that risks are either not always understood, or are otherwise being ignored. While our results demonstrate that dingoes generally pose minimal risk to humans, some risk remains, particularly where poorly supervised children are concerned.

Queensland Parks as Environmental Learning Settings: Visitors, Guiding, and Environmental Interpretation in Australia

Abstract The main goal of this article is to conceptually discuss how important guiding and environmental interpretation is for enhancing the visitors` experiences and for conservation in national parks. Tour guides and Park rangers have played a bridging role for connecting visitors to nature; they have an important mediation role in wildlife and nature encounters. Desktop research for this study includes literature review, technical visits to parks, and interviews with key informants. This article is predominantly qualitative. It contributes to the literature at identifying the main aspects, natural and educational resources, and attractions of the Parks in Queensland, with an emphasis on the Springbrook National Park. The major educational programs in the Gold Coast region and the tools used for environmental interpretation, including the role of guides and rangers, are comprehensively discussed. The outcomes show that the Parks have served to these educational means, but environmental interpretation and education should be expanded to accommodate in large numbers the general visitors – others than the school visitors. Other major challenges are related to lack of proper fund allocations for environmental education programmes and to the workloads of rangers. Keywords : Environmental interpretation; educational and recreational activities; guiding; National parks; visitor management. Resumo O principal objetivo deste artigo e discutir conceitualmente a importância da interpretacao ambiental para se melhorar as experiencias dos visitantes e para a conservacao ambiental em parques nacionais. Nesse sentido, guias de turismo e guardas-florestais tem desempenhado um papel crucial servindo de elo entre visitantes e o meio ambiente local; eles tem um papel importante ao mediar os encontros entre os visitantes e a vida selvagem e flora. Como parte da pesquisa foi feita a revisao de literatura, visitas tecnicas a parques, e entrevistas com informantes-chave. Este artigo e predominantemente qualitativo. O artigo contribui para a literatura ao identificar os principais aspectos, recursos naturais e educacionais, bem como as atracoes dos parques em Queensland, com destaque para o Parque Nacional Springbrook . Os principais programas educacionais na regiao de Gold Coast e as ferramentas utilizadas para a interpretacao ambiental, incluindo o papel dos guias e dos guardas florestais, sao amplamente discutidos. Os resultados revelam que os parques tem servido para estes fins educativos, mas a interpretacao e educacao ambiental deve ser expandida a fim de acomodar em maior numero visitantes que nao fazem parte dos grupos de escola. Alem disso, outros desafios estao relacionados a falta de alocacao de fundos adequados para programas de educacao ambiental e a carga de trabalho dos guardas-florestais. Palavras-chave: Interpretacao ambiental; atividades educativas e recreativas; guiamento; parques nacionais; gestao de visitantes. Resumen El proposito principal de este articulo es conceptualmente discutir la importancia de la interpretacion ambiental para mejorar las experiencias de los visitantes y para la conservacion ambiental en parques nacionales. Asi, guias de turismo y guardabosques han tenido un papel crucial que sirve de enlace entre los visitantes y el medio ambiente local; ellos tienen un papel importante para mediar los encuentros entre los visitantes, la fauna y la flora. Como parte de la investigacion se llevo a cabo la revision de la literatura, visitas tecnicas a parques, y entrevistas con informantes clave. Este articulo es predominantemente cualitativo. El documento contribuye para la literatura, pues busca identificar los aspectos principales, los recursos naturales y educativos, asi como las atracciones de los parques de Queensland, en especial el Parque Nacional de Springbrook . Los principales programas educativos de la region de Gold Coast y las herramientas utilizadas para la interpretacion ambiental, incluyendo el papel de guias y de los guardabosques, son ampliamente debatidos. Los resultados muestran que los parques han servido para estos fines educativos, pero la interpretacion y educacion ambiental deben ser ampliadas para dar cabida a un mayor numero de visitantes que no forman parte de los grupos escolares. Ademas, otros desafios se relacionan con la falta de asignacion de fondos suficientes para los programas de educacion ambiental y la carga de trabajo de los guardaparques. Palabras clave: Interpretacion ambiental; actividades educativas y recreativas; guias; parques nacionales; gestion de visitantes.

Conservation of the Critically Endangered Eastern Australian Population of the Grey Nurse Shark (Carcharias taurus) Through Cross-Jurisdictional Management of a Network of Marine-Protected Areas

Between 2001 and 2009, 26 marine-protected areas (MPA) were established on the east Australian seaboard, at least in part, to manage human interactions with a critically endangered population of grey nurse shark, Carcharias taurus. This network is spread across six MPA systems and includes all 19 sites outlined in the National Recovery Plan for C. taurus, though five sites remain open to some forms of fishing. The reserve network has complex cross-jurisdictional management, as the sharks occur in waters controlled by the Australian states of New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland, as well as by the Commonwealth (Federal) government. Jurisdiction is further complicated by fisheries and conservation departments both engaging in management activities within each state. This has resulted in protected area types that include IUCN category II equivalent zones in NSW, Queensland, and Commonwealth marine parks that either overlay or complement another large scaled network of protected sites called critical habitats. Across the network, seven and eight rule permutations for diving and fishing, respectively, are applied to this population of sharks. Besides sites identified by the recovery plan, additional sites have been protected as part of the general development of MPA networks. A case study at one of these sites, which historically was known to be occupied by C. taurus but had been abandoned, appears to shows re-establishment of an aggregation of juvenile and sub-adult sharks. Concurrent with the re-establishment of the aggregation, a local dive operator increased seasonal dive visitation rates at the site fourfold. As a precautionary measure, protection of abandoned sites, which includes nursery and gestating female habitats are options that may assist recovery of the east coast population of C. taurus.

A Method for Estimating the State-Wide Economic Significance of National Park Tourism: The Case of Queensland

This study devises a methodology to measure the economic significance of national park tourism, which is applied to the State of Queensland, Australia. Development of a methodology to provide this information is important to demonstrate the attraction of national parks to tourism and to provide a basis for government decisions on allocating funds for national park management. A strategic national park sampling logic was developed to allow surveys to be conducted in a stratified, representative sample of the over 500 Queensland parks. Data on expenditure by tourists were analyzed (employing sensitivity and risk analysis) to find the "national park-generated" component of tourist expenditure directly attributable to the attractions of the national parks. A deliberately conservative approach was taken to address the economic information needs of State Treasury Departments, which are responsible for allocating funding to park management authorities. The contribution to the gross state product (GSP) was estimated at $345 million annually, representing 4.9% of tourism's contribution to GSP, or five times the current annual government expenditure on national park visitor management in the State of Queensland. Recommendations for some improvements to the methodology were developed based on the study conducted.

The consultative process in planning for the Ma:Mu Canopy Walk in the Wooroonooran National Park – Wet Tropics World Heritage Area

The construction of the Ma:Mu Canopy Walk in the Wooroonooran National Park was completed in August 2008 in culmination of eight years of planning and negotiation with the private sector, the Ma:Mu Traditional Owners and protected area managers. This article examines the attempts to attract a private sector partner to contribute capital to the venture, the process of involving Traditional Owners in protecting cultural heritage places, and dealing with native title rights and interests. The Ma:Mu Canopy Walk diversifies the types of visitor experience opportunities in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. The project is the largest single capital works project undertaken by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife in its history.

Integrating research and conservation land management – a case study from Koala research in St Bees Island National Park

Our 11 year multidisciplinary study of Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in St Bees Island National Park provides an understanding of the implications of the strategic use of fire and control of introduced browsers, goat and swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) for the maintenance of Koalas, Koala habitat and eucalypt woodlands within the national park. The research involved a close association with the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and their staff. This relationship integrated research, park planning and management. The project is a model for researchmanagement integration, especially in relation to information relevance, relationships and understandable, timely communication of research findings. We propose strategies for more general application of this model.

Testing the efficacy of a boundary fence at an important tropical seabird breeding colony and key tourist destination

Tourists have the potential to detrimentally impact breeding seabirds, particularly at popular destinations such as on the Great Barrier Reef. Michaelmas Cay is a significant seabird rookery and prime tourist destination on the reef. In 1990, Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service erected a fence to separate tourists from fragile nesting habitat. We used two independent assessments during different breeding seasons to determine the potential impacts of tourism on two pelagic seabird species breeding on the cay. In the first quasi-experiment, egg losses by sooty terns (Sterna fuscata) and common noddies (Anous stolidus) were monitored at four distances (3, 6, 18 and 36 m) from a tourist enclosure. Our second quasi-experiment involved monitoring adult provisioning rates, chick growth and chick survival of sooty terns at two locations, one adjacent to the tourist fence and one 50 m away. At plots 3–6 m from the fence, we observed higher among-week variation in egg loss but no differences in total egg loss as compared with the more distant plots. The only difference observed between plots during our second quasi-experiment was that nest predation was higher at the tourist fence plot. Our research suggests that as long as the effects observed do not influence post-fledging survival or gull predation does not impact under different conditions, current management protocols are appropriately facilitating shared usage between wildlife and the tourism industry at Michaelmas Cay.

151 SEASONAL REPRODUCTION IN WILD AND CAPTIVE MALE KOALA POPULATIONS IN SOUTH-EAST QUEENSLAND

Seasonal changes in male reproductive function were assessed in a wild free-range population (n = 10; obtained every six weeks from January to November 2005), a deceased wild free-range population (n = 84; obtained monthly from September to August 2005) and a captive population (n = 7; obtained monthly from October 2005 to October 2006) of koalas in south-east Queensland. This study also determined the practicality of using free-range wild male koalas as potential semen donors for genome resource banks. Examination of a range of reproductive variables initially revealed no significant seasonal change in the 3 koala populations; however, when the data were adjusted to account for individual koalas, their size and/or their health status, the majority of reproductive parameters showed evidence of seasonal variation that was supported by statistical modeling. Relationships between variables were based on simple polynomials, up to a cubic for some variables. Total testicular volume changed throughout the year in the wild and captive populations with an increase over spring and summer and a decrease in autumn and winter; no such change was detected in the deceased population. Maximum area of the sternal gland stain occurred in spring in both the deceased and captive populations but in winter for the wild free-range population. Total bulbo-urethral gland volume in the deceased population showed an increase over spring, a decrease over summer and autumn and then an increase towards the end of winter. The steroidogenic capacity of the koala testis (testosterone secretion) in both the wild free-range (live) and captive populations showed a peak during spring and a nadir in autumn. The quality of semen samples collected by electroejaculation from the wild (live) and captive koala populations showed evidence of being influenced by season. Initial percentage motility of the wild population decreased marginally throughout the study and initial rate of sperm movement was highest in winter. Motility of spermatozoa after thawing from the wild koala population was also highest in winter as was the percentage of cryopreserved spermatozoa with intact plasma membranes collected from the captive population. This study has shown that male koala reproduction in south-east Queensland is seasonal and that it is possible to repeatedly collect semen from free-range koalas as potential genetic donors. Nevertheless, semen quality from captive and wild caught animals appears to be susceptible to seasonal change and winter appears to be the optimal season in which to collect such samples. We are grateful to the veterinary staff, zookeepers, and volunteers at Dreamworld for their assistance with general animal husbandry. We also sincerely thank the many veterinarians, volunteers, and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service staff that assisted with this project whose help was invaluable for the accomplishment of this project. This project was funded by an Australian Research Council (ARC) Grant, the School of Animal Studies (SAS) The University of Queensland, and the Queensland Government’s Koala Enhanced Genetic Exchange Program (KEGEP).

Dingo Control or Conservation? Attitudes Towards Urban Dingoes (Canis lupus dingo) as an Aid to Dingo Management

Author(s): Atkinson, Sarah A. | Abstract: There is surprisingly little research into urban dingoes, even though urban areas in Australia are rapidly increasing, along with a concurrent increase in the number of reported conflicts with wildlife. Misguided and so-called ad hoc management of dingo populations, often caused by an over-reaction by the media to a situation, is commonly accredited for these conflicts. There can also be confusion over whom to contact when problems arise. A survey of the attitudes of parents of school-aged children towards urban dingoes in their area was carried out in Maroochy Shire, in South-East Queensland. Respondents generally believed that dingoes could be dangerous, but they preferred that control methods used be ‘humane’. Most respondents obtained their knowledge of dingoes from television and news media; about ¾ of respondents requested information regarding dingo management issues. The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service was selected by a majority of respondents as the preferred agency to deal with dingo management.

Melaleuca densispicata in Currawinya National Park, South‐West Queensland: Ecology and preliminary implications for management of a rare plant species

Melaleuca densispicata Byrnes is an uncommon species with a limited distribution, comprising disjunct populations in inland southern Queensland and northern New South Wales, Australia. It is a dense, woody shrub, 2–4 m in height, which exhibits a marked 'clumping' growth habit. It has thick, papery bark and displays many white flowers during spring or early summer. Although it has long been known to exist, M. densispicata was only formally described in 1984, and very little is currently known about its ecology or specific management requirements. There are only seven known subpopulations of the species across its range. A major population at the western limit of its distribution occurs on Currawinya National Park (28°52'S, 144°30'E). Here, it is locally abundant and listed as a noteworthy plant species under the Management Plan (Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service 2001). This study aimed to identify patterns in the distribution of M. densispicata in Currawinya National Park, describe its ecological niche and role, and provide management recommendations for the species within the study area. Recent anecdotal observations of recruitment failure in south-western Queensland (Peter McRae, QPWS, October 2004, pers. comm.; Dick O'Connell, local grazier, July 2005 pers. comm.) caused additional emphasis to be placed on the examination of recruitment and recruitment factors.

Short‐ and long‐term consequences of thermal variation in the larval environment of anurans

1. To survive adverse or unpredictable conditions in the ontogenetic environment, many organisms retain a level of phenotypic plasticity that allows them to meet the challenges of rapidly changing conditions. Larval anurans are widely known for their ability to modify behaviour, morphology and physiological processes during development, making them an ideal model system for studies of environmental effects on phenotypic traits. Although temperature is one of the most important factors influencing the growth, development and metamorphic condition of larval anurans, many studies have failed to include ecologically relevant thermal fluctuations among their treatments. 2. We compared the growth and age at metamorphosis of striped marsh frogs Limnodynastes peronii raised in a diurnally fluctuating thermal regime and a stable regime of the same mean temperature. We then assessed the long-term effects of the larval environment on the morphology and performance of post-metamorphic frogs. 3. Larval L. peronii from the fluctuating treatment were significantly longer throughout development and metamorphosed about 5 days earlier. Frogs from the fluctuating group metamorphosed at a smaller mass and in poorer condition compared with the stable group, and had proportionally shorter legs. 4. Frogs from the fluctuating group showed greater jumping performance at metamorphosis and less degradation in performance during a 10-week dormancy. Treatment differences in performance could not be explained by whole-animal morphological variation, suggesting improved contractile properties of the muscles in the fluctuating group.

Causes of mortality to the endangered Southern Cassowary Casuarius casuarius johnsonii in Queensland, Australia

The Southern Cassowary Casuarius casuarius johnsonii is endemic to north-east Queensland, Australia, where it inhabits tropical rainforest. Of the total former cassowary habitat, only 20-25% remains, with much of this under pressure for development. The species is listed as endangered by both the Australian Commonwealth Government and the Queensland State Government. The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (2002) estimated 1 500?2500 adult Southern Cassowaries remain. The primary cause of the species' decline is habitat loss and fragmentation, with motor vehicle strikes and dog attacks considered major threats for local populations. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to quantify the causes of mortality to Southern Cassowaries, including motor vehicle strikes and dog attacks, which have not previously been quantified. We obtained data for 140 cassowary deaths from the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, local government councils and persons having experiences with cassowaries. The leading cause of death for 110 cassowaries from 1986?2004 was motor vehicle strikes (55%), and the second leading cause of death was dog attacks (18%). Together, motor vehicles and dogs caused 74% of the cassowary mortalities for which the causes of death could be determined. Seventy-nine of the recorded cassowary deaths (63%) were in the Mission Beach area, suggesting this loca! population is under tremendous pressure. We expect cassowary numbers to continue to decline, especially in the Mission Beach area. We encourage the Commonwealth, State and relevant local governments to fully implement recovery actions. We believe the goal of conserving the Southern Cassowary and its habitat in perpetuity is attainable, but it will require public commitment and political will.

The Trial Intensive Management Area for Crocodiles: A Crocodile Removal Zone in Queensland, Australia

The Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the world's largest living crocodile, and in Queensland it inhabits tropical coastal wetlands and waterways. From 1990 to 2001, there have been nine substantiated crocodile attacks on people in Queensland, resulting in one death and eight serious injuries. Several crocodile attacks occurred in the Cairns area during these years, and Cairns's popular swimming beaches have been closed on a number of occasions because of crocodiles. Human safety from crocodile attack is an issue of great public and political concern in Queensland. From May 1998 to June 2001, the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service operated a trial crocodile removal program in the Cairns area, with a removal zone that extended 70 km along the coast. The program was named the Trial Intensive Management Area for Crocodiles (TIMAC), and its primary purpose was to protect the Cairns's popular swimming beaches from crocodiles. The program was expanded to provide a problem crocodile response service throughout north Queensland and to train additional rangers in crocodile management skills. During the three years of the TIMAC program, 80 crocodiles were captured in north Queensland: 46 crocodiles from within the removal zone, and 34 from outside the removal zone. There were no crocodile attacks in the removal zone during the three-year trial program. At the request of local governments, the program became permanent in July 2001. In effect, Cairns is the only tropical city whose popular swimming beaches are protected by a combination of a lifeguard service, a shark control program, netted enclosures (seasonal) for protection from dangerous Box Jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri), and a crocodile removal program.