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A special web board has been set up for a discussion with our Australian experts on endangered animals. http://www.schools.ash.org.au/bilbydiscussion If your class would like to participate in the
discussion simply go to the web board and post your question. You must refresh the page to
view There are four experts who will be answering your questions during October and November. Click on their names to view their introductory message to you. You must go to the web board to reply and see other messages. |
|
Meet Our Experts
| Jeff
Short Principal Research Scientist : CSIRO Wildlife and Ecology |
Jeff is the involved in a project to
re-establish threatened mammals back into their habitats in Western Australia. He mainly works with the burrowing bettong, western barred bandicoot and the pale field rat. Jeff will be online between the 19th and the 23th of October. |
| Ann
Jelinek Senior Education Officer: Commonwealth's Endangered Species Program |
Ann is involved in managing the education,
community awareness and involvement aspects of the Commonwealth's Endangered Species
Program, and also with the recovery programs for arid plants and animals including the
Greater Bilby. Ann will be online from the 19th - 30 of October. |
| Tony Friend | Principal Research Scientist, WA Wildlife
Research Centre Department of Conservation and Land Management, PO Box 51, Wanneroo, WA 6065, Australia. Ph +61 8 9405 5120 Fax +61 8 9306 1641 Currently overseas but receiving email on tonyf@calm.wa.gov.au Check out CALM's website on www.calm.wa.gov.au Tony will be online between the 2nd and the 13 of November. |
| Peter McRae | Peter is a Senior Research Officer based at the
Charleville District Office - Qld. There is a successful breeding program for bilbies at
Charleville. Peter worked closely with Rob Atherton (the author) for many years in the area that this story took place. Peter will be online between the 26th and the 6 of November. |
| Gayle Kutuzov | Illustrator of "An Apology To
Bilbies" - Our book rap. Gayle will be online for the whole rap. |
| Kaye Kessing | Illustrator of the "Easter Bilby Book" written by Ali Garnett |
Understanding Why Species are Endangered
From: Jeff Short
Date: 10/16/98
Time: 1:54:56 PM
Comments
Eighteen species of Australian mammals have become extinct
in the 200 years
since European settlement and dozens more survive only as small and isolated populations.
This is a very poor environmental record and we are keen to stop and even reverse this
trend. CSIRO, Australia's national research organisation (http://www.csiro.au),
has been working to understand why so many species have been lost.
Many of the surviving populations of mammals are on offshore
islands.
Most species of mammals that have been lost are small (30 g) to medium-sized (5-8 kg)
and most come from arid or semi-arid Australia. Few species have been lost from tropical
Australia. These observations give us clues as to what might have caused their decline.
Do you have any ideas?
The project I have been involved in has resulted in the
re-establishment of
species on the mainland from offshore islands at Shark Bay in Western Australia.
Two species, the burrowing bettong and the western barred bandicoots,
not been seen on the mainland for over 50 years, have been re-established.
You can read about this project at:- http://www.mineralswa.asn.au/info1/environ/growing/cmprong.html.
About Threatened Species and Ecological
Communities
in Australia
From: Ann Jelinek
Date: 10/14/98
Time: 3:45:06 PM
Comments
Why are many Australian plants and animals threatened?
Why conserve species and ecological communities?
What can we all do to protect Australia's biodiversity?
To help answer some of these questions, you might like to visit Environment Australia's
Endangered Species Program internet site at: http://www.biodiversity.environment.gov.au/plants/threaten/
You will find a brochure on Bilby under "Information" and lots more of interest
for discussion.
Bilbies and endangered species in Qld's arid zone
From: Peter McRae
Date: 10/27/98
Hi everyone. I am available to answer questions you may have regarding bilbies and other
endangered species in western Qld. I have been conducting research on bilbies
for the past 10 years with the Qld Department of Environment and Heritage.
I look forward to your questions and hope I can answer them adequately.
Peter