SHE-OAKS ON THE MENU FOR GLOSSY BLACK COCKATOOS

The endangered glossy black cockatoo was given a leg-up when drooping she-oak seedlings were planted by groups of volunteers on 44 different Kangaroo Island properties between May and August this year.

The she-oaks will be providing multiple benefits – they’ll be a great source of feeding habitat for the glossy black cockatoo while also acting as windbreaks and erosion control on properties.

“The glossy black cockatoos have lost 54% of their feeding habitat in the summer bushfires. Much of this habitat will grow back from seed over 15-20 years, however she-oak does not respond well to hot fires so some areas may grow back more sparse. This is something the recovery program staff are currently investigating”, says KI Landscape Board Project Officer, Karleah Berris.

The KI Landscape Board Native Plant Nursery grew 6000 she-oak seedlings thanks to funding donated directly to the Nature Foundation Glossy Black Cockatoo Recovery Program, as well as funds provided by the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Network, Natural Focus Safaris, and the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia.

A further 1150 she-oak seedlings were donated by not-for-profit, BioR, which enabled Glossy Black Cockatoo Recovery Program staff to distribute 7150 she-oak seedlings in total.

Sarah Kemp, whose property is on the Eleanor River in Seddon, says the planting was a wonderful experience.

“This year we planted 500 she-oaks on our property thanks to the Glossy Black Recovery Program. It was a wonderful day with around 30 volunteers helping", said Mrs Kemp.

“It was particularly special as we were joined by renowned Ramindjeri, Ngarrindjeri, Narrunga artist, Cedric Varcoe, and his family to help with planting. Cedric’s Ngartji (totem, friend, countryman, protector) is the glossy black cockatoo. After the planting, KI Landscape Board staff, Mike Barth and Torran Welz, took us to see a female fledgling being banded. While there, a large group of around 20 glossies flew over the top of us. This was the first time Cedric has seen his Ngartji in the wild….it was an emotional moment.”

Planted she-oak can produce seed for glossies in as little as 5-10 years. This means that the seedlings planted by the program over the next 5 years will be available as a food source faster than the regenerating burnt woodlands.