By Simon Cross February 2026
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Zoos SA
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Image source: Zoos SA
Seventeen tiny birds take flight in a giant leap for conservation in South Australia’s mallee
In a landmark moment for Australian conservation, 17 captive-bred Mallee Emu-wrens have been released into the wild at a carefully selected mallee site in South Australia. It is the first time this endangered species has ever been bred in human care and released to the wild.
This pioneering achievement is the result of a multi-year collaboration between Zoos SA, the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, and the National Parks and Wildlife Service SA, with support from the Threatened Mallee Bird Conservation Action Plan Steering Committee.
A bird once thought lost
Weighing just 4 to 6 grams, the Mallee Emu-wren (Stipiturus mallee) is one of Australia’s smallest and most elusive birds. It was feared extinct in South Australia following major wildfires in 2014. The species is dependent on spinifex habitats in mallee woodlands and healthy mallee and is closely tied to regeneration time-since fire.
In 2023, Zoos SA began the first ex-situ conservation breeding program for the Mallee Emu-wren at Monarto Safari Park. After years of careful preparation and husbandry trials with Rufous-crowned Emu-wrens as a surrogate species, the team achieved remarkable success. Within just two breeding seasons, the Mallee Emu-wren population has grown into a thriving captive flock, laying the groundwork for this historic release.
A delicate first flight
The release of 17 birds marks a critical first step towards re-establishing a South Australian population of Mallee Emu-wrens. It also serves as a trial for future wild-to-wild translocations.
Tom Hurley, Assistant Curator of Natives at Monarto Safari Park, said the moment was both emotional and inspiring.
“We’ve gone from not even knowing if we could keep them alive in human care, to seeing them breed successfully, and now, watching them take flight back into the wild. It’s an incredibly proud moment,” said Tom.
“These birds are tiny, but they represent a huge win for conservation. To now see them flitting through spinifex in the mallee is just magic.”
To support the birds’ transition, keepers used feeding stations first introduced inside the aviaries and later installed at the release site. However, with large numbers of invertebrates at the release site the birds were not interested in the captive food, happily foraging on their own.
Restoring a lost song
This particular mallee landscape was selected for the trial release due to its healthy spinifex habitat, favourable fire history, and its location within the Riverland Mallee Key Biodiversity Area. The area offers the right structural conditions for Mallee Emu-wrens to thrive and plays a vital role in broader efforts to increase the number of secure populations across the Murray—Darling Depression.
Chris Hedger, Conservation Ecologist with the National Parks and Wildlife Service SA, said the release is the culmination of years of dedicated work.
“This is a species I’ve worked with for over 15 years, and to see them return to South Australia is deeply moving,” said Chris.
“This release is not just a recovery milestone. It is a proof of concept for our conservation toolbox. The breeding success at Monarto Safari Park means we now have options when it comes to saving this species from fire and other threats.”
A blueprint for the future
The project is guided by the Threatened Mallee Bird Conservation Action Plan (TMB CAP), a multi-partner initiative spanning South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. The plan aims to establish a new self-sustaining population of Mallee Emu-wrens by 2033 and ensure ex-situ readiness for future emergencies by 2026.
Dr Rebecca Boulton, Landscape Ecologist and Chair of the TMB CAP Steering Committee, said the success of the release demonstrates the power of collaboration.
“The Mallee Emu-wren has always been a flagship species in our conservation planning,” said Rebecca.
“This release is a testament to what’s possible when we bring together scientific research, bold ideas and genuine collaboration. We’re one step closer to ensuring this beautiful little bird has a future across more of its former range.”
With ongoing support, future releases could see the species re-established in other historic locations across the Murray—Darling Depression.
About the Mallee Emu-wren
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Listed as Endangered under the EPBC Act
• Found only in north-western Victoria within the Murray-Darling Depression
• Weighs just 4 to 6 grams
• Locally extinct in SA after 2014 bushfires burnt last known populations in the State
• Highly vulnerable to wildfire and habitat fragmentation
ABC News February 7th 2026
By Victoria Ellis and Nat Tencic
The golden bandicoot population is booming at Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary. (ABC Alice Springs: Xavier Martin)
A population of the threatened golden bandicoot has tripled in two and a half years at Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary, north-west of Alice Springs.
Newhaven ecologist Tim Henderson said the small native mammal was once extinct in the area, but new population groups from interstate reintroduced in mid-2023 had been breeding quickly.
"It's been great," Dr Henderson said.
"The translation occurred during some really good rainfall years, so the conditions out here have been great and the population has really boomed.
"They're really fast-breeding animals, they have multiple young a year and they just keep producing. So it's a really good sign to see their population increase so rapidly."
The golden bandicoots are the seventh species to be reintroduced at Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary. (ABC Alice Springs: Xavier Martin)
About 100 golden bandicoots were released into the sanctuary as part of a conservation program two and a half years ago, but a recent survey estimates their population is now about 300.
Dr Henderson said Newhaven was bordered by a 44-kilometre fence, which kept out predators like cats and dingoes.
"It's quite a lot of work to install and now maintain, but it creates a really, really large safe haven for these animals where they can grow and become their own population without the impacts of feral cats," he said.
"They can thrive in this natural landscape, which is normal to what it would have been 60 to 100 years ago."
Tim Henderson says the mammal weighs about 300 grams. (ABC Alice Springs: Victoria Ellis)
Cute 'potatoes'
Golden bandicoots have a short nose, a thin, stubby tail and weigh about 300 grams.
Dr Henderson said a golden sheen to their fur gave them their name.
"They're very cute," he said.
"We like to call them potatoes sometimes, because they're similar in size to a potato and they can fit in your hand nice and comfortable like a potato, so that's sort of what their shape and size is."
Traditional custodians release the golden bandicoots into Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary in 2023. (ABC Alice Springs: Xavier Martin)
Dr Henderson said the main goal of the conservation program was to increase the golden bandicoot's genetic diversity and bring them back into their natural habitat.
"They add a lot of value to the ecosystem by doing a lot of digging in the soil, which does a lot of turnover and promotes seed growth for vegetation," he said.
"So they're really important for the landscape and we're just trying to restore that ecological process."
Formal recognition of ecosystems under threat helps birds
BirdLife Australia welcomes the federal Environment and Water Minister Murray Watt’s decision to list two nationally important ecosystems, critical to many bird species, under national environmental law. The federal government announced today that it had accepted recommendations by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee to list the River Murray downstream of the Darling River, and associated aquatic and floodplain systems’ as Critically Endangered, and the Wetlands and inner floodplains of the Macquarie Marshes in northwestern NSW, as Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation act (EPBC).
BirdLife Australia CEO Kate Millar says the listing will help protect the many bird species that depend on these unique habitats. “The River Murray ecosystem is home to a dazzling variety of birds, including waterbirds, raptors and parrot species. At the Murray Mouth and Coorong, we’re leading important actions to protect Hooded Plovers and colonies of Fairy Terns in partnership with traditional owners. And the Macquarie Marshes, a Key Biodiversity Area, are home to more than 70 species of waterbird including 43 species that breed there. These are spectacular places of immense importance to Australian birds and are internationally recognised.
“It’s encouraging news, because many of these birds are in need of urgent protection and recovery actions, including the elusive Australasian Bittern which is the focus of a dedicated recovery team led by BirdLife Australia. Extended dry periods are a major threat to Bitterns, so conserving the wetland ecosystems they depend on is extremely important.
“It’s bittersweet when ecosystems or species are listed under the EPBC act. On the one hand, it’s concerning that they are threatened enough to be eligible, on the other, it’s positive that their needs are being formally recognised,” Ms Millar said.
“In this instance, we’ve known and expressed for a long time that these places need to be recognised, so it’s pleasing to see that finally happen.”
Ms Millar said listing species and ecological communities is one part of the broader system of protections and actions needed to save threatened birds. “To end Australia’s extinction crisis, it’s critical that the habitats they depend on are safe from destruction and degradation. Putting in the work to secure and revitalise habitat, including the continued implementation of the Murray-Darling Plan, is central to building the resilience of birds in the face of a changing climate.”
Recovery planning for listed ecological communities and threatened species is a critical follow up action to a formal listing under the EPBC. “We should expect that listing an ecological community, or a single species, as endangered will result in proactive recovery plans and key actions to bring them back from the brink.”
BirdLife Australia Media Enquiries
Please contact James Johnson on 0423 659 324 or at media@birdlife.org.au
In short:
The presence of a missile found at an Aboriginal heritage site adversely impacted the human rights of traditional owners, a four-year investigation has concluded.
The Saab weapon was found by Kokatha traditional owners at Lake Hart near Woomera in 2021, and the Department of Defence was initially unable to rule out the risk of detonation.
What's next?
One of the brothers who found it hopes the investigation serves as a warning to other multinationals operating on Indigenous land.
WA Government commitments for Exmouth Gulf marine park welcomed by Protect Ningaloo
Protect Ningaloo.org.au
September 9 2025
MEDIA RELEASE
WA Government commitments for Exmouth Gulf marine park welcomed by Australian Marine Conservation Society – Protect Ningaloo
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Protect Ningaloo welcomes WA Government’s commitment to create a marine park with high levels of protection across the whole of Exmouth Gulf that will be jointly managed with Traditional Owners.
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The Government has responded to Exmouth Gulf Taskforce recommendations with long-awaited measures that prioritise conservation.
Protect Ningaloo now calls on Government to act with urgency on these commitments, as the region faces increasing stress from severe marine heatwaves and proposed industrial development. -
The Australian Marine Conservation Society, Protect Ningaloo campaign has welcomed the Western Australian Government’s announcement that it will create a marine park across the whole of Exmouth Gulf – one of Australia’s natural wonders – to protect it for future generations.
The commitment is a key part of the Government’s response to recommendations from the Exmouth Gulf Taskforce on the future protection and management of Exmouth Gulf. The Taskforce was established following the WA Environmental Protection Authority’s landmark assessment in 2021 that the Gulf needed conservation measures as a priority. The Taskforce made a number of key recommendations designed to safeguard the natural and cultural values of this globally significant environment, which also has strong ecological linkages to Ningaloo Reef.
Paul Gamblin, CEO of Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) and Director of Protect Ningaloo was a member of the Exmouth Gulf Taskforce and advocated for urgent protection for the whole of Exmouth Gulf, which is renowned for its resting humpback whale mothers and calves, dugongs, dolphins, rare sawfish, corals, sponge gardens, and more. Exmouth Gulf forms a crucial part of Ningaloo’s famed nature-based tourism economy.
“We strongly support this announcement and look forward to the establishment of a marine park that will be jointly managed with Nyinggulu Traditional Owners. We know the broad community in Exmouth and across WA will enthusiastically welcome the creation of a marine park across Exmouth Gulf and feel the same sense of deep pride in it as it does with the Ningaloo Marine Park.
“AMCS Protect Ningaloo has called for a whole-of-Gulf marine park for some years, and the need for a marine park is even more urgent following the devastating impacts from the 2024-25 severe marine heatwave on the Gulf’s corals and seagrass meadows. Marine conservation in an accelerating climate emergency requires serious efforts both to reduce carbon emissions and to manage direct pressures, to build resilience. We commend the government for setting a minimum level of 30% fully protected areas in the new marine park, which is now the global standard,” Mr Gamblin said.
The WA Government has also previously committed to establishing Class A reserves at Qualing Pool, right next to the site of a proposed industrial port, and other key areas. AMCS Protect Ningaloo now calls for the Government to act with urgency on all these commitments to end the decade of uncertainty from the threat of successive industrial proposals, including the current port proposal.
Protect Ningaloo is also pleased that the Government has indicated support for other key Taskforce recommendations, including supporting national and world heritage listing assessments, and other complementary protection mechanisms to improve integrated protection of the Gulf.
Protect Ningaloo strongly supports resourcing Traditional Owners represented by the Nganhurra Thanardi Garrbu Aboriginal Corporation (NTGAC) to be empowered and have capacity to fulfill their aspirations to care for this special land and sea Country.
“We hope today’s strong commitment to Exmouth Gulf’s protection is also a signal that the WA Government will begin to steer a conservation-oriented approach in this term of government. The community at large identifies strongly with the natural environment and is calling for urgent action. Premier Roger Cook has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to demonstrate how WA can lead the nation and the world by showing how genuine conservation efforts, strong nature laws and real action on climate can underpin a resilient, future-focused economy that serves the community,” said Mr Gamblin.
Ends.
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In short:
Some habitats will be ruled out from development, while others could allow projects to proceed without individual approvals, under a proposed overhaul of Australia's environment laws.
The "regional plans" would set expectations sooner to speed up the approvals process, which has bogged down housing and energy projects across the nation.
What's next?
Environment Minister Murray Watt will confirm the details in an address to the Smart Energy Council this evening (09/09/25)
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Photo source: Supplied: Pat Durman, ABC.net.au
Petition
Make fossil fuel exporters pay for the damage they are causing, not ordinary Australians
https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/CLIMATEDISASTERLEVY
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Petition
I support a climate damage compensation levy on the predominantly foreign owned corporations exporting fossil fuels (coal, gas and oil) from Australia, to compensate Australians for the damage and increased cost of living they are causing.
Fossil fuels are damaging our atmosphere and making climate related disasters like fires, floods, heatwaves and drought more frequent and more extreme.
Australian households and businesses are already paying billions of dollars every year as a result. These costs include damage to our properties, higher insurance premiums, higher taxes to pay for emergency response, relief and reconstruction and higher food prices because of the impact on agriculture.
This is driving up the cost of living for ordinary Australians, while the handful of global energy corporations causing it pay none of these costs.
Australia is the third largest fossil fuel exporter in the world and fifth largest producer. But it is not Australians exporting fossils. A handful of predominantly foreign owned corporations are making windfall profits selling our resources, often pay little if any tax, and get much of the resource for free.
We have many alternatives to using coal and gas, and many are already cheaper. This means reducing our reliance on coal and gas will reduce our energy bills. The same is true for countries we export coal and gas to around the world. But these corporations have delayed the transition through greenwashing, lobbying and pressuring our governments to keep approving new projects despite knowing the damage they are causing. This is despite calls by the International Energy Agency, United Nations, and Scientists in Australia and around the world and our Pacific neighbours to stop investing in new fossil fuel projects.
A climate damage compensation levy on fossil fuel (coal and gas) exports from Australia could raise billions of dollars every year to pay the costs of climate change, without raising prices in Australia.
These costs will keep rising as fires, floods, drought and heatwaves become more extreme as a result of climate change, unless we also stop new coal and gas projects.
If we don’t make these foreign owned energy giants pay for the damage they are causing, YOU will pay instead.
