The first Orange-bellied Parrots have now returned to Tasmania for the breeding season after spending the winter up north.
The Government's Orange-bellied Parrot Tasmania Program volunteers have recorded 10 individual birds at the Melaleuca feeding tables so far.
Of the ten returnees, five of the Orange-bellied Parrots were captive-bred juveniles that were released over the past three years, while the other five were born in the wild within the same time, 2019 to 2022.
Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Roger Jaensch, said in the coming weeks, adult Orange-bellied Parrots from our Five Mile Beach captive breeding facility and the Healesville Sanctuary will be released at Melaleuca.
"This is an important step to supplement the potential breeding pairs in the wild population," Minister Jaensch said.
"Our Government is committed to the Orange-bellied Parrot breeding program in Tasmania, with $2.5 million invested into developing the Five Mile Beach captive breeding facility which opened in 2019.
"We are delivering a further $1.3 million, committed in the 2023 State Budget, towards tracking Orange-bellied Parrots on their migration and maintaining the Five Mile Beach facility."
The Orange-bellied Parrot Tasmanian Program is committed to the bird's protection, monitoring and management, and will continue to work together with the national Recovery Team and volunteers to assist with the species' survival in the wild.
