On an island in the western Torres Strait, invasive black rats are threatening native species - competing for food and eating nesting birds and their eggs.
Warul Kawa (Deliverance Island) is an important resting point for many migratory birds on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.
These include the:
- Pacific golden plover
- little tern.
More than $1.5 million is supporting the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) to prepare for H5 avian influenza (bird flu). This funding will help community eradicate the rodents from Warul Kawa.
Traditional Owners, represented by the Maluilgal Registered Native Title Body Corporate (RNTBC), will lead the work, with drones deploying baits across the island.
Warul Kawa sits south of Papua New Guinea within the Ugul Malu Kawal Indigenous Protected Area. The island is a vital ecological and cultural site for Traditional Owners and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Eradicating rats will help protect migratory birds from H5 bird flu as they travel between Asia and Australia. This will help more birds journey and reduce the risk of the disease spreading. Without rats on the island, local seabirds may return and once again nest on the island.
Healthy habitats, with invasive threats controlled or removed, give native species the best chance of withstanding the potential impacts of H5 bird flu. This project will also have broad, long lasting conservation benefits.
TSRA Chairperson, George Nona, said the funding acknowledged the environmental, cultural and geographic importance of the remote region.
"Positioned on Australia's frontline, the Torres Strait is a diverse and unique region home to some of the nation's richest environmental and cultural treasures," Mr Nona said.
"As a long-standing project partner and advocate, TSRA welcomes the broader recognition of this local-led project deeply rooted in the cultural governance and leadership of the Maluilgal RNTBC Traditional Owners."
This funding is part of the Australian Government's broader $100 million investment to prepare for H5 bird flu. This includes $35.9 million for environment measures.
Cross-border conservation efforts are already being supported along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway by $300,000 for the:
- far eastern curlew
- Christmas Island frigatebird.
This work helps us to understand and address illegal hunting in South-East Asia. It also supports Australia's efforts to protect the threatened birds.
Strengthening protections across the flyway will help improve the species' resilience to H5 bird flu by reducing the pressures on their survival.
