WESTERN Ground Parrots healthiest wild population is in Cape Arid National Park but the species is nearing extinctionTHE Western Australian State Government has announced that funding of $250,000 is to go towards the Department of Environment and Conservation’s (DEC) Western Ground Parrot Recovery Project (WGPRP).
DEC regional ecologist for the south coast Sarah Comer said she was thrilled about the government’s support for the project.
“The Western Ground Parrot species is very close to extinction with only around 100 individuals left in the wild,” she said.
“The birds are valuable as part of our biodiversity as an iconic species of WA fauna.”
Ms Comer said most of the funding would go towards larger projects run by the WGPRP.
“The funding will help with the maintenance of our captive population of Western Ground Parrots and will also be used to protect the wild population from predators such as cats and foxes,” she said.
“It will also help with our integrated fauna recovery management.”
The aim of the WGPRP is to increase the population of the birds living in the wild.
“Cape Arid is the last major habitat for the parrots, with about 90 per cent of our wild population living in Cape Arid National Park,” Ms Comer said.
“The Western Ground Parrots are quite special birds that used to be widely found from North of Perth around to the south coast and now they are only found in this one place.
See full details inside Friday's edition of the Esperance Express.