Funding for rare parrot

Critically endangered: The Western ground parrot in captivity at Two People's Bay Nature Reserve, Western Australia. Photo suppliedEFFORTS to save the critically endangered western ground parrot have been boosted by a $10,000 donation.

Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) and South Coast Threatened Birds Recovery Team (SCTBRT) received the donation from the Friends of the Western Ground Parrot.

The funding will ensure DPaW's South Coast Threatened Birds Recovery Team (SCTBRT) can continue its work to protect parrots living in captivity.

DPaW Nature Conservation regional leader Deon Utber said SCTBRT are currently in negotiations to create a captive breeding program.

Mr Utber said the donation would go towards continued protection of the species.

"The donation of $10,000 will support us during the interim phase between the captive management program and what we hope to achieve in the future," he said.

Mr Utber said funding had been secured through the biodiversity fund and state natural resource management to continue work on controlling feral cats in ground parrot habitat.

He said that in the last two years, the project team has seen some positive signs that baiting feral cats might be making a difference to the remaining wild populations.

Mr Utber said there are approximately 110 western ground parrots that live in Cape Arid and Fitzgerald River National Parks.

SCTBRT chair Sarah Comer said in the future, captive breeding could play a vital role in the recovery of the western ground parrot.

"We currently have seven captive western ground parrots, which has allowed us to develop husbandry techniques for a potential captive breeding program that can be used to re-establish wild populations," Mrs Comer said.

"The generous donation from the Friends of Western Ground Parrot community group will help DPaW maintain the captive birds while captive breeding options are further investigated.

"We hope to be able to roll out a captive breeding program next year that will support large-scale recovery actions for the western ground parrot that are already being implemented for the two remaining wild populations in Cape Arid and Fitzgerald River National Parks.

"This includes integrated feral predator management, fire management, survey and population monitoring."

The State Government provided $250,000 in 2012-13 for DPaW's western ground parrot recovery actions.