East Gippsland Conservation Management Network (EGCMN) will improve protection for Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies in Gippsland thanks to Federal Government funding.
Member for Gippsland Darren Chester said EGCMN received $200,663 through the Environment Restoration Fund.
“EGCMN will undertake a trial looking at predator monitoring and cat-control for the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby population in the Little River Gorge in Snowy River National Park,” Mr Chester said.
“The trial will help to monitor and control threats of predators for the Rock-wallabies with on ground practical conservation efforts to protect the threatened species.
“This project is a part of the Federal Government’s recently announced Threatened Species Strategy Action Plan.”
Tom Crook, Programs Manager for the Bairnsdale based East Gippsland Conservation Management Network said EGCMN was overjoyed by the announcement of the new investment in the iconic local endangered species.
“Introduced feral animals pose one of the biggest threats to this and many other native animals and this new investment will help tackle the problem head-on,” Mr Crook said.
“The East Gippsland Conversation Management Network has a long and proud of history of building partnerships and working together on solutions to environmental challenges such as this. We know that a partnership-based approach is the only way to tackle these problems in the long term.
“This project will bring government land management agencies (Parks DELWP), expert ecologists and the private sector together to tackle the feral predator problem and give these iconic Australian animals a fighting chance to thrive.
“East Gippsland punches above its weight when it comes to rare plants and animals – only covering about 10% of Victoria land area but has over 30% of the State’s rare threatened and endangered species.
“We look forward to working with all levels of government to reverse our current extinction crisis.”