Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary’s Conservation Wins

Despite the devastation of bushfires and the tragedy of the COVID-19 pandemic, new life is blooming at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Limited resources have presented challenges for the Sanctuary’s ongoing conservation work, but through the tireless efforts of our dedicated team, six species have had big wins in 2020.

Thanks to a generous federal grant from the Honourable Sussan Ley, Minister for the Environment, an extra $802,000 will be injected into breeding programs for Eastern bristlebirds and Kroombit Tinker Frogs. This invaluable financial backing is part of the Australian Government’s $4 million Environmental Bushfire Recovery Funding.

Eastern Bristlebirds

CONSERVATION STATUS (northern population): Critically endangered

2020 has been a challenging year for the Eastern bristlebird. Bushfires last summer threatened many wild populations. Because of Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary’s expertise in caring for this endangered species, our staff were deployed to Victoria to help with the rescue of a population of southern birds trapped by fires.

These birds were captured and brought into captivity as an insurance population until fires were no longer a risk to their survival. Keepers worked with Zoos Victoria to set up and acclimate the birds in captivity until it was deemed safe to release them back to the wild.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has also been working to save the northern population of Eastern bristlebird, with numbers less than 40 in the wild. We hold the only captive breeding population in Australia. Every chick is a precious step closer to attaining our goal of breeding enough offspring to release back to the wild and bolster ailing wild populations.

Keepers have to lend a hand with the rearing of chicks when female birds are inexperienced. This ensures that each precious chick survives to adulthood to join the breeding stock. Hand rearing is a time-consuming process with young chicks, requiring hand feeding hourly from dawn to late night. It’s certainly a labour of love, but this year it was well worth the effort.

With breeding season only just kicking off, keepers will be busy for many months ahead. Hopefully, there will be many mouths to feed.

There are now only four populations of Eastern Bristlebird in the southern Queensland and northern New South Wales regions, with only 35 birds estimated to live in these areas. 15 years ago, 154 birds were recorded in the same regions, so the species is in rapid decline.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary holds the only captive breeding population in Australia, our keepers often aiding inexperienced Bristlebird mums by painstakingly hand-rearing their precious chicks. Our ultimate goal is to breed an appropriate number of the species to begin releasing some back into the wild.

Tinker Frogs

CONSERVATION STATUS: Critically endangered

With an estimated population of just 300 Kroombit Tinker Frogs in the wild, the species is under grave threat of extinction.

The greatest danger to the frogs, who live in small patches of the Kroombit Tops National Park south-west of Gladstone, Queensland, is a chytrid fungus. This pathogen has spread to many parts of the world and decimated many amphibian populations.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has successfully bred the highly endangered Kroombit Tinker Frog in captivity for the first time! It was a huge achievement when Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, working alongside the Queensland Park and Wildlife Service, became the first institution in the world to breed Kroombit Tinker Frogs captivity in 2020.

In November, we witnessed the tadpoles beginning to hatch, and celebrated the history-making moment when the first of the tadpoles transformed into a tiny froglet. It’s a win two years in the making; the Sanctuary began working in collaboration with the Queensland Park and Wildlife Service in 2018. We will continue this breeding program, raising Kroombit Tinker Frogs for release to the wild, to save this ancient species from extinction.

Koalas

CONSERVATION STATUS: Vulnerable

This much-loved species is quickly disappearing from the wild, under threat from habitat destruction, dog attacks and vehicle strikes. Koalas experienced a catastrophic decline due to bushfires in 2020.

At Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, we are ensuring a population will be around for future generations to enjoy, welcoming furry new faces every year thanks to our breeding program. Our Gum cutters work tirelessly to ensure these finicky eaters have a rich and varied diet, so they can act as ambassadors to their wild counterparts and highlight the need for their protection.

Expect to see a lot of new furry faces around the Sanctuary in the coming months! So far this Koala breeding season, we have seven new joeys already in pouches with another five more expected.

Keep an eye out for these cute and cuddly critters – they’re all expected to emerge from their pouches in about six months! You can visit all our Koala mums in the Koala Nursery on the western reserve.

Our keepers and Gum cutters are working tirelessly to ensure all our Koala joeys are growing well and their mums are thriving.

Cotton-Top Tamarin

CONSERVATION STATUS: Critically Endangered

They are amazingly cute, but sadly this unique species is rapidly declining. It is thought that less than 1,000 Cotton-top tamarins are left in the wild.

Found in Northwest Colombia, they are severely threatened due to loss of habitat, natural disasters, predation and the illegal pet market.

At Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, we are helping to highlight the dire plight of this species so guests can appreciate that all animals have a role to play in the environment.

This important preservation continues because of the generosity of the community. You can help to maintain these special animals by donating to our conservation programs.

Tasmanian Devil

CONSERVATION STATUS: Endangered

90% of the Tasmanian Devil population has been wiped out by the Devil Facial Tumour Disease. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has been working hard to ensure that there is a healthy population of these unique Aussie animals.

We have been involved with a captive breeding program approved by the Zoo and Aquarium Association since its inception. Our focus is also on educating animal lovers and inspiring them to help save the species from extinction in the wild.

Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroo

CONSERVATION STATUS: Endangered

Hunted for food and traded for cultural reasons in their native home of Papua New Guinea, Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroos are also under threat due to habitat loss.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary’s breeding program has been successful, and our resident Tree ‘Roos assist in educating the public.

Glossy Black-Cockatoo

CONSERVATION STATUS: Vulnerable

Food shortages and the continuing loss of large trees where Glossy Black-Cockatoos make their nests are the biggest challenges this species has to overcome.

Forget creepy and kookie, Gomez and Morticia the Glossy Black-Cockatoos were adorable this year when they celebrated the birth of their new chick, Kirra in April. She wasn’t much of a looker when she was born, but Kirra was a very welcome arrival! The species only lays a single egg every two years, and the continued loss of the large trees they call home in the wild has made them one of the most threatened species of cockatoo in Australia.

Kirra is Gomez and Morticia’s sixth chick. At 10 years of age, the couple has been an integral part of the Sanctuary’s breeding program since 2011. They had their first chick in 2015 and have continued to produce healthy babies every breeding season since!

Coxen’s Fig-Parrot

CONSERVATION STATUS: Endangered

It may be one of Australia’s most endangered parrots, but while population levels are low, it is by no means extinct. Several confirmed records exist, and credible sightings continue to be reported.

Over the last 20 years, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has worked closely with the Macleay’s Fig-parrot to establish breeding and husbandry protocols that will be used if the Coxen’s Fig-parrot returns to captivity. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary staff have spent time ‘in the field’ helping to conduct research for this species. This will help us to better understand the habits of this cryptic, fast-flying bird.

Regent Honeyeater

CONSERVATION STATUS: Critically endangered

Due to loss of habitat, over-grazing, competition by larger aggressive honeyeaters, small population size as well as nest and egg predation, these birds are close to extinction in the wild. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is dedicated to helping this species by maintaining and enhancing a captive population.

We have Regent Honeyeater chicks! This is the second successful hatch for our breeding pair this year. Recently, the two previous chicks made the journey down to Taronga Zoo for the collaborative breeding program for this Critically Endangered species.

“This is a very exciting program to be a part of as most years a portion of the captive bred birds are released to the wild as part of the National Recovery Plan. Sadly, the Regent Honeyeater was one of numerous species impacted by the bushfires last summer with significant portions of the habitat destroyed by fire.” – Wildlife Collection Manager Saskia Lafebre

Brush-tailed rock-Wallaby

CONSERVATION STATUS: Vulnerable

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has a successful record of breeding Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies, even releasing one into the wild!

Our Brush-tailed rock-Wallaby family, Piston, Tigereye and joey Rocko are doing extremely well. So well, in fact, that they are already expecting the pitter patter of more little feet! Mum Tigereye has another joey in the pouch!

“This is fantastic news, not just for us all here at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, but also for the species as a whole. These guys are listed as vulnerable nationally, so we are super proud that the pair are happy, healthy and breeding well, helping to save the species from extinction.” Mammal Supervisor Sarah Eccleston

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary participates in 15 conservation projects, working to save unique and amazing species from extinction. But we need your help! Visit our website to donate and find out more about this important work.

Bilby

CONSERVATION STATUS: Endangered

With only about 400 to 600 Bilbies estimated to be left in the wild in Queensland, these floppy-eared Aussie icons are in desperate need of preservation.

Queensland’s Bilby population is the most threatened in the country and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary takes part in a national Bilby breeding program in collaboration with Save the Bilby Foundation. Since our breeding program began, it has been successful – we’ve even welcomed twins on more than one occasion!