Media statements - Parks and Wildlife Service

Media statements (397)

Western Australia's first prescribed burning forum begins

Details: Published: Wednesday, 09 August 2017 10:24

The first prescribed burning forum of its kind in WA to be held in Busselton from today International, national and State experts gathering to discuss best practice in prescribed burning Three-day forum is being hosted by the Office of Bushfire Risk Management Leaders in bushfire mitigation from local, interstate and international partner agencies have been brought together in Busselton today by Emergency Services Minister Fran Logan and Environment Minister Stephen Dawson for Western Australia's first prescribed burning forum. The Burning Question: Now & Beyond, Western Australian Prescribed Burning Forum 2017 convenes experts in the field to share their perspective and enhance the co-ordination and delivery of prescribed burning programs across the State. Forum participants will hear from leading American prescribed burning expert, Mike Dueitt, Director…

Crocodile removed from Lake Kununurra

Details: Published: Friday, 04 August 2017 16:55

An estuarine (saltwater) crocodile has been trapped and removed from Lake Kununurra. East Kimberley district wildlife officer Steven Leeder from the Parks and Wildlife Service at the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions said the 2.6m crocodile was yesterday removed from an operational trap on the lake. “Relocation was not an option in this case, so officers made the decision to euthanase the animal,” Mr Leeder said. “The size of the crocodile and its ability to move quickly made it a considerable threat to people using the lake. “Action needed to be taken as Lake Kununurra is a popular recreation area for waterskiers, boaters and swimmers and is also a designated Crocodile Risk Mitigation Area.” An estuarine crocodile with similar markings was sighted by a…

Partial closure of bike trails in Bramley NP

Details: Published: Monday, 31 July 2017 14:18

The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions today advised that parts of the mountain bike trail network in Bramley National Park will be closed from 7-10 August. The Forest Products Commission will begin pine harvesting operations in the Margaret River Pines adjacent to the park and as such there will be no access to some trails during these works. The trails emanating from the Manager’s parking area will be affected during 7-8 August and the trails adjacent to Fox, Ashton and Pine Boundary roads will be closed during 9-10 August. Access to Big Pine and the Manager’s carpark via the northern and western entries of the pine plantation will also be closed during these periods to ensure the safety of trail users. Ben Tannock from…

Ningaloo loggerhead turtle activity at record level

Details: Published: Wednesday, 19 July 2017 10:00

A record amount of loggerhead turtle activity was recorded in this year’s Ningaloo Turtle Program annual report. The program, which started in 2002, is a successful collaboration between the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) and the Cape Conservation Group. The data collected helps to predict long-term trends in marine turtle populations along the Ningaloo Coast. DBCA Ningaloo Marine Park coordinator Dr Peter Barnes said 49 volunteers had come together to monitor the nesting beaches during the 2016-17 season. “Thousands of hours of hard work contributed to recording the highest level of loggerhead turtle activity seen in the program so far,” Dr Barnes said. “A record 696 nests and almost 1400 false crawls were recorded in the monitored area over a one month period…

WA firefighters assist with Canadian blazes

Details: Published: Tuesday, 18 July 2017 09:41

Four Parks and Wildlife Service firefighters from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) will travel to Canada's British Columbia to help battle 130 widespread forest fires. The officers - Brad Barton, Tony Mennen, Paul Musarra and Dr Adrian Wayne - are highly experienced in a variety of incident management roles including planning, logistics and operations. They are scheduled to depart Perth Airport today and will be based in various locations across British Columbia for up to six weeks. The deployment has been facilitated through an agreement between Australia's National Aerial Firefighting Centre and the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre for the purposes of assisting each nation with critical bushfire emergencies. Comments attributed to Acting Environment Minister David Templeman: "This latest deployment continues a…