Media statements - Parks and Wildlife Service

Media statements (397)

Photos: simulated whale disentanglement at Princess Royal Harbour

Whale disentanglement training at Princess Royal Harbour

Details: Published: Friday, 23 June 2017 13:54

Staff from the Department of Parks and Wildlife’s Albany District recently undertook whale disentanglement training at Princess Royal Harbour. South Coast Region wildlife officer Jonathan Pridham said the two-day refresher training on 8 June and 9 June used a recently acquired artificial whale tail built by a local business to simulate rope entanglement. “Attempting to free entangled whales is a potentially dangerous operation,” he said. “It is important that we are able to respond to whale entanglement incidents in a safe and timely manner. “The updated training and equipment will increase our capability to perform these rescues.” Mr Pridham said the steady increase in whale populations has also led to increased potential for entanglements. “If you do see an…

Director of Parks and Visitor Services Peter Sharp with Jeremy Perks and Jan Barrie

Parks and Wildlife shares guiding tips with tour operators

Details: Published: Friday, 23 June 2017 13:27

The Department of Parks and Wildlife will provide tour operators across the State with a complimentary copy of How to be an Award-Winning Tour Guide. The book, written by Jeremy Perks and Jan Barrie from award-winning tour company Global Gypsies Tours and Training, contains helpful advice on professionally planning and running tours. Parks and Wildlife Director of Parks and Visitor Services, Peter Sharp said the initiative would help licensed tour operators in WA parks continue to provide world class tourism experiences for travellers. “This book will be a valuable tool for operators keen to improve their tour guide training programs while learning from the personal experiences of others in the industry,” Mr Sharp said. “It is designed for novice or aspiring…

Humpback mother and calf near Rottnest. Photo- Rick Dawson/ Parks and Wildlife

Northern whale migration under way

Details: Published: Monday, 19 June 2017 14:33

Annual humpback whale migration from Antarctica to the KimberleyMajor tourist attraction for whale watchers The annual northern migration of humpback whales along the Western Australian coast is under way with sightings of the majestic creatures being reported from Albany to Exmouth. Thousands of these mammals make the 13,000 kilometre round-trip from Antarctica to warmer waters in WA's north between May and late November. During this time, the number of whale entanglements and stranding incidents may increase, and the Department of Parks and Wildlife has specialised teams throughout the State that can be deployed to safely attempt disentanglements. The humpback migration is one of the longest whale watching seasons in the world attracting thousands of visitors to the coast, providing a boost to whale tour operators…

Enjoy Cape Le Grand National Park responsibly

Details: Published: Wednesday, 14 June 2017 10:52

Visitors to Victoria Harbour in Cape Le Grand National Park near Esperance are being urged to treat the fragile dune and beach landscape with care. Parks and Wildlife Esperance District manager Rob Blok said there had been significant degradation of the area leading to Wharton’s beach because of inappropriate use. “The dunes and wetlands in the area provide important habitat and refuge for a range of native plants and animals,” he said. “To protect these sensitive communities, Parks and Wildlife has installed cable fencing, which was funded by South Coast NRM. “The fencing will consolidate the numerous access tracks into a single vehicle access track, which will help the vegetation regenerate.” Mr Blok said Cape Le Grand National Park offered fantastic scenic attractions and a…

Partial closure of bike trails in Bramley NP

Details: Published: Thursday, 08 June 2017 09:36

The Department of Parks and Wildlife today advised that parts of the mountain bike trail network in Bramley National Park will be closed from 12-30 June for pine harvesting operations. Trail users will still be able to access the majority of the 10 trail network in the park with the partial closure reopening before the July school holidays. The trails affected include Big Pine and Paper Trail, which are bound by Fox, Baker, Ashton and Pine Boundary roads. Access will still be available from the Manager’s carpark via the northern entry of the pine plantation and Carters road carpark adjacent to the Wadandi track. Parks and Wildlife Parks and Visitors Services officer Ben Tannock said maintaining access to the trail network was a priority for…