Coastal view of Boulder Wildlife Sanctuary. © Brad Leue

Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC), a global leader in conservation, has purchased 200-hectares of land on King Island, expanding the organisation’s conservation footprint into Tasmania for the first time. The acquisition enables AWC to build on the excellent conservation work already being undertaken on the island and lays the foundation for a King Island Conservation Program to be developed in collaboration with the local community.

Located on the western side of Bass Strait, King Island is recognised internationally as a Key Biodiversity Area, home to 470 native plants, 164 bird species (including seven threatened and two critically endangered endemic subspecies), 12 mammal species, and nine reptile species. Despite its significance, King Island has experienced substantial environmental decline since European settlement, with 70% of native vegetation cleared for agriculture.

Remaining habitats on the island are now highly fragmented, contributing to the local loss of several animal and plant species including the Forty-spotted Pardalote, Glossy Black-Cockatoo and Gang-gang Cockatoo.

The acquisition of 87 Martha Lavinia Road, Boulder Wildlife Sanctuary, presents an opportunity for AWC to collaborate with the local community and conservation organisations to create a King Island Conservation Program that aims to protect remaining wildlife and help address island-wide challenges such as feral cats, invasive weeds and fire management.

“Locals have worked for decades to protect the island’s unique natural heritage,” said Tim Allard, AWC Chief Executive. “This acquisition represents an opportunity for AWC to build on the strong conservation foundations already established on the island and deliver our conservation model where it can have the greatest impact.”

“On King Island, that means protecting and restoring habitat for some of Australia’s most threatened species, including the critically endangered King Island Scrubtit and the King Island Brown Thornbill.”

The new AWC property is located alongside Lavinia State Reserve on King Island’s north-east coast and supports a range of threatened and high conservation value native vegetation. Over the coming months, AWC will undertake a comprehensive ecological survey to establish a scientific baseline for wildlife on the sanctuary before commencing active management. AWC will also continue consultation with the local community which commenced shortly after acquisition.

Initial conservation actions on Boulder Wildlife Sanctuary will include feral animal and weed control, developing plans for fire management, and restoring habitat connectivity where possible. AWC will then move to scale up conservation from property management to programs that aim to address threats across the island, particularly managing cat populations.

AWC will continue to call the property Boulder Wildlife Sanctuary, recognising the name already used by neighbours and locals.

Kate Ravich, King Island Landcare Group Co-chair, said it’s exciting to have AWC, an organisation with knowledge and integrity, recognise the importance of species on King Island and become actively involved in their ongoing preservation.

“King Island is the home of many unique species, some of which are threatened due to the loss of habitat,” said Kate. “Those of us who have been struggling to conserve or at least retain the status quo of our native flora and fauna for many years, are beyond delighted to have AWC on the island.

“The presence of Boulder Wildlife Sanctuary on the island will attract more visitors to the island aiding in the economic sustainability of this isolated island in the middle of Bass Strait. A win/win for all.”

Among the island’s threatened species is the King Island Scrubtit which is now reduced to only three known isolated subpopulations with a total population estimate of fewer than 100 individuals, making it rarer than the California Condor (500 individuals), New Zealand’s Kakapo (250 individuals) and the Whooping Crane (600 individuals).

As an endemic bird, the King Island Scrubtit relies on the island’s mature dense wet forests, particularly swamp paperpark (Melaleuca ericifolia) forest for survival, much of which has been cleared for agriculture and degraded by altered fire regimes. Due to the loss of habitat and declining population, the subspecies is listed as a priority for conservation under the Australian Government’s Threatened Species Action Plan.

Wildlife on King Island is now confronting the ongoing outbreak of H5 bird flu, which has already taken a substantial toll on coastal birds and marine mammals in Bass Strait. This new threat only makes the imperative for effective conservation programs on the island more urgent.

AWC hopes to help bring the King Island Scrubtit back from the brink. Through long-term, science-based conservation, AWC has contributed to the recovery of threatened species such as the Numbat, which was recently downlisted on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species from Endangered to Near Threatened.

“While the challenges facing the King Island Scrubtit are significant, we believe AWC’s model along with collaborative conservation efforts on King Island can help stabilise and ultimately recover their population,” said Tim.

The acquisition of Boulder Wildlife Sanctuary is a part of AWC’s 2035 Strategic Plan which aims to increase the number of species protected and expand the organisation’s impact across 5% of the Australian continent.

More information about Boulder Wildlife Sanctuary is available, here, and further information on the King Island Scrubtit can be found, here.

Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) is a pragmatic, on-ground global conservation leader, conserving landscapes and providing hope for Australian wildlife. Informed by science, we deliver measurable conservation impact at scale to secure the future of our most endangered species and their habitats, including restoring degraded landscapes where necessary.

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