National Recovery Plan for Malleefowl

Specific objective

Actions

Priority

Basic criteria for success

1. Secure habitat

1.1

Retain habitat for Malleefowl

1

Important sites identified and secured in some form

1.2

Encourage conservation agreements

1

Important sites identified and secured in some form

1.3

Support initiatives that reduce salinity

2

Salinity reduced in susceptible areas

2. Reduce grazing pressure

2.1

Remove goats and stock from reserves

1

Goat numbers reduced

2.2

Close or fence artificial waters from goats and stock

1

Goat numbers reduced

2.3

Erect fences where appropriate to protect habitat

1

Important sites fenced from stock

2.4

Reduce rabbits where common, esp. in small reserves

2

Rabbit numbers reduced

2.5

Inform graziers of Malleefowl requirements

1

Awareness raised

3. Reduce fire threat

3.1

Large reserves: Identify key areas for Malleefowl and protect these from large fires

1

Reduced risk of large fires and uniform burns

3.2

Small reserves: Provide access and protection

2

Reduced risk of fire completely consuming small reserves

3.3

Central Australia: Encourage traditional patch- burning

2

Reduced risk of large fire

3.4

Pastoral leaseholds: Discourage broad-scale burning

1

Reduced frequency and extent of broad-scale burning

4. Reduce predation

4.1

Record and centralise details of fox control

2

Fox control summarised on Malleefowl monitoring database

4.2

Small reserves: Integrate fox and rabbit control

1

Fox and rabbit numbers reduced

4.3

Large reserves: Aerial or other widespread baiting where Malleefowl decline

1

Fox numbers reduced

4.4

Central Australia: Bait foxes where common

3

Fox numbers reduced

5. Reduce isolation of fragmented populations

5.1

Maintain and/or revegetate corridors to link patches

1

Increased habitat links between important remnants

6. Encourage Malleefowl-friendly farming

6.1

Encourage asynchronous cropping around habitat remnants

3

Increased awareness amongst farmers of ways to benefit Malleefowl

7. Reduce road loss

7.1

Reduce grain spilt on roads near Malleefowl areas

3

Reduced occurrence of road kills

7.2

Erect signs on roads to caution drivers of Malleefowl presence in the area ahead

3

Signs erected and reduced occurrence of road kills

8. Provide information for regional planning

8.1

Prepare regional conservation plans for Malleefowl

1

Malleefowl plans prepared for each region or state

Specific objective

Actions

Priority

Basic criteria for success

9. Monitor trends in abundance

9.1

Establish monitoring grids in WA, SA and NSW

1

At least 12 sites established and searched in each state

9.2

Monitor Malleefowl breeding numbers

1

At least 10 sites monitored each year in each state

9.3

Assess benefits of fox control

1

Fox numbers shown to be much reduced over at least 5 years

9.4

Facilitate and standardise monitoring

1

National standards and database developed

10. Determine current

10.1

Describe current distribution in settled areas

1

Distribution described

distribution

10.2

Describe current distribution in remote areas

1

Distribution described

11. Examine population

11.1

Examine feasibility of automatic recorders

2

Technique successfully developed

dynamics

11.2

Measure longevity in field

2

Longevity and turnover described (for PVA type analyses)

11.3

Measure recruitment of young

3

Recruitment of young into breeding population described (for PVA type analyses)

12. Describe habitat requirements

12.1

Perform habitat analyses of monitoring grids

2

Identification of critical habitat features for Malleefowl

13. Describe genetic variation

13.1

Perform mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analyses

3

Genetic structure determined at national level

14. Review translocation and captive programs

14.1

Review methods of translocation, captive-rearing and breeding programs

2

Provide husbandry manual, studbook and review role of captive-breeding programs

15. Investigate infertility

15.1

Examine breeding success where Malleefowl feed on chemically treated crops or pasture

4

Assessment of the need, if any, of further study

16. Develop remote sensing

16.1

Analyse results of previous thermal scans

4

Scan results analysed and related to ground-truth data

17. Communication between groups

17.1

Prepare and circulate national newsletter

1

Around the Mounds published biannually

17.2

Establish Internet discussion group or mailing list

2

Internet communication provided for community groups

17.3

Convene a national community forum

2

Enhanced communication and networks, standardised monitoring and collection of other data

18. Education and publicity

18.1

Display information on Malleefowl recovery effort at zoos

2

Appropriate information displayed at zoos

18.2

Establish a national Malleefowl Internet homepage

2

Homepage established providing information and with links to other groups

19. Manage recovery process

19.1

Regularly review, manage and update Plan by Recovery Team

1

Coordinated and appropriate management of recovery process