Globally, few animal species are more visible or cherished than birds and Tasmania is internationally recognised for its high endemicity and as a refugia for rare species. However, few people realise that for a small island Tasmania has an alarming number of threatened bird species showing rapid trajectories of widespread decreases. Tasmania’s threatened birds occur in a variety of habitats from mountain to coast, but many are habitat specialists reliant on forest or sandy beaches. In this joint lecture, you will hear why Tasmania’s bird fauna is at risk, why these declines are happening and how, collectively, we can reverse these before it’s too late.
Dr Sally Bryant AM is an Honorary Research Fellow with the Tasmanian Land Conservancy and Adjunct Lecturer at UTas. As a wildlife scientist, Sally has undertaken foundational research on many of Tasmania’s threatened species especially birds and has published prolifically on the conservation importance of island ecosystems. For decades Sally has pioneered recovery efforts for the Nationally Endangered Forty-spotted Pardalote and is currently involved with developing acoustic monitoring relying on her expert field skills in call detection.
Dr. Eric Woehler OAM is a seabird and shorebird ecologist with more than 40 years of field research around the world. His current research efforts are directed at assessing population trends of resident shorebirds and seabirds around Tasmania, based on data sets that span 30 – 45 years. He was an Adjunct with UTas for 25 years, supervising more than 40 higher-degree students. Eric has published more than 200 peer-reviewed papers, almost 200 technical papers and recently authored five indicators for the 2024 Tasmania State of the Environment Report.
The Royal Society of Tasmania acknowledges, with deep respect, the traditional owners of this land, and the ongoing custodianship of the Aboriginal people of Tasmania. The Society pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge that Tasmanian Aboriginal Peoples have survived severe and unjust impacts resulting from invasion and dispossession of their Country. As an institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge, the Royal Society of Tasmania recognises Aboriginal cultural knowledge and practices and seeks to respect and honour these traditions and the deep understanding they represent.
On 15 February 2021, the Royal Society of Tasmania offered a formal Apology to the Tasmanian Aboriginal people. Read more