1) Family name: Cacatuidae
2) Scientific name: Calyptorhynchus
lathamu halmaturinus
3) English name: Glossy Black-Cockatoo
4) Subspecies survival status: Endangered
(fewer than 150 individuals remain with a much smaller breeding population.
Much feeding habitat has been cleared and suitable nest trees seem scarce.
5) Former distribution: Kangaroo
Island and southern Fleurieu Peninsula, possibly Eyre Peninsula and South
East South Australia.
6) Current distribution: Now almost
entirely confined to Kangaroo Island where it occurs on the north coast
of the island west of Cape Cassini, the west coast, and north and east
coasts of Dudely Peninsula, and at American River. There are scattered
records, past and present, from more southern and central parts of the
island and infrequent reports from the southern Fleurieu Peninsula.
7) Habitat: Feeds in Drooping She-oak
Allocasuarina verticillata and roosts and nests in large eucalypts with
hollows. Uses both uncleared land and partly cleared agricultural
land.
8) Reasons for decline: Clearance
for agriculture (confirmed), burning of habitat (speculative), competition
for nest sites with introduced Honey Bee Apis (speculative). Large
areas of its former range have been cleared and that which remains may
not be enough to sustain the population, especially if there is competition
for nest holes or if major areas of habitat are burnt.
9) Conservation reserves on which subspecies
occurs: Lathami Conservation Park, Western River Conservation Part,
Cape Torrens Conservation Park.
10) Public land on which subspecies occurs:
None
11) Other land on which subspecies occurs:
Private agricultural land
12) Is knowledge about subspecies adequate
for objectives and actions to be defined accurately? No. a) Detailed
information is required on lifetime home range and habitat requirements
to test adequacy of sites for re-introduction.
13) Recovery plan objectives: a)
To conserve present population. b) To establish other populations
within its former range.
14) Actions already initiated: a)
Surveys of the population were carried out in 1980, 1987 and 1988 with
assistance from the South Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service
and the South Australian Ornithologists Association. b) A 3-year
study is currently being funded by the South Australian National Parks
and Wildlife Service to look at flock composition, movements, foraging
and breeding behavior. c) Artificial nest hollows are being placed
in trees in the hope of alleviating a possible shortage. d) Drooping
Casuarina is being planted on private land with assistance from the Bird
Observers Club of Australia.
15) Actions required: a) Undertake
public education program to ensure habitat conservation. b) Re-establish
habitat at selected sites on the island and adjacent mainland. c)
Re-establish populations at other sites. Detailed ecological information
will be required to assess the adequacy of sites for introduction, both
in terms of available food and nesting trees. Active management may
be required should there be problems with competition for nest sites or
other manageable threats.
16) Organizations responsible for conservation
os subspecies: South Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service.
17) Other organizations and individuals
involved: South Australian Ornithologists Association, local naturalists
groups, Bird Observers Club of Australia.
18) Can the recovery plan be carried
out with existing resources? No.