Public give $120,000 to help save orange bellied parrot

Australians have shown overwhelming support to help save the critically endangered orange bellied parrot. A crowdfunding campaign has raised more than $120,000 in less than a week, allowing researchers to launch an emergency intervention to try to save the rare bird from extinction, and to monitor the bird's progress for the next two years. This year only three females and 11 males survived the winter migration from Victoria to return to Melaleuca in Tasmania's southwest Wilderness World Heritage Area. Dr Dejan Stojanovic from The Australian National University (ANU) said the researchers were overwhelmed by the pubic generosity, which will allow volunteers and researchers to work to help rebuild the wild population. "We can't thank people enough for getting behind this project to ensure we could implement our emergency intervention plan for the 2016/17 and 2017/18 orange bellied parrot breeding season," said Dr Stojanovic from the ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society. "Two weeks ago we identified low female numbers returning to breed. So to be on the ground seeing the first laid eggs for the season wouldn't have been possible without the public's support." The funding means a team of researchers and volunteers has flown to Melaleuca in Tasmania's southwest Wilderness World Heritage Area to start the emergency intervention.