Signs good for recovery of critically endangered orange-bellied parrot

The state’s Environment Minister Madeleine Ogilvie said the recent return of 92 endangered parrots to their Tassie breeding grounds is another milestone comeback from extinction for the species.

Lisa McKay, Senior Wildlife Officer, Orange-bellied Parrot Tasmanian Program and Environment Minister Madeleine Ogilvie with an Orange Bellied Parrot at Seven Mile Beach on Wednesday, December 18, 2024.

The return of 92 Orange-bellied Parrots to their southwest Tasmanian breeding grounds is a another milestone in the comeback of the critically endangered species, Environment Minister Madeleine Ogilvie says.

Ms Ogilvie released an annual census for the birds, as well as an interim report revealing new insights about their migratory patterns on Wednesday.

It shows a remarkable comeback by a species that once numbered just 17 individuals.

“The results of the 2024 census are testament to the hard work of both our staff and volunteers to save the Orange-bellied Parrot,” Ms Ogilvie said.

“The 2024 returns include 55 males and 37 females, 64 of which were born in the wild, and 28 of which were bred in captivity. Of those bred in captivity, 25 were released as juveniles, and 3 were released as adults.

Environment minister Madeleine Ogilvie speaks to the media at Seven Mile Beach on Wednesday, December 18, 2024.

“While Orange-bellied Parrots may be small, they are quick: we clocked one eager beaver travelling over 320 kilometres in five and half hours at a minimum average speed of 58 km/h,” Minister Ogilvie said.

Orange-bellied Parrot program manager Shannon Troy said 92 was “an amazing number:

“We’ve been slowly increasing since 2016 when we were down to just 17 orange-bellied parrots in the wild and only four females.

“This increase really is a result of the captive breeding and release programs that we’ve been doing over a number of years. There’s now a National Insurance population that has about 600 birds.

“It really is hard work by everyone, from keepers, facility managers, managers, our partners on the recovery team.

“There are, there was, at one point more people working on managing orange bellied parrots than there were orange bellied parrots in the wild.

It really is a huge success for us to get to this point. But the species are still in trouble, 92 birds is still critically endangered.

Orange Bellied Parrot chick at Seven Mile Beach breeding facility on Wednesday, December 18, 2024.

As part of the 2023-24 State Budget, the Tasmanian Government invested $1.3 million into the Orange-bellied Parrot Migration Tracking Project.

So far this season, a total of 7 Orange-bellied Parrots born at the Five Mile Beach facility were released into the wild at Melaleuca as part of the Adult Spring Release.

Greens Environment and Biodiversity spokesman Vica Bayley said it was good news for the Orange bellied parrot — but not every species was as lucky.

“The Orange-bellied parrot’s annual arrival is a reminder that the Liberals must do more to protect vulnerable species, like the Tasmanian devil, swift parrot, red handfish and Maugean skate from decline,” he said.

“There are more than 650 threatened species in Lutruwita/Tasmania, and the Liberals are still ignoring the cause of the problem.

“We’re in a biodiversity crisis – it’s time to stop backing in big business at the detriment of Tassie’s iconic native species.”

Originally published as Signs good for recovery of critically endangered orange-bellied parrot