2010 - 2011 Annual Report - Zoos South Australia

CONTENTSYear In ReviewPresident and CEO’s ReportPresident ReportCEO’s ReportConservation ProgramsConservation ArkVeterinary Conservation ProgramsAssets & InfrastructureAdelaide Zoo, Monarto ZooAnd Warrawong Wildlife SanctuaryGreen TeamWild AfricaOverseas Conservation ToursConservation EducationLibraryInterpretationHistoryThe Animals & HorticultureOverviewLiving CollectionsStatus Of CollectionAppendicesHorticultureWild TimesFinalsConservation ArkConservation Ark (the Science and Research arm of ZoosSA) has had a busy year which has seemingly flown by in theblink of the eye. So what have we been up to….GrantsConservation Ark has had a big year with grant fundedprojects with more than $1 million coming in to support arange of projects across the country. This included fundingfor on-going projects and relationships such as annualfunding for yellow-footed rock wallaby work at Aroona fromAlinta Energy, a second instalment of support from BeachEnergy, continued support from the Ian Potter Foundationfor brush-tailed rock wallaby work in the Grampians, alongwith payments for the Federal Government Jobs FundKimberley Project.Several new projects and relationships were also fundedincluding: red-tailed black cockatoo conservation in theSouth East with the local National Resources Management(NRM) Board, restoration work at Monarto funded byMurraylands NRM and Caring for our Country, wombatdistribution and abundance work funded by Departmentof Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) andMurraylands NRM, Tasmanian devil captive breedingwith University of Tasmania and continuing work ondeveloping the Centre for Wildlife Health from the IanPotter Foundation.KimberleyA $1.5 million project supported by the Federal GovernmentJobs Fund in one of Australia’s last wilderness areas – theKimberley – has been our largest project of this year andhas kept us all on our toes with new challenges every day.The project has seen a wide range of activities undertakenincluding biological surveys at 80 sites across 2 millionacres in the north Kimberley, managing fire regimesand controlling introduced herbivores in the area, aerialphotography and spatial analysis of survey sites, undertakingenvironmental education camps at both Kalumburu andAdelaide for indigenous students at Kalumburu RemoteCommunity School, and collection of traditional ecologicalknowledge and facilitation of cultural activities withinKalumburu community.As part of this project Robyn Bishop also joined us this yearto help review and coordinate policies and procedures …which was particularly helpful with this project as nearlyevery identified ‘risk’ in the Risk Assessment occurred – beit fires, flood, cyclones, funerals, staff losses, bogged vehiclesand being chased up trees by bulls. Despite the challenges,the outcomes of the grant were met, although not alwaysin ways originally envisaged, given the remote area andunseasonal weather, but often providing benefits muchgreater than anticipated.All up another successful year for grant funding – onethat has kept us busy delivering a variety of projectsaround the country.Conservation Ark – 1 of 4