Specific Objective: 1. Maintain extent of occurrence and total population size at 1994-96 levels.
Criteria: Owls widespread on the island in all suitable habitats
Total population size not less than 556 101 occupied territories.
Action: 1. Monitor the Christmas Island Hawk-Owl population every two years to detect any significant change in the distribution or abundance
The monitoring program will census owls in Primary Rainforest, Marginal Rainforest and regrowth vegetation and aims in Primary and Marginal Rainforest to identify a greater than 20% change in population size. In regrowth vegetation and rehabilitation areas the monitoring program may indicate trends, but due to the small sample size and small area of this habitat it is not feasible to identify significant trends. Monitoring data should also be used to determine habitat requirements, to refine the definition of habitat critical to survival
In Primary and Marginal Rainforest 18 sites should be censused five times each. In regrowth vegetation, three sites are censused five times each, and a Rehabilitation Area is censused five times. The minimum interval between censuses of a particular site is two weeks to avoid owls habituating to playback of their call. The method is described in detail in Hill (1996). If a significant population decline is detected the Recovery Team will need to: consider the effect of this increased risk to extinction and whether a captive population should be established; and establish a research program to investigate the causes of decline. This will require detailed planning and substantial funding and is beyond the scope of this current plan.
Specific Objective: 1. Maintain extent of occurrence and total population size at 1994-96 levels.
Criteria: Protection of all habitat critical to survival outside the national park.
Action: 2. Develop and implement a wildlife management plan for hawk-owl habitat outside the national park
Action: 3. Ensure protection of habitat critical to survival outside the national park
Most forested land outside the National Park is publicly owned, by the Commonwealth. Parks Australia North (PAN) staff are routinely involved with other stakeholders in negotiations over development proposals. This is ongoing. Proposals can occur unexpectedly and, as there is no overall wildlife management plan outside the park, are assessed on an ad hoc basis. Consultation with other agencies and proponents on projects which may impact on listed threatened species is essential and ongoing (under the EPBC Act referrals process). However, achievement of long-term protection of species outside the park requires a more considered approach. The EPBC Regulations include that actions under an approved management plan are not considered offences in relation to protected species, and that a management plan must not, or not be likely to, adversely affect the conservation status of a protected species or a population of a protected species. The Hawk-Owl meets the definition of a protected species.
The plan should allow for input of relevant landholders and decision-makers, while facilitating greater certainty for environmentally sensitive developments. The plan should also allow for adaptive management as better information becomes available on the Christmas Island Hawk-Owl and other threatened species, in particular greater definition of the areas of habitat critical to survival.
Specific Objective: 1. Maintain extent of occurrence and total population size at 1994-96 levels.
Criteria: A continuing increase in suitable habitat through implementation of the Christmas Island Rainforest Rehabilitation Program (CIRRP).
Action: 4. Continue effective and long-term rainforest rehabilitation program managed by DOTARS, supported by PAN and the mining company
In 2002, the Government decided to redirect payment of the conservation levy to the portfolio agency with responsibility for the mine lease (DOTARS). This program is critical to increase rainforest habitat to further protect a range of species including the hawk-owl. A MOU between PAN and DOTARS was signed in February 2004 to continue the CIRRP within Christmas Island National Park. The program is linked to the Christmas Island Phosphates (CIP) mine lease, and DOTARS should ensure lease conditions are adhered to, allowing effective and efficient rainforest rehabilitation.
Specific Objective: 2. Implement threat abatement strategies
Criteria: Crazy Ants have a negligible impact on populations.
Action: 5. Invasive Ants on Christmas Island Action Plan
PAN is currently implementing an Invasive Ants on Christmas Island Action Plan, aiming to control and minimise Crazy Ant impacts across the island. This will require ongoing monitoring of Crazy Ant numbers and control as detected. The recovery team must ensure this control program does not have negative impacts on Christmas Island Hawk-Owls.
Specific Objective: 2. Implement threat abatement strategies
Criteria: Maintenance of effective quarantine against the introduction of all avian diseases
Action: 6. Maintenance [and regular review] of a quarantine barrier between Christmas Island and all other lands which minimises the risks of new avian diseases establishing on Christmas Island.
As part of the regular review process of the Christmas Island Quarantine Service, the effectiveness of the quarantine barrier preventing the man-made introduction of avian diseases onto Christmas Island should be assessed. Review of the Christmas Island Quarantine Service is undertaken by the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service, with input from PAN and in consultation with DOTARS. There is no additional cost for this action.
Specific Objective: 3. Increasing community involvement in and awareness of the Christmas Island Hawk-Owl
Criteria: Demonstrated increase in community awareness and support for habitat protection
Action: 7. Community education program to raise awareness and interest in the conservation of Christmas Island Hawk-Owls.
As part of the Christmas Island Education and Interpretation Plan, which has a key objective of increasing knowledge of and local support for habitat and species protection, develop a multi-lingual pamphlet on Christmas Island Hawk-Owls stressing their uniqueness and vulnerability, and talking more generally about life in the forest at night. This should be further supported by a conservation related curriculum unit for both primary and secondary school students that raises awareness of Christmas Island habitats and species generally.
Specific Objective: 4. To implement the Recovery Plan through a Recovery Team
Criteria: Demonstrated successful operation of the Recovery Team over five years.
Actions: 8. Establish a recovery team which meets regularly