CostsCosts

Costs

The total cost of the recovery program is $671,800 over 5 years, of which wages are the major component.

A qualified ‘Project Scientist’ is required part time for the first 2 years to provide expertise to train the local Wildlife Ranger, prepare the translocation proposal, develop methods and begin implementing actions 4-6, develop monitoring protocols for actions 8-10, prepare the communication strategy and band birds. The Project Scientist should continue to provide support to the Wildlife Ranger for the life of the plan. An on-island Wildlife Ranger is integral for the 5 year program, being required to implement and/or coordinate actions 4-10. Additional assistance from a qualified scientist will be required for two short term periods for intensive field work for actions 6 and 7. Due to the isolated and fragmented nature of the islands freight is an additional expense to any purchases, a boat is required for travel to and from the reintroduction island and a barge to get machinery onto the island, and North Keeling Island is only accessible by a seafaring vessel. Other costs include rodent baits for rat control and qualified contract labour to carry out eradication.

No costs are included for action 1 as it is part of the “normal” activities of PAN. Costs for travel and labour for monitoring the North Keeling Island population ($70 000) will be provided by PAN, along with support, advice, assistance with training, in radio-telemetry and capture of birds on North Keeling Island, and the transportation of CBBR for the reintroduction ($30 000). These costs will be covered as part of the management of North Keeling Island and are not included in the budget. Habitat restoration activities will involve the local community and it is anticipated that the local school and volunteers will make a considerable contribution, minimising costs for this action. Future costs (not included in the budget) are for the analysis of genetic diversity of the reintroduced population by molecular techniques (to be outlined in the translocation proposal).

Management Practices

Despite adequate legislative powers and protection, current quarantine measures on CKI may be inadequate for biosecurity. Therefore, existing quarantine arrangements to CKI should be reviewed and, if necessary, improved, to avoid introduction of any further predators/ competitors, weeds or diseases which could affect the CBBR.

Current cat control measures periodically undertaken by the CKI Shire Council on West and Home Islands should be maintained and, if possible, intensified, in order to lower cat numbers further and allow increased likelihood of CBBR dispersal onto other islands in the Southern Atoll. Any opportunities for rat control on other islands of the Southern Atoll would also advantage the CBBR.

The EPBC Act protects nationally-listed threatened species, which includes the CBBR. Should a person wish to pursue an action that could result in a significant impact on the species, or any other matter protected, it may require referral to the Commonwealth Environment Minister under the EPBC Act for a decision on whether assessment and approval of the action is required.

Biodiversity Benefits

Habitat restoration, particularly through revegetation, will increase vegetation diversity and naturalness in the Southern Atoll. This in turn will increase potential nesting habitat for seabirds, such as the Red Footed Booby Sula sula, whose breeding populations are locally extinct on the Southern Atoll. Removal of exotic vertebrates from one island will benefit native prey species and competitors. There are no biodiversity disbenefits envisaged.

Interests that will be affected by the Recovery Plan’s implementation

• Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage
• Australian Government Department of Transport and Regional Services
• Parks Australia North
• Cocos (Keeling) Island Shire Council
• CKI Tourism Association
• Western Australian Department of Conservation and Land Management
• Australian Federal Police
• Cocos (Keeling) Islands High School
• Junglejuice Farm
• Cocos (Keeling) Islands local community

Social and economic impacts

No negative social or economic impacts are predicted from implementation of the recovery plan. Social and economic benefits of implementation of the recovery plan include:

- an opportunity for the Cocos Malay community to develop a sense of ownership over a program to recover a species endemic to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands;

- short-term employment for the Cocos Malay community assisting with preparation of the island for reintroduction (habitat restoration, feral animal control and eradication);

- opportunities for a special interest tourism business that could be incorporated into eco-cultural tours; and

- introduction of a wildlife protection and monitoring role to the general operations of the Cocos (Keeling) Shire Council.

Ideally the recovery program should be administered though the CKI Council, who would employ a full time Wildlife Ranger for the life of the program. This position would be dedicated full time to CBBR recovery for the first two years, 75% in the third year and 67% for the last two years. The Ranger would receive training from the Coordinator and PAN in: monitoring CBBR, habitat restoration, feral animal detection and eradication, and communication activities. The implication is that other sources of funding would be required to maintain a fulltime position, and allow for a broader scope of Council wildlife monitoring activities in these last three years, which would ideally lead on to a permanent fulltime position.

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