Releases to the wild
Taronga Conservation Society celebrated Threatened Species Day in conjunction with Parks Australia with the release of 150 critically endangered blue-tail skinks born and bred at Taronga Zoo. The skinks were released onto Pula Blan, a tiny island just two metres above sea level at its highest point, which is part of the archipelago making up the Cocos (Keeling) Islands 2,150 kilometres off Australia's north-west coast.
Zoos Victoria also marked the day with a release. They released 36 helmeted honeyeaters into the wild that will hopefully do wonders to help boost the wild population in Victoria.
Art and engagement
Territory Wildlife Park celebrated Threatened Species Day on September 7 and Biodiversity Month throughout September by revealing a new series of art installations through its ‘Sculpture and Art in the Park’ event.
Each week during the month of September they unveiled a new artwork somewhere in the park to help raise awareness of the importance of protecting native flora and fauna.
Meanwhile in Victoria, an 800kg mountain pygmy-possum ice sculpture sat melting at Melbourne's Bourke St Mall. Zoos Victoria’s giant possum made of ice attracted attention from CBD commuters and attracted news media to the plight of the mountain pygmy-possum. The melting sculpture symbolised the possums waking from hibernation and helped to get Zoos Victoria’s message out about the them looking for nutritious Bogong Moths to eat, which aren't arriving in their normal numbers. Check out the Bogong Moth Tracker that they're using to track the moths migration.
Politics and advocacy
The team from Aussie Ark spent the day sharing the plight of Australia native wildlife at Parliament House in Canberra.
Members of Parliament such as Threatened Species Commissioner Sally Box, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, were able to meet some of the threatened species and learn more about the work of Aussie Ark.