Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2015L01389:body:0:p62
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2015L01389
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 177351–180281

and bottleneck events) (Lux 2008). Individual rails not originating from the North Keeling population appear to have migrated to the island on one or more occasions in the past, with Australia as the likely source. The results of the study indicate that such events have increased the genetic diversity within the population and enabled recovery from a bottleneck event. Continuing divergence of the Cocos buff-banded rail into a more distinctive form is unlikely to be slowed by frequent immigrants.
The results of the study also indicate that conservation efforts should be a prime focus for this unique rail, as Gallirallus philippensis andrewsi is morphologically distinctive and represents the only member of G. philippensis to occur in the Indian Ocean. The study indicates the importance of assisting the conservation of this subspecies by the creation of a second population. The study suggests that, based on the genetic evidence collected, successful translocation of this subspecies would be an attainable goal (Lux 2008).
Thirty-nine Cocos buff-banded rails were relocated to Horsburgh Island in April 2013 consistent with the requirements of the recovery plan for the buff-banded rail (Woinarski et al. 2013). Monitoring of this population will be paramount to determine the viability of establishing and maintaining a second population of this endemic threatened species.
Establishment or enhancement of existing native vegetation at Horsburgh Island and other sites on the southern atoll may, in the long term, help support the reintroduction of the buff-banded rail and possibly hermit and robber crabs, and provide nesting habitat for sea and migratory bird species once found on the southern islands. Careful management, strict species protection and support from the Cocos community, the shire and other government agencies will be required for such a project to succeed.
The Round Island petrel, Pterodroma armijoniana, was listed in July 2002 as critically endangered under the EPBC Act. It breeds at fewer than five locations world-wide and was sighted in Pulu Keeling National Park in 1986. Although Parks Australia staff conducted surveys and visiting birdwatching groups have searched for the Round Island petrel during the life of the previous plan, there were no confirmed sightings of the Round Island petrel in Pulu Keeling National Park during that period.
White-tailed tropicbirds (Phaethon lepturus) are common, nesting in moderate numbers in hollows of mature pisonia trees.
Several species of migratory waders are occasionally seen feeding on the lagoon shoreline. The significance of the island as a staging point for migratory birds is not known.
Feral chickens (Gallus gallus) are reported to have existed on the island for many years from last century, but are no longer present (Guppy 1890; Gibson-Hill 1948).
During the Island Wide Survey conducted in 2009 an individual tropical shearwater