Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00482:reg:2:p4
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00482
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 2 (pt 4/7)
Character Range: 61548–64531

large areas of remaining breeding habitat. While difficult to accurately quantify the combined impact has been immense relative to the area of remaining breeding habitat and replacement time. In 2019–20, following years of drought (DPI 2020), catastrophic wildfire conditions culminated in fires that covered an unusually large area of eastern and southern Australia. The bushfires will not have impacted all areas equally: some areas burnt at very high intensity whilst other areas burnt at lower intensity, potentially even leaving patches unburnt within the fire footprint. However, an initial analysis estimates that between 10 and 30 per cent of the distribution range of the Swift Parrot was impacted to some degree. This type of event is increasingly likely to reoccur as a result of climate change.

Residential and industrial development
Urban, rural residential and industrial developments can pose a threat to habitat throughout the range of the species, with important breeding areas in Tasmania and key foraging areas in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland being of particular concern. Where potential breeding habitat is retained adjacent to developments there is an increased likelihood that potential nest trees could be removed for 'human safety reasons', including as part of establishing and maintaining fire breaks.
In central Victoria, urban and rural residential developments are increasingly encroaching into box-ironbark habitats, such as those around Bendigo. In New South Wales, urban and industrial expansion, particularly on the central and north coast pose an ongoing threat to winter foraging regions. In Queensland, urban development is of particular concern to the Swift Parrot at the northern extent of their winter range. In particular, the Gold Coast, Toowoomba and the Greater Brisbane region are at risk from tree removal associated with residential and industrial development.

Agricultural tree senescence and dieback
Much of the habitat used by Swift Parrots in agricultural landscapes are forest remnants or isolated, scattered paddock trees. This habitat continues to be lost through senescence, dieback, over grazing and through ongoing removal of paddock trees to enhance farm productivity. This is of particular concern in eastern Tasmania, Victoria and throughout New South Wales.

2.2.3 Predation by Sugar Gliders
Predation on the nest by Sugar Gliders on the mainland of Tasmania is a significant threat to the species (Stojanovic et al 2014). Sugar Gliders eat Swift Parrot eggs, nestlings and females, and impose a severe, sex-biased demographic pressure on the population (Stojanovic et al. 2014; Heinsohn et al. 2015, Heinsohn et al. 2019). Stojanovic et al. (2014) showed that survival of Swift Parrot nests was a function of modelled mature forest cover in the surrounding landscape and the likelihood of Sugar Glider predation decreased with increasing forest cover.
While a species native to the Australian mainland, Sugar