Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2007B00391:body:0:p11
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2007B00391
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 27259–30290

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