A thought to be extinct species of fish and a giant squid has been discovered in Western Australian waters, thanks to a modern-day DNA sequencing tool that filters genetic materials in marine systems. In the past two months, Curtin University and indigenous researchers have used the technique, called environmental DNA testing, to detect a thought-to-be-extinct […]

Recreational fishers are turning to the long-held WA tradition of salmon-run fishing as a short-term sustainable fix to combat the state’s controversial fishing bans. Late last year, the State Government introduced sweeping fishing reforms that ban the taking of demersal species – such as pink snapper and dhufish that live and feed near the bottom […]

The Western Australian Government has released a new plan to manage water in the Fitzroy River and the Derby Peninsula.   The draft plan aims to protect the river’s health, while supporting local communities and the pastoral industry.  The Fitzroy River, also known as the Martuwarra, is one of the most important free-flowing rivers in Australia.  […]

West Australian can expect a hotter and drier winter this year with climate experts warning of a “super” El Niño developing in the Pacific Ocean.  Bureau of Meteorology senior hydrologist Dr Paul Feikema said the state faces risks of water shortages and extreme heat, which could  increase fire danger in parts. Dr Feikema said recent […]

Critically endangered hammerhead shark populations throughout the Point Peron region continue to decline despite conservation efforts since 2019. For the past seven years, University of Western Australia scientists have used drones and underwater cameras to monitor the scalloped hammerhead population. UWA ecologist Dr Naima Andrea-Lopez said monitoring of the shark aggregations and behaviors has revealed […]

Farmers can “cane toad-proof” their lands and help stop the invasive species from marching into the Pilbara,  Curtin University researchers say.  Curtin University molecular scientist Judy Dunlops says making small changes to cattle water points can halt the spread of the large, poisonous toads without affecting farm work. Humans first brought cane toads to Australia […]

A man is in a stable condition in a Perth hospital after being attacked as he slept in a swag by a “large” saltwater crocodile at a campsite north of Broome on Saturday, officials say. The attack occurred on a beach in the Kimberly, near the Coulomb Point Nature Reserve at Hidden Creek, about 50km […]

Feral carp continue to wreak havoc throughout Perth wetlands, as scientists pin their hopes on an introduced herpes virus to kill the invasive species. The highly contagious water-borne virus was first meant to be introduced into the Murray-Darling Basin in 2022, under the federal $15m National Carp Control Plan – but that has been delayed […]

A feral honeybee invasion is threatening the survival of native Australian species, experts warn. A Curtin University study completed by native bee ecologist Kit Prendergast has revealed that European honeybees, once thought to have limited impacts on the Australian environment, reduce food supply and impact offspring. “In and around Perth, we have a really high […]

As Australia braces for the arrival of the highly infectious H5 bird flu, egg shortages are affecting consumers already grappling with confusing labels. Last month, major retailers, Coles and Woolworths, introduced a two-carton limit on egg purchases. The move comes as the highly contagious H5N1 virus impacts bird populations around the globe. Experts expect H5N1 […]

Activists have taken their protest against Woodside’s controversial Burrup Hub gas expansion into state government offices. More than a dozen campaigners stormed the assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Josh Wilson’s Fremantle office on Tuesday. Disrupt Burrup Hub and Voices for Climate campaigners want the Cook government to disallow a $50bn proposal to extend […]

Western Australians can hold off reaching for the winter coat, with unseasonally dry and warmer temperatures forecast until the end of May.   The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says the nation can expect “above average” daytime temperatures during the coming months following “serious rainfall deficiencies” since January. “There is an increased chance of below average […]

Things that glow in the dark may usually be associated with Halloween, but now scientists are uncovering the chemical make-up of Australian mammal fur to work out what makes it light up under ultraviolet light. While researchers have long-known that feathers, shells and even human hair are luminescent, the exact chemistry behind the glow was […]

Months after a neurological condition began felling magpies at record numbers across WA, scientists are are yet to uncover what’s causing paralysis in the birds, as government officials pass the buck.  WA rescue centres across Perth begun reporting up to a five-fold increase in the number of magpies, ravens, mudlarks and karawans being admitted with […]

Officials have revealed that more than a dozen bores are licensed to be used for water bottling across WA, as the fight to stop Coca-Cola extracting groundwater heats up in the Perth Hills. As Perth suffers through one of the driest Autumns on record and Perth Hills’ residents fight to stop Coca-Cola trucking groundwater in […]

Experts warn that Australia’s feral camel population will explode after a $19 million plan fails to reduce numbers. Australia has more than one million Arabian camels, Camelus dromedarius, the biggest population in the world, and scientists predict this number could double every nine years without urgent government intervention. For those in rural towns battling the […]

A mission to restore Shark Bay seagrass – a vital oceanic food source for dugongs – is being hampered by environmental red tape, according to volunteers. The Malgana people, Shark Bay’s Indigenous traditional owners, have been working with a family-run project to restore almost 1,500 sq/km of seagrass in Shark Bay, destroyed by a marine […]

Motorists are urged to watch for wildlife as winter approaches and collisions surge across the nation. The RAC’s most recent data shows a 19 per cent increase in animal collision claims in April 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, prompting a warning for the upcoming winter months. RAC spokesman Glen Walker says the […]

It may not be the Ritz Carlton, but a new fish hotel installed just outside of Narrogin is hoping to provide respite for the inhabitants of the Harvey River. For the first time in WA, scientists have installed the wooden structures that will hopefully become a breeding ground for endangered freshwater species. The nine “hotels” are constructed […]

Perth’s vulnerable penguin population could starve if a container port in Kwinana goes ahead without extreme caution, researchers say. The warning comes after the State Government announced plans to dredge Cockburn Sound to build a new container port in Kwinana, called Westport, that will replace Fremantle Port as it nears capacity. Murdoch University ecologist Joe […]

By Craig Duncan. A land of rusted rock running into reefs, the Burrup Peninsular is home to five traditional Aboriginal peoples, critically endangered marine wildlife, and some of the oldest rock carvings in the world.  It is also the proposed site for potentially the most polluting fossil fuel project in Australian history: the Burrup Hub.

Shark fishermen in a small Indonesian village are turning their backs on the lure of the lucrative shark fin trade, amid concerns about the industry’s dangers and viability. With the help of Australian shark conservationist Maddison Stewart and organisation Project Hiu, the fisherman are transitioning to ecotourism – taking their hooks out of the ocean, […]

Extreme heat and dry weather are forecast to fuel more bushfires in summer, with El Niño expected to hit Australia by the end of the year.   The Bureau of Meteorology has declared a 70 per cent chance of the weather phenomenon, which reduces rainfall, increases daytime temperatures and bushfire danger.  CSIRO senior research scientist Dr Nandini Ramesh said […]

The secret world of pollinating insects is being revealed by scientists using new DNA technology that can pinpoint which species are interacting with flowers. Curtin University research has revealed analysing the “environmental DNA” of avocado flowers can more effectively identify which insect species interacted with plants compared to traditional methods, such as camera recordings and […]

Cat Haven have built bereavement rooms to give a space to those forced to surrender their cats, as the rental crisis tightens it grip on WA. Major renovations will soon be completed at the animal rescue centre in Shenton Park, through funding provided by the State Government. The new space will contain an upgraded reception, […]

A Western Suburbs private golf club has begun the first stage of its environmental management plan earlier this week, with 20 volunteers from the community planting over 1700 native plants across the course.   Proponents of the plan, Town of Mosman Park and the Mosman Park Golf Club, say it aims to rehabilitate degraded natural […]

A Perth golf club that illegally chopped down 22 trees frequented by endangered black cockatoos has been given the green light to remove dozens more. Mount Lawley Golf Club was approved by the City of Stirling on May 30 to chop down 42 mature trees from its grounds. The club rents the land from the […]