Anglican EcoCare Commission
EcoCare Kaarakin Visit
The Revd Bruce Hyde, Member, Anglican EcoCare Commission
Last Thursday I joined my friends from Anglican EcoCare to visit the Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre in the Hills suburb of Martin.
The first thing that struck me when I arrived was that I had driven past this distinctive entrance to Kaarakin numerous times and had never really known what was behind it! Sadly, this is a common problem in our hectic society and is why most of us don’t know much about the plight of the endangered cockatoos.
EcoCare Members L to R: Mr Nic Templeman (Applecross Parish), The Revds Sarah Stapleton, Barry Moss, Bruce Hyde
Kaarakin Cookatoo Conservation Centre signage
Our guide, Sam Clarke, provided a very engaging and informative talk about the work of the centre whose primary function is to rehabilitate black cockatoos that are injured and then return them to their natural habitat. I was alarmed to hear that both the Carnaby and Baudin cockatoos were now classified as endangered, as their habitats are being continually threatened with the expansion of the Perth metropolitan area. However, there is hope for these birds, particularly if we can help raise awareness amongst the citizens of this city about how they can make a positive contribution. Of critical importance is the need to provide the cockatoos with more food resources which can be addressed by planting hakeas and banksias in our gardens and on road verges. Another important aid to their survival is the provision of fresh water sources that the birds can safely access without getting close to traffic.
Education guide Sam Clarke shows us how to identify which Black Cockatoo eats the Marri (honkey) nuts which way
Banksia prionotes - Acorn or Orange Banksia
Hakea petiolaris - Sea Urchin Hakea (broad leaves)
The city of Victoria Park have designed a watering trough that is about three to four meters above the ground and allows the birds to perch on bars alongside the trough to drink. The beauty of this design is that it enables the birds to access fresh water without needing to get close to the ground where the traffic is operating, thus reducing the chances of being injured. The visit provided the EcoCare team with great inspiration as we imagined how the Anglican Diocese of Perth could work together to help build a positive future for these beautiful and iconic birds, while also raising awareness in our local communities and inspiring more people to become involved. I would strongly encourage our parishes, schools and agencies to organise a visit to Kaarakin so you can be inspired by the wonderful work these people are doing to protect God’s wonderful creation.
Image: A watering trough for Cockatoos design at Town of Vic Park Cockitrough®
