ABOUT THE SPECIES
The Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo is distributed throughout much of Australia, but its southern and inland populations are fragmented into isolated separate subspecies that are increasingly threatened. Historically clearing of forests for agriculture and settlements caused major declines. The ongoing degradation of forests by logging and inappropriate fire regimes continues to threaten their habitat and food sources. They mainly eat seeds, especially eucalypts, casuarinas, acacias and banksias, but also fruit, berries, nectar, flowers and sometimes insects and larvae. The black summer fires have devastated their habitat and food resources. Forest restoration is critical to protect and enhance Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo populations. Image courtesy of Phil Spark.
ABOUT THE ORGANISATION
Firesticks Alliance, an Indigenous NFP provides leadership, advocacy and action to protect, conserve and enhance cultural and natural values through cultural fire and land management. Firesticks values and respects country, local knowledge, protocols of Elders and ancestors. Firesticks creates pathways to apply cultural fire to help heal and care for Country and empower communities through mentorship and shared understandings that are improving fire management in Australia. The Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo is culturally significant to many Aboriginal people, including dreamtime stories that teach fire lore. Fire lore teaches the right fire for country for them and all to be healthy and abundant.