Wildlife and plant protection

The Parkes Shire is home to a range of native wildlife including 260 species of bird, over 20 insect family groups, and 37 different species of mammals.

The National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 protects all native mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians in NSW. It is against the law to handle or capture them without appropriate authorisation from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.

Parkes Shire Council staff are not trained or authorised to handle or dispose of injured Native Wildlife without Office of Environment and Heritage approval. Council does not have facilities suitable to house or care for native animals.

Injured or Orphaned Wildlife

If you find an injured or orphaned native animal, call the NSW Wildlife Information and Rescue Service (WIRES) on (02) 8977 3333 - www.wires.org.au

Volunteers from wildlife organisations are specially trained to look after various native animals including birds and reptiles. They will look after the animal until it is ready to be returned to the wild. It is against the law to keep native animals taken from the wild.

In the meantime, handle the animal as little as possible, place it in a towel or blanket and place it in a box in a warm, quiet room and do not give it food or water.

In the case of non-native, wild animal, the National Parkes and Wildlife Act so WIRES will not provide services in these cases, however agencies the RSPCA may be able to offer advice or support.

Possums

If a possum has taken up residence in your roof, it is possible to trap and remove it from the ceiling cavity. You will first need to obtain a special licence from the NPWS to do this. The possum must be released back onto your property as it will not survive if removed from the area. It is an offence to use poison to control possums.

Threatened Species

Parkes Shire is home to a range of threatened species of plants and animals including ducks, orchids, frogs, bats and parrots. Over 45 different threatened species have been recorded within the Parkes Shire

Our Shire is also home to numerous Endangered Ecological Communities that are protected under National and/or State legislation including:

+ Fuzzy Box Woodland on Alluvial Soils of the South Western Slopes, Darling Riverine Plains and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions

+ Grey Box Grassy Woodlands and Derived Native Grasslands of South-Eastern Australia

+ White Box-Yellow Box-Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native Grassland (Critically Endangered).

These vegetation communities are more commonly known collectively as Box Gum Woodlands, and the patches of them left within the Parkes Shire are very important for the health of our community, ecosystems and farms.

Report threatened wildlife and plants

Have you seen a threatened or uncommon animal or plant within the Parkes Shire?

Reporting sightings will help improve our understanding of our local biodiversity and help contribute to the management of threatened species.

Sightings of threatened or uncommon animals and plants in your own property, road reserves, parks or other public areas can be made using the Report Wildlife and Plant form and return to Council via email council@parkes.nsw.gov.au

Please note that this information may be made available to the Office of Environment and Heritage for their Atlas of NSW Wildlife Database.

Council is working to restore endangered ecological communities and habitat for threatened species by improving areas of native vegetation and habitat available. Council is proud to partner with Central West Lachlan Landcare to deliver National Tree Day activities every year which help increase the amount of native vegetation within our Shire.

For more information, or to register your interest in volunteering for our next tree planting activity, contact Councils Environmental and Sustainability Coordinator on 6861 2343.

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