Kids step in to help protect a Hay Plains icon - the Plains-wanderer
Student and teachers from both primary schools, with Taronga Zoo’s Kelly Pfeiffer, and the magazine they produced.
All images - The Riverine Grazier / Margie McClelland
By Fleur Cullenward
Students from St Mary's Primary School and Hay Public School, together with their Year 10 mentors from Hay War Memorial High School have just spent the last six months immersed in another successful program to highlight the plight of our local and elusive, native bird, the Plains-wanderer.
The Plains-wanderer is an extremely endangered species that inhabits the vast Hay Plains. At only around 15cm tall and almost flightless, the Plains-wanderer is vulnerable to many predators such as birds of prey, foxes and cats.
The students were extremely fortunate to attend a habitat day at Gayini, west of Maude where they learnt about the preservation and care of the Plains-wanderer through regular programs such as fox baiting, maintaining an appropriate environment and regenerative planting of vegetation. The students also met 'Molly' a scent dog owned by David Parker of the NSW Department of Primary Industries, who is able to successfully follow the scent of the Plains-wanderer during the tracking part of the captive breeding and release program.
The students then embarked on a two-night excursion to Taronga Western Plains Dubbo Zoo where they stayed in tents at 'Billabong Ranch' in the middle of the zoo.
Morning wake up calls were heralded by the roars of the lions nearby and the trumpeting of the elephants. The students spent the day at the Education Centre learning about ways to protect the Plains-wanderer and other vulnerable native creatures from introduced predators such as the domestic cat. Ideas were sought from the students on how to keep pet cats entertained whilst held in cages away from native creatures.
The students then visited the quarantined sanctuary of the zoo where the habitat cages held the Plains-wanderer as part of the captive breeding program which aims to return Plains-wanderers to their native habitat. Students leant about the program and the importance of awareness in local communities of the plight of the Plains-wanderer.
After their wonderful excursion to Dubbo, the children returned to Hay where they worked with their mentors in groups to design 'catios' - enclosed cages where cats could be securely kept so that the Plains-wanderers could be protected.
The students also worked to create a joint magazine full of information including stories, letters, poems, word searches, crosswords, quizzes, dot the dots and poetry designed to educate, entertain and cause awareness of our special little bird. Artwork was also completed with thanks to the generous time of Mr Chris McClelland and Mrs Sarah Cannon.
The program culminated in an expo held last Tuesday in the St Mary's hall where the schools came together to launch their magazine, share their ideas and designs for their proposed catios as well as promote care and awareness of the Plains-wanderer.
All schools would like to thank Kelly Pfeiffer (pictured above with local students and teachers) and the keepers and educators from Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo, Jade Auldist from Riverina Local Land Services, Jenny Dwyer from Hay Landcare, Jamie and Samantha Woods and Nari Nari Tribal Council, Dyson's Bus Services, David Parker and sponsors BayWa r.e for their support in this program.
