Perth Voice Interactive

SEVENTY friends of the threatened black cockatoos braved rainstorms in Kings Park to hold a demonstration calling on new premier Roger Cook to step up and protect what’s left of the cockatoos’ habitat and food trees.

The demonstration – planned long before the weather forecasts could’ve warned of June 5’s battering downpour – conveniently involved every participant bringing a black or red umbrella to collectively form the shape of a forest red-tailed black cockatoo.

The red-tail is one of three black cockatoo species threatened by removal of jarrah trees, Gnangara pines, and the few patches of remaining wheatbelt bush. 

Save the Black Cockatoos Coalition campaign coordinator Paddy Cullen said: “We weathered a storm today, but the Black Cockatoos are weathering a storm every day as we destroy their forest and woodland habitat.

“As umbrella species for the south west Australian biodiversity hotspot, saving them means we are saving all the threatened species in the south west.

“Ultimately saving the Black Cockatoos will save ourselves too. The biodiverse forests and woodlands where they are vital to our fight to draw down carbon and stop the worst impacts of climate change.”