Fw: Help save Australia's 'Galapagos'

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WWF Passport Action AlertWWF

Help save Australia's 'Galapagos'

 

Barrow Island is the second largest island in Western Australia, and is one

of Australia's oldest nature reserves. But this remarkable place, described

as Australia's 'Galapagos' because of its rare and endangered species, now

faces unprecedented threats.

 

Take action to now to protect Barrow Island

http://passport.panda.org/campaigns/action_epetition.cfm?uCampaignId=1501 & uA

ctionId=2241

 

In December 2006, the Western Australian Government overruled the advice of

its own Environmental Protection Authority and approved the development on

the island of a huge gas plant by the energy companies, Chevron, Shell and

ExxonMobil.

 

Risks to wildlife from the massive project include the introduction of

invasive species and diseases in the thousands of tonnes of material and

equipment needed to build the plant. The development would also require the

construction of a port in a pristine tropical area previously earmarked for

inclusion in the surrounding marine park and the dredging of deep shipping

channels in coral reef habitat.

 

You can help protect Barrow Island by signing our petition to the energy

consortium (Chevron, Shell and ExxonMobil).

http://passport.panda.org/campaigns/action_epetition.cfm?uCampaignId=1501 & uA

ctionId=2241

Tell them to halt plans to locate the gas plant on the island and instead

look to alternative mainland locations.

 

Thank you,

WWF International

P.S. The more people who take action, the greater the chance we have of

stopping the hunt. So please forward this email to your friends and family

and ask for their support.

 

 

Barrow Island is a sanctuary for marsupials like the burrowing bettong

(above), the golden bandicoot and many other threatened and endemic species.

 

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The above understates the importance of this island. A large number of small

and medium mammal species which used to widely range mainland Australia have

become extinct on the mainland and their only remaining population are

several small islands such as this one. [Why? Foxes and other feral animals

were introduced to the mainland, also the islands suffered less disturbance

but feral aniamls are the major factor in their complete mainland

extinction].