Hooded plover chicks killed by suspected 'inappropriate e-bike usage' on Aussie beach
Authorities have been left 'devastated' after three chicks were killed from 'disturbances' on the busy beach after a coordinated breeding campaign.
Hopes to breed a threatened species of bird in one southern Aussie city have been sadly dashed after all three chicks were killed mere days after hatching — with one found "lying injured or possibly already dead" along e-bike tracks on a beach.
It was the second breeding effort of the season for BirdLife Australia and Green Adelaide, trying to get a pair of Hooded Plovers to mate at Seacliff Beach in Adelaide, with the affectionately named 'Hoodies' successfully hatching three chicks on October 28.
However, within five days two had already disappeared and the third was found on the e-bike tracks.
"An e-bike had been seen riding up and down the sand dunes and performing 'wheel stands' all over the beach where the Hooded Plover chick was found lying motionless in the bikes’ tracks moments before," a BirdLife Australia spokesperson told Yahoo News.
One volunteer rushed towards the chick in desperate attempt to help when a seagull swopped in and picked it up "right in front of them", delivering a "devastating" final blow to the team's breeding efforts.
Failed breeding attempts largely down to beach 'disturbances'
Authorities believe a "major contributor to Hoodie chicks failing at breeding sites" is down to "disturbances" such as off-leash dogs or things like "inappropriate e-bike usage".
While the parents try their best to defend chicks from predators and lead threats away, this often leaves chicks vulnerable to other birds that swoop down from above.
The first breeding attempt of the same parents was dashed after the entire family were seen by volunteers being "chased by an off-leash dog" inside a fenced breeding area — resulting in the chicks being left alone on the sand and a bird swooping down.
Hooded plovers are listed as vulnerable under national legislation and is "Australia's most threatened beach-nesting bird", according to BirdLife Australia.
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Simple message for Aussies to help, not hinder
Simple steps can make a big difference to breeding wildlife and BirdLife Australia are desperately asking beachgoers to do little things to help their efforts.
"If you see signs on the beach signalling that you are entering a breeding site, please walk past the area along the waters edge and do not settle or linger," the spokesperson said. "If you are walking a dog on the beach, either leashing your pet at the signs or better still, turning around and finding another stretch of beach to walk on."
This sentiment was echoed by the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) which told Yahoo News "everyone can be a part of protecting Australia's precious threatened species".
"We can keep them safe by making sure we and our pets don’t disturb them," a spokesperson said.
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