INTERVIEWS of staff
During our time at Wildlife World Sydney, we allocated some time to record what the staff had to say regarding koalas. In the videos below, the two Wildlife World staff members spoke individually about Koalas and Cassowaries. They answered all of our questions in depth, providing us with further knowledge of the topic.
Some of the questions that we asked them included:
What have humans done to endanger koalas and cassowaries?
What can we as the public or a group do to save koalas and cassowaries?
or even the most simple question:
What are they?
Due to the answers they gave us, we had enough understanding to write thorough responses onto our website. By compiling their responses and additional internet research, we hope to raise awareness for others who are interested in learning more about koalas and cassowaries and their wildlife status.
Some of the questions that we asked them included:
What have humans done to endanger koalas and cassowaries?
What can we as the public or a group do to save koalas and cassowaries?
or even the most simple question:
What are they?
Due to the answers they gave us, we had enough understanding to write thorough responses onto our website. By compiling their responses and additional internet research, we hope to raise awareness for others who are interested in learning more about koalas and cassowaries and their wildlife status.
Scripted Version of the Cassowary & General Wildlife Interview (Rebecca and Adriana)
Rebecca: What actions of ours are threatening species or habitats?
Staff member: Lots of things that humans do unfortunately, like not picking up our rubbish, cutting down forests to use the wood, even driving a car impacts our wildlife, because regrettably we have only had cars in Australia, for like what, the last two hundred years, so our native wildlife hasn't quite figured out yet, that they are not such a good thing.
Adriana: Why should we conserve our threatened species or habitats?
Staff member: Why shouldn’t we? Australia is one of the luckiest countries when it comes to animals; we have something like 80% of species that are found nowhere else in the world. Things like the galahs, certain species of snakes, koalas, wombats, can you imagine not seeing them around? So why wouldn’t you want to conserve our species and habitats? I know you guys don’t think about this, but your grandkids and their grandkids can enjoy what we have to offer and what we have experienced as well.
Adriana: What can we as the public, or even you alone, do to help?
Staff member: Try to educate yourselves, learn what’s going on with native wildlife, be careful when you are driving, try to use sustainable products, recycle and just be responsible, all these little things you guys can do at home, but at the end of the day they make a big difference.
Rebecca: Can you also provide us with an overview of the Cassowary.
Staff member: So the Cassowary is a pretty cool bird, it belongs to what we call the Casuariidae family and it’s adequately a large, flightless bird. Now what’s really spectacular about the Cassowary and a little bit disgusting is that they are amazing at spreading rainforest plant seeds and regenerating new rainforest plants. The way they do this is that they eat the fruit and they poop it out as seeds. As mentioned it is disgusting, but it is also very important, without the Cassowary bird, you would need to hand distribute the seeds to various near and far areas. The Cassowaries diversity provides us with that service and without them nature’s cycle would be broken.
Rebecca & Adriana: Thankyou very much.
Staff member: Hopefully that helped you guys.
Rebecca: What actions of ours are threatening species or habitats?
Staff member: Lots of things that humans do unfortunately, like not picking up our rubbish, cutting down forests to use the wood, even driving a car impacts our wildlife, because regrettably we have only had cars in Australia, for like what, the last two hundred years, so our native wildlife hasn't quite figured out yet, that they are not such a good thing.
Adriana: Why should we conserve our threatened species or habitats?
Staff member: Why shouldn’t we? Australia is one of the luckiest countries when it comes to animals; we have something like 80% of species that are found nowhere else in the world. Things like the galahs, certain species of snakes, koalas, wombats, can you imagine not seeing them around? So why wouldn’t you want to conserve our species and habitats? I know you guys don’t think about this, but your grandkids and their grandkids can enjoy what we have to offer and what we have experienced as well.
Adriana: What can we as the public, or even you alone, do to help?
Staff member: Try to educate yourselves, learn what’s going on with native wildlife, be careful when you are driving, try to use sustainable products, recycle and just be responsible, all these little things you guys can do at home, but at the end of the day they make a big difference.
Rebecca: Can you also provide us with an overview of the Cassowary.
Staff member: So the Cassowary is a pretty cool bird, it belongs to what we call the Casuariidae family and it’s adequately a large, flightless bird. Now what’s really spectacular about the Cassowary and a little bit disgusting is that they are amazing at spreading rainforest plant seeds and regenerating new rainforest plants. The way they do this is that they eat the fruit and they poop it out as seeds. As mentioned it is disgusting, but it is also very important, without the Cassowary bird, you would need to hand distribute the seeds to various near and far areas. The Cassowaries diversity provides us with that service and without them nature’s cycle would be broken.
Rebecca & Adriana: Thankyou very much.
Staff member: Hopefully that helped you guys.
Scripted Version of the Koala Interview (Rebecca and Maddie)
Rebecca: How can you tell if a species or habitat is threatened?
Staff member: The koalas habitat used to occupy approximately 70% of Australia and now unfortunately it has been decimated only occupying about 20% of Australia. Also, while koalas are not currently endangered they are in fact threatened and their status is regarded as vulnerable. That is due primarily to loss of habitat.
Maddie: What is currently being done to help the situation?
Staff member: So for, with koalas we have captive breeding programs and the idea is that we are raising koalas who are fit and healthy to one day be released back into the wild. Also, we have our ‘Wildlife Conservation Program’ which raises money to give to organisations that go out and help koalas critically in need. For instance, if the eucalyptus trees have been cut down the association would eliminate and save the koala from the force of the outside world.
Rebecca: What is your perspective on threatened species and habitats?
Staff member: My perspective, well it’s extremely unfortunate and I hope one day that humans will find a way to live in conjunction with animals, in a way that we don’t have to constantly use up their environment for our own land.
Maddie: What do you think could be a possible recovery plan for a threatened species or habitat?
Staff member: Captive breeding programs relative to the species who are susceptible to diseases. Also, awareness in terms of the things that we buy and consume on a daily basis. People don’t quite understand the impact of small things like using recycled paper, that means we are not cutting down new trees. If you use recycled paper as opposed to buying new paper, with everyone contributing you can help save the koalas.
Rebecca & Maddie: Thankyou.
Staff member: Thanks guys.
Rebecca: How can you tell if a species or habitat is threatened?
Staff member: The koalas habitat used to occupy approximately 70% of Australia and now unfortunately it has been decimated only occupying about 20% of Australia. Also, while koalas are not currently endangered they are in fact threatened and their status is regarded as vulnerable. That is due primarily to loss of habitat.
Maddie: What is currently being done to help the situation?
Staff member: So for, with koalas we have captive breeding programs and the idea is that we are raising koalas who are fit and healthy to one day be released back into the wild. Also, we have our ‘Wildlife Conservation Program’ which raises money to give to organisations that go out and help koalas critically in need. For instance, if the eucalyptus trees have been cut down the association would eliminate and save the koala from the force of the outside world.
Rebecca: What is your perspective on threatened species and habitats?
Staff member: My perspective, well it’s extremely unfortunate and I hope one day that humans will find a way to live in conjunction with animals, in a way that we don’t have to constantly use up their environment for our own land.
Maddie: What do you think could be a possible recovery plan for a threatened species or habitat?
Staff member: Captive breeding programs relative to the species who are susceptible to diseases. Also, awareness in terms of the things that we buy and consume on a daily basis. People don’t quite understand the impact of small things like using recycled paper, that means we are not cutting down new trees. If you use recycled paper as opposed to buying new paper, with everyone contributing you can help save the koalas.
Rebecca & Maddie: Thankyou.
Staff member: Thanks guys.
Surveys of the public- Questions & Responses
What actions of ours are threatening species and habitats? One of the main threats is pollution caused by man. Example: polluting our waterways endangers marine life.
What is a threatened species or habitat? A threatened habitat would be the Great Barrier Reef for example. With more ships engaging in passing through the reef, there is a higher percentage of damage by pollution, oil spills & the ships themselves.
Why should we conserve our threatened species or habitats? Every species and habitat contributes to the ecological food chain. Once a link goes missing it places a huge amount of pressure on the other links.
What species or habitats are listed as threatened in other countries? Panda bears: China, Amur Leopards: Russia & China, Indian Elephants: India and Orangutans: Islands of Borneo & Sumatra.
What is your perspective on threatened species and habitats? If we continue to place pressure on threatened species or habitats, mankind in the long run will end up under forced difficulty.
How can you tell if a species or habitat is threatened? Reduced numbers year on year.
What can we as the public, or even you alone, do to help? Promote awareness and where possible reduce our impact on these threatened species and habitats.
Has global warming had an effect on threatened species or habitats? (yes/how, no/why?) The facts are inconclusive as science cannot predict what will happen with weather patterns.
What could be a possible recovery plan for a threatened species or habitat? Breeding programs for species and habitats on the brink of extinction. Example: Panda Bears.
What is a threatened species or habitat? A threatened habitat would be the Great Barrier Reef for example. With more ships engaging in passing through the reef, there is a higher percentage of damage by pollution, oil spills & the ships themselves.
Why should we conserve our threatened species or habitats? Every species and habitat contributes to the ecological food chain. Once a link goes missing it places a huge amount of pressure on the other links.
What species or habitats are listed as threatened in other countries? Panda bears: China, Amur Leopards: Russia & China, Indian Elephants: India and Orangutans: Islands of Borneo & Sumatra.
What is your perspective on threatened species and habitats? If we continue to place pressure on threatened species or habitats, mankind in the long run will end up under forced difficulty.
How can you tell if a species or habitat is threatened? Reduced numbers year on year.
What can we as the public, or even you alone, do to help? Promote awareness and where possible reduce our impact on these threatened species and habitats.
Has global warming had an effect on threatened species or habitats? (yes/how, no/why?) The facts are inconclusive as science cannot predict what will happen with weather patterns.
What could be a possible recovery plan for a threatened species or habitat? Breeding programs for species and habitats on the brink of extinction. Example: Panda Bears.