Climate change and human interference? The Tasmanian native-hen isn't fazed

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-06-28 09:01

Australia; TAS

Ron Knight via Wikimedia Commons

Unlike many other flightless birds, the Tasmanian native-hen is likely to cope relatively well under climate change and thrive among humans, according to Australian research. While extinct on the mainland, the native-hen is widespread in Tasmania and the researchers say 37% of the island is currently suitable for them to thrive. The team combined local fieldwork and modelling to come to this number, and then looked at climate predictions to see how their habitat is likely to be impacted in decades to come. They say only 5% of the current suitable habitat is likely to be lost by 2055, and increased human land use like irrigated pastures would likely give them more safe places to live.

Media release

From: The Royal Society

A secure future? Human urban and agricultural land use benefits a flightless island-endemic rail despite climate change

Royal Society Open Science

The Tasmanian native-hen is an island endemic flightless bird and a survivor of a prehistoric extinction event. With climate change, it is foremost to identify how its distribution could change. Using local fieldwork and modelling, we find that 37% of Tasmania is currently suitable for the native-hens and that urban areas can provide resources and buffer against environmental constraints. Under climate change predictions, only 5% of their range would be lost by 2055. Native-hens appear resilient to climate change and to benefit from human modifications. They are a rare example of a flightless bird to have adapted to human activity.

Attachments

Note: Not all attachments are visible to the general public. Research URLs will go live after the embargo ends.

Research The Royal Society, Web page The URL will go live after the embargo ends

Journal/
conference: Royal Society Open Science

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: University of Tasmania

Funder: No funding declared

Media Contact/s

Contact details are only visible to registered journalists.