Skiers and holiday-makers are enjoying one of the strongest season openings for years as thick snow blankets the Victorian Alps.<\/p>\n
But gang-gang cockatoos, who usually prefer cool temperatures, are at risk of dying in the freezing conditions.<\/p>\n
The endangered birds are being found grounded in the snow, weak and disoriented, suffering from hypothermia.<\/p>\n
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One of more than 10 gang-gang cockatoos rescued at Falls Creek so far this winter.\u00a0 (Supplied: Jo Mitlehner)<\/p>\n
Deb Howie, who has been rescuing stricken birds at Falls Creek, said the “cold and windy” conditions were taking a toll.<\/p>\n
“This winter has been so brutal \u2026 we’re finding that there are quite a few gang-gangs that are actually struggling,” she said.<\/p>\n
“They’re grounded on the snow, and they don’t really move.<\/p>\n
“Their wings are frozen and their tails are frozen, so they can’t fly away. They’re obviously in distress.”<\/p>\n
Gang-gang cockatoos were officially listed as endangered in 2022. (Supplied: Jo Mitlehner)<\/p>\n
Falls Creek visitors have been advised to carry cloth bags or pillowcases while walking, so they can gently capture any grounded birds and keep them warm while waiting for help.<\/p>\n
Ms Howie said of the 10 gang-gangs she had rescued so far, most were juveniles.<\/p>\n
“They get picked up, put in a box or wrapped in a towel \u2026and we get them off the hill.”Couples reunited<\/p>\n
Wildlife carer Jo Mitlehner has also been involved in the rescue efforts and said it was crucial to reunite separated mates, as gang-gangs pair for life.<\/p>\n
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Gang-gang cockatoos have been found grounded, with their wings and tails frozen. (Supplied: Jo Mitlehner)<\/p>\n
At the start of the snow season, she rescued a mature female gang-gang that had been separated from her partner.<\/p>\n
“We found her crawling in the snow at Falls Creek,” she said.<\/p>\n
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The male gang-gangs have a bright red head and crest, while the females are dark grey. (Audience submitted: Andrew Garrett)<\/p>\n
Ms Mitlehner said as soon as the female was well enough, she was returned to where she had been found because the gang-gangs were preparing to leave the area.<\/p>\n
“We needed to get her straight back before her mate travelled out of the area,” she said.<\/p>\n
On release, another carer believed he heard a nearby gang-gang responding to her call.<\/p>\n
Changing conditions<\/p>\n
Ms Mitlehner said the birds were not usually found at such high altitudes in winter.<\/p>\n
While not strictly migratory, they often move from mountain forests to lower elevations during colder months.<\/p>\n
Ms Mitlehner said she and her team thought a longer summer might have allowed for a second breeding season, leaving more juveniles unprepared for the cold snap.<\/p>\n
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Sean Dooley from Birdlife Australia, the nation’s largest bird conservation charity. (Supplied: Sean Dooley)<\/p>\n
Sean Dooley from BirdLife Australia said shifting climate patterns could be a factor in why the birds had not moved down the mountains.<\/p>\n
“It could be related to the fact that over the past decade or so, we have had much milder winters, and perhaps the gang-gangs have started to adapt to this shift in climate and not been moving as far,” he said.<\/p>\n
“So when we get an old-fashioned winter blast, some birds are being caught out.”Endangered and at risk<\/p>\n
According to the latest data, gang-gang populations have already suffered a sharp decline \u2014 a drop of nearly 70 per cent between 1999 and 2019.<\/p>\n
The 2019\u20132020 bushfires caused further devastation.<\/p>\n