Cyclone Yasi & Threatened Species

Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi, a category five cyclone, crossed the coast near Mission Beach between midnight and 1am on Wednesday 3 rd February 2011. Miraculously, there was only one human casualty, but the recovery process for the communities in the path of the cyclone, and for the plants and animals of the Wet Tropics, will be long and slow. Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by the cyclone – we wish you the best with your recovery.

The effect of the cyclone was felt over a huge area from Cooktown down to the Whitsundays and a long way inland. The northern part of the Wet Tropics WHA escaped relatively lightly, however, the area from Innisfail to Ingham took the full force of the very destructive winds and there has been significant damage to vegetation in the Mission Beach, Tully, and Cardwell regions.

Approximately 10% of prime Cassowary and 100% of Mahogany Glider habitat has been affected.

In response, QPWS is establishing a managed feeding programme for cassowaries, drawing on the lessons from Cyclone Larry. Feeding stations and nest boxes are also being installed for mahogany gliders. Click on the links:

• WTMA's updates on the QPWS cassowary feeding programme
• the latest information from QPWS about number and location of feeding stations
• information from WPSQ about mahogany glider recovery efforts
• Cyclone Yasi environmental recovery bulletins from Terrain
  

The level of public concern shown for the World Heritage values of the rainforest, and in particular for threatened species, has been amazing. Here’s what you can do:

• Help wildlife post-cyclone
• Be Cass-O-Wary
• Graceful Gliders Need Our Help
  

Cyclone Research

A range of research is underway to monitor and investigate the impacts of Cyclone Larry (20 March 2006) on vegetation and wildlife in the Wet Tropics. The Tropical Landscapes Joint Venture (between James Cook University and CSIRO) is initiating research to assess the cyclone's impact using aerial photography and satellite imagery and to monitor the recovery of affected areas. The TLJV will also assess the impacts of Cyclone Larry on the ecology and wildlife of the region.

It is expected that large forest areas will eventually recover. Many areas where trees were stripped of foliage have already recovered due to high rainfall sine the cyclone. In the worst hit areas the forest canopy was largely destroyed and trees left standing are often devoid of branches. These areas may take 30-40 years to recover. There is also an increased risk of fire due to the large amount of debris on the forest floor and the effect of drying winds and increased sunlight where the forest canopy no longer provides shade and shelter. Weeds may also invade the newly open rainforest.

While some wildlife would have died in the cyclone, there is particular concern for the long term recovery of the endangered cassowary and arboreal mammals in areas where the forest canopy has been largely destroyed. Small, isolated patches of remnant vegetation, riparian strips and revegetation plots were also badly affected by the cyclone. Patches of the endangered 'Mabi Forest' on the tablelands were damaged. these are home to Bennett's tree-kangaroos and ringtail possums.

There have been numerous articles written about the impacts of Cyclone Larry. Nigel Tucker and others from Biotropica Australia have written about the impacts on different trees and wildlife.

In March 2007 Dr Steve Turton and Dr Allan Dale published a preliminary assessment of the environmental impacts of Cyclone Larry.