ANU Fenner School of Environment & Society

Fenner School scientists from the Difficult Bird Research Group have have successfully restored the lost traditional song of the regent honeyeater, offering new hope for the survival of the critically endangered bird.

Scientists rescue lost song of the critically endangered regent honeyeater Scientists have successfully restored the lost traditional song of the regent honeyeater, offering new hope for the survival of the critically endangered bird.

An international report led by Prof Albert van Dijk reveals the catastrophic impact of shifts in the global water cycle. He spoke with ANU Reporter about some of the biggest changes and patterns we are seeing across the globe:

Water cycle instability drove global water-related disasters in 2025 Ongoing shifts in the global water cycle amplified floods, droughts and heat extremes in 2025, according to a new report led by ANU.

Fenner researcher, Dr Kara Youngentob, says that the latest sightings of a koala near Canberra were "giving us hope that it's possible they might still be around" and that it "shows us that we do have places that koalas can and do live".

So how do we encourage them to stay and thrive? Read the story to find out more:

Camera footage 'giving us hope that koalas might still be around' A motion-sensor camera has captured the rare sight of a koala in the wild at a wildlife sanctuary in Googong near the ACT border.

'...ash started falling from the sky. The delicate black flakes landed gently on top of the heads of my young children, a poetically quiet omen for their future.'

– Heatwave expert Prof Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick reflects on Black Summer and urges us to prepare for a future of heatwaves.

As a climate scientist, I know heatwaves in Australia will only get worse. We need to start preparing now | Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick During black summer, my daughters were too young to know what was happening. Now, amid another Australian heatwave, they deserve answers

Dr Fernanda Alves spoke to ABC Hobart about a creative tool she has gifted to forty-spotted pardalotes to arm them against a deadly parasitic fly that is killing their nestlings.

'So, I had this idea': Scientists dispense insecticide-coated feathers for birds to build nests Donning a helmet and a well-equipped harness, Dr Fernanda Alves looks like she is set to take on an extreme sport. Instead, she is climbing trees to check nesting boxes for a tiny and very rare bird.

EVENT POSTPONED!
Thanks to everyone for their interest in these Public Dialogue workshops. Unfortunately, we have made the difficult decision to postpone them, for several reasons, including our desire to recruit more participants and ensure that there is a broad cross-section of the public in attendance at the workshops. This is particularly important for a dialogue like this, so we will be taking more time to recruit over the coming months.

For those who signed up, we're grateful for your intended time commitment. We hope you will consider re-registering for the future date.

We are considering new dates early in the new year and will publicise this ASAP. We have also taken feedback on board and are looking into alternative south-west venues in the Shires of Manjimup and Augusta-Margaret River which may be more central and accessible for a wider group of participants.

----------------------------------------------------------------

We’re inviting residents of south-west Western Australia to take part in an interactive community workshop in Perth or Denmark to share experiences and perspectives on bushfire preparedness in your region. This event is part of a university research project aiming to understand how people think about bushfire risk and express their preferences around different management options.

Why take part?
This workshop aims to gather community insights to inform academic research on:
- Keeping people and property safe
- Conserving our unique biodiversity
- Adapting to a changing climate

Where & When:

Perth Workshop
Friday December 12th
12.30pm-6.30pm
William Lanfgord Community House
Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/copy-of-public-dialogue-bushfire-risk-management-perth

Denmark Workshop
Sunday December 14th
10am- 4pm
Denmark Community Resource Centre
Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/public-dialogue-bushfire-risk-management-southwest-wa

What’s provided:
Free lunch, snacks, and drinks!
Plus, as a thank-you for your time, participants can request a $150 Visa Gift Card (available on the day or within one month after the workshop).

Who can join?
Anyone from the general public — just not those employed in government roles related to biodiversity or fire. Volunteer firefighters are welcome!

Spaces are limited — so if you live in the south-west of WA we’d love to have you involved!
👉 Tag a friend who might be interested, or share this post to spread the word!

Please note: This is a university-led study. It is not a policy consultation and does not promote political views.

Photo credit: bertknot on Unsplash

Public Dialogue: Bushfire Risk Management (Perth) We are hosting a Public Dialogue workshop as part of a research project on Public perceptions of Bushfire Risk Management

Congratulations to Dr Rachael Rodney Harris, who has been awarded the Vice-Chancellor’s Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning!

This award recognises and celebrates Dr Harris' work 'inspiring student engagement in agriculture through innovative and distinctive transdisciplinary programs built on authentic experiences, industry partnerships and work-integrated learning.'

Vice-Chancellor's Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning: Rachael Rodney Harris - ANU Learning and Teaching Recipient, Vice-Chancellor’s Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning

It's time, and we're backing the gorgeous, yet goofy, gang-gang this year!

You can spot this charismatic, small cockatoo flitting about tree canopies of ANU Acton campus. Or, even more likely, hear its signature creaky-door croak calling out.

Researchers at ANU Fenner School of Environment & Society are currently studying our local gang-gangs. They're using citizen-science-collected feathers to sample DNA, as well as monitoring gang-gang breeding behaviours.

Whether the gang-gang takes the title of the Guardian Australia 2025 Bird of the Year or not, we're happy to champion this awesome native bird that calls our campus home!