RED-TAILED Black Cockatoos are a common sight perched high atop the trees around Hilton Primary School, but the future of the species continues to be uncertain.
Students have worked hard over the last year to give back to their local environment, accepting help from the Fremantle Men’s Community Shed to create and camouflage a nesting box for the cockatoos to use, which was secured in place on Wednesday with the help of a cherry picker.
Hilton Primary YouthCARE school chaplain Nathan Hoyle said the school had a strong focus on sustainability and the project was a way to get students more involved with the environment.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOW“While the Carnaby Cockatoo is listed as endangered, Karrak (Noongar name for the Red Tail) is listed as vulnerable,” he said.
“This is due to fire damage to natural habitat, suburban development that removes natural habitat and competition over nesting hollows, but by adding our bird box to their flight path, we’re providing a safe place for nesting.
“At Hilton Primary School, our goal is to assist 171 students to be ambassadors for the environment, to care for the planet and each other and this project reminds them of their responsibility to their community and the environment around them.”
Neville James, Tylor Dharma-Trumps, Hammish Hayden, Yannic Lichtenzveig and Trevor Ryan were among three groups of students who visited the Men’s Shed last year to create the boxes.
“We used sandpaper to make the surface of the box rough, so the paint could stick,” Neville said.
“Then we used spray cans and stencils to paint the camouflage,” Tylor said.
“The box protects the eggs from predators and keeps them safe.”