June 2023 - LEG has received a new grant to combat the Indian Myna, a prolific invasive species in Australia and around the world.

The grant is from the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR). The grant is to "Develop a community-led Indian Myna bird reduction program across Lithgow to help native flora and fauna recover after the floods and prevent future impacts".

The Indian Myna (Acriodotheres tristus), also known as the Common Myna, was intentionally introduced to Australia from southern Asia in the late 1860s to control insects in the fields around Melbourne. The population rapidly established along the eastern coast of Australia, and they are now commonly found in urban environments and agricultural areas. For more information about recording feral species in your area go to feralSCAN

Indian Mynas are ranked as one of the world's 100 most invasive species (International Union for Conservation of Nature).They are extremely aggressive, competing with native wildlife for scarce resources, eg, Rosellas for tree hollows. They evict animals and birds from their nests, destroy eggs and attack chicks of other species. They breed in tree hollows rendering them un-useable by other wildlife, including arboreal mammals (ie, possums, gliders etc.). More information on the Indian Myna can be found on the Australian Museum website.

Since September 2023 we have now established a community project of trapping and euthanasing local populations of Indian Mynas - the Lithgow Indian Myna Eradication Project. This is open to any interested community member who may be concerned about the growing population of these birds in the Lithgow Local Government area.

The project offers traps to participants on a 3-month trial basis, and beyond if the participant chooses, asking only that the birds are treated humanely while trapped and that monthly data is given to the project officer to be fed back to government departments. This is to assist departments to monitor the areas of concentration of this species and ultimately receive funding and manpower to take part in eradication projects.

Our aim is to have this project reach all localities within the Lithgow LGA and increasing awareness of the dangers that this species presents.

For further information, please contact us.