A new peer-reviewed study published 2024 exposes a shocking reality for Australian native freshwater fish. It’s the clearest evidence that 37 percent of these species are no longer safe from extinction. Dr. Sylvia Zukowski, a senior freshwater ecologist, was instrumental in this research. It brings needed focus to the urgent challenge of addressing water security threats for fish species across the country.
The study bleeds into an increasingly tense atmosphere around the nation that continues to face water scarcity, as recently displayed by drought conditions months ago. “Last year, we had the largest land drought within the Mount Lofty Ranges. We had dams going dry that haven’t been dry for over 30 years,” Dr. Zukowski noted. Silencing these freshwaters yet again presents tremendous hazards to marine environments and the fish species that rely on them.
Olive Perchlet’s Remarkable Comeback
The olive perchlet, among the endangered species listed, are known as glassfish because of their transparent, glassy look. Once abundant throughout the entirety of Australia’s Murray Darling Basin, this fish has been made locally extinct through habitat destruction. In June 2022, a glimmer of hope shone on South Australian waters. The olive perchlet made it back for the first time since 1983!
To support the recovery of this fish, the non-profit Nature Glenelg Trust has launched a rewilding program to restock the native olive perchlet. This project has received $50,000 in financial assistance from Green Adelaide. Now, using this funding, the Trust is literally working to raise the olive perchlet population from 500 to 10,000 by early 2024.
Dr. Zukowski expressed her pride in this achievement, stating, “To be able to bring back a species that has actually been extinct in South Australia for over 40 years is such a huge achievement.”
The Role of Golf Courses in Conservation
The Glenelg Golf Club has found a novel way to save plants and wildlife. Their new constructed wetland now provides a safe habitat for the olive perchlet. This purpose-built wetland acts as a barrier to introduced predators like carp, gambusia and redfin that threaten the fish. In addition, the golf course has become a home to much local wildlife, including pelicans, ducks, and turtles.
According to Dr. Zukowski, golf courses can make an important fish-friendly contribution to conservation work throughout Australia. “I think the golf club could be a really great part of fish conservation for South Australia and since we’ve done this in South Australia, we’re looking at it in other states as well,” she remarked.
Tim Warren, a representative from the Glenelg Golf Club that led the way on these initiatives and environmental stewardship efforts, spoke to these collateral environmental factors. “Golf courses have more to play than just hitting a golf ball around,” he stated. She explained that these green spaces help with stormwater retention and creating local biodiversity.
Looking Ahead
As plans to reintroduce the olive perchlet progress, South Australian Environment Minister Lucy Hood said she was hopeful more reintroductions would follow. “We hope to be able to then reintroduce them into other wetlands and maybe even back into the wild one day,” she said.
The collaboration between environmental organizations and recreational spaces like golf courses demonstrates a promising model for conservation strategies in Australia. Stakeholders—including the U.S. Their vision is to create a society in which people have harmony with the natural world and ecological processes can regenerate.
