Matthew Mo

• Bachelor of Science (Honours)
• Senior Project Officer at Department of Planning and Environment

Avian predation is a major cause of natural mortality in bats. This study presents an observation of a group of Australian Ravens Corvus coronoides swooping upon a fully-grown Black Flying-fox Pteropus alecto and successfully dislodging it from its perch. The ravens were able to bring the bat to ground level by cooperatively sustaining bombardments...

Fishes exploit the intertidal zone by coming in and out with the high tide or retreating to small pools or sheltering beneath rocks during the low tide. This note reports an observation of a goby, likely Mugilogobius platynotus, out of the water but retreated beneath a rock, with the rising tide returning water to the goby 70 minutes later. During...

Scavenging human foods is known within the family Laridae, but this behaviour is more typically seen in gulls rather than terns. This note reports behaviour of an Australian Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon macrotarsa scavenging a discarded French fry. This species’ diet mainly comprises of invertebrates such as insects, crustaceans and worms, though...

A broad range of avian taxa are known to incorporate mammalian hair and fur into their nest materials and at least two reported observations involve birds using human hair. This note reports behaviour of an Australian passerine, the Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis purposefully undertaking repeat visits to the same site to collect strands of...

Mortality factors are an important subject of research, especially when mortalities concern threatened taxa. The grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) is a vulnerable species endemic to eastern and south-eastern Australia that is known to be susceptible to a spectrum of compounding threats including factors producing simultaneous deaths....

Dietary studies inform species conservation management. The comb-crested jacana (Irediparra gallinacea) is unique amongst avian diversity within its distribution and is listed as threatened under New South Wales legislation in Australia but has been the subject of few biological studies. This short communication summarises present information on di...

Globally, Ospreys Pandion haliaetus are well known to nest on artificial structures, prompting conflicts with humans when nests are built on utility and communications infrastructure. This note describes two cases of Osprey nests that had been built on top of construction-tower cranes. Fortunately for the birds, both cases were on construction site...

Negative public attitudes toward particular species can have significant impact on their conservation. Traditional approaches to improving public perceptions of flying-foxes include defending them, encouraging co-existence with them and promoting empathy for them following publicised mortality events. We propose a shift toward “normalising” flying-...

The presence of flying-fox camps in settled areas is often a contentious issue for residents and businesses. The Flying-fox Camp Management Policy 2015 sets the framework for land managers in New South Wales (NSW) to work with communities to manage flying-fox camps. To facilitate this, the NSW Government delivered the Flying-fox Grants Program, whi...

Biological control is the management of non-native species through the use of their natural enemies. The Green Iguana (Iguana iguana), a large lizard of the Neotropics, has established populations in extralimital countries. There has been an increasing recent pattern of reports of free-living Green Iguanas in Hong Kong, which was the trigger of thi...

This note documents a rare observation of an adult spectacled flying-fox (Pteropus conspicillatus) nursing two pups in the wild. The pups were visually in different stages of development, which is suggestive of superfoetation.

This study examined records of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in northern Sydney held in online biodiversity databases. There were 221 unique records distributed across the Northern Beaches, Ku-ring-gai, Hornsby and Hills Shire local government areas from 1788 to 2022, with records from the Northern Beaches local government area comprising 68% of...

Poorly studied species are potentially under‐prioritised by conservation programmes due to knowledge gaps presenting barriers to informing effective management strategies. The Botany Bay Bearded Greenhood, Pterostylis sp. Botany Bay, is an example of a poorly studied plant that is listed as endangered under both Commonwealth and New South Wales leg...

Eastern Ospreys Pandion haliaetus cristatus at a nest in Kingscliff, New South Wales, were observed over three mornings, during which five bird species were recorded in interspecific interactions. Activity across observation periods ranged from 9.3 to 23.3 interactions per hour. The Torresian Crow Corvus orru was involved in 77% of interactions, mo...

Australian Magpies in the coastal Sydney region of New South Wales are generally the subspecies Gymnorhina tibicen tibicen, which exhibits black-backed plumage. I report 14 sightings between June 2018 and March 2020 of a whitebacked Magpie within a 150-m radius in a suburban area of southern Sydney, 350 km from where white-backed plumage forms are...

An understanding of the factors associated with post-release survivorship in rehabilitated animals is instrumental for evaluating best-practice rehabilitation and release methods to ultimately achieve optimal conservation outcomes. However, there is almost nothing reported in the scientific literature concerning post-release survivorship in hand-re...

This study investigated the frequency and distribution of reports of free-living green iguanas (Iguana iguana), a Neotropical lizard, in Hong Kong. We found 44 reports of I. iguana, of which 93% were removed from the wild. Thirty-nine reports were records kept by one non-government organization, one report from a government agency, and four reports...

Flying-fox camps near human settlements represent a contentious issue that requires management to alleviate the impacts on communities. In New South Wales, land managers undertaking flying-fox camp management actions require a defence to a prosecution for an offence under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 for those activities. During 2018, the...

The lace monitor (Varanus varius) is a large arboreal, generalist carnivore of eastern Australia. Here, I describe an observation in which an adult V. varius experienced a temporary loss of arboreality and limited terrestrial mobility following gorging behavior. Adult V. varius having few predators presumably affords such a cost.

Managing the Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus as a species vulnerable to extinction in New South Wales (NSW) is complicated by contentious issues arising from flying-foxes feeding on commercial fruit and roosting in populated areas. Two decades on from their threatened species listing in 2001, there have been major developments in mana...

The Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus was listed as a vulnerable species by both the New South Wales (NSW) and Australian Governments in 2001. The NSW Government has since collaborated with other organisations and stakeholders on projects and initiatives for flying-fox conservation and population monitoring. While contentious issues for...

Flying-fox depredation of cultivated fruit in eastern Australia has been contentious since early settlement and was often addressed by shooting flying-foxes. However, shooting is ineffective as a crop protection measure and has serious animal welfare impacts. Exclusion netting is considered the most reliable and humane method of protecting commerci...

Study of the impacts of the 2019–2020 Black Summer bushfires on flying-foxes has mainly focused on the effects of burnt habitat on food availability. It has previously only been assumed that flying-foxes probably died directly from these bushfires. We report an eyewitness account of numbers of grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) being...

The management of a Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus camp in Berry, New South Wales, is a case study of the challenges faced by local councils and state environment agencies trying to address flying-fox impacts on residential communities. This camp is located wholly within residential lots and was first reported to Shoalhaven City Coun...

Presently, the only established populations of invasive Green Iguanas (Iguana iguana) on the mainland USA occur in Florida. We examined observation data from the online citizen-science application iNaturalist to determine the frequency of reports of free-living Green Iguanas in Florida and identify where iguanas have been reported in other parts of...

Building upon a previous species inventory published in 2004 and based on observations between 2008 and 2011, I herein describe the reptile and amphibian assemblage on a university campus in the northwestern corner of the Sydney metropolitan area, Australia, recording 26 species of reptiles in nine families (Chelidae, Agamidae, Carphodactylidae, Sc...

There is a strong interest in wildlife tourism; however, some human-animal interactions may be unsupervised and lack management controls. The ethics of tourists using the estate of a psychiatric hospital to interact with (including feeding) wild Eastern Grey Kangaroos Macropus giganteus were debated. There was considerable argument. Some considered...

Context The grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) is a vulnerable species endemic to eastern and south-eastern Australia. Environmental stressors are important contributors to physiological stress, leading to synchronous abortions. Aims We investigate the possibilities of weather conditions and anthropogenic disturbances contributing to...

Drones or unoccupied aerial vehicles are rapidly being used for a spectrum of applications, including replacing traditional occupied aircraft as a means of approaching wildlife from the air. Though less intrusive to wildlife than occupied aircraft, drones can still cause varying levels of disturbance. Policies and protocols to guide lowest-impact d...

The permanent exclusion of flying-foxes from camps (camp dispersal) near human settlements is a management tool commonly used to mitigate human–wildlife conflict. We summarised information on the costs and outcomes of 48 camp dispersals in Australia. Our aim was to improve the information base on which camp management decisions are made. Camp dispe...

Drones are a modern alternative to manned aircraft for aerial surveys, however approaching wildlife with drones may still cause disturbance. Understanding the factors influencing animal responses to drone flights is fundamental for informing guidance on lowest-impact flight practices. We reviewed scientific literature on drone flights conducted to...

Swooping is a defensive behavior used against potential nest predators. Here, we tested the hypothesis that swooping intensity in a pair of Brown Goshawks (Accipiter fasciatus) rearing chicks would differ according to the number of human observers present near the nest. We standardized the number of swoops per min for 16 visits during which there w...

Mass mortalities in flying-foxes occur in summers that reach extremely hot temperatures. In this study, we examine the spatiotemporal distributions of mortality from pup abandonments and extreme heat events in Australian flying-fox camps during the 2019–20 summer. We recorded data on flying-fox mortality in known affected camps and applied a standa...

Pelicans are generally piscivores, but occasionally prey on smaller waterbirds and other animals. I observed an Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus capture a Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus after both species had been attracted to people scattering seed for birds. The Pelican briefly caught the Lorikeet by the tail, but the Lorike...

Heat stress events in Australian flying-fox camps have resulted in significant numbers of flying-fox deaths. The frequency and intensity of such events have increased in recent decades, attributed to anthropogenic climate change. Evidence-based interventions are required to address this growing threat. Responders currently use different combination...

A diverse range of corporations, businesses and organisations play an important role in threatened species conservation. During the unprecedented bushfire season in Australia in the 2019-20 summer, corporations, businesses and organisations contributed significant financial and in-kind support for the Saving our Species Program’s threatened species...

From 7 to 12 November 2019, we undertook nightly spotlighting surveys for herpetofauna in Singapadu (8°35'S, 115°16'E, alt. 79 m a.s.l.), a village in Sukawati, Gianyar Regency, Bali, Indonesia. We recorded six species of geckos: Cyrtodactylus sp. (n=6), Gekko gecko (n=3), Hemidactylus frenatus (n=12), Hemidactylus garnotii (n=5), Hemidactylus plat...

Aggressive confrontations between different species of birds are commonly reported in scientific literature. In particular, the Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides) engages in confrontations with other birds, including competitions for food resources, kleptoparasitism, nest defense, and retaliation against mobbing birds. Herein, I report repeated o...

Injured flying-foxes (Pteropus spp.) are frequently taken into care in eastern Australia. In particular, the grey-headed flying-fox (P. poliocephalus), a vulnerable species, is affected by several threats, which are partly mitigated through rescue and rehabilitation. This study examined patterns in flying-fox rescues in New South Wales (NSW) betwee...

Flying-fox camps in urban areas are a contentious wildlife management issue. Since 2012, Grey-headed Flying-foxes Pteropus poliocephalus have regularly occupied two camps in Batemans Bay, New South Wales (NSW). At one site, the Water Gardens, impacts on adjacent residents and businesses occur when animals roost near the reserve boundaries. During M...

On 9 November 2019, I observed an interesting interaction between two chelonians at a private zoological facility in Bali, Indonesia.

Although the ultimate goal of wildlife rehabilitation is to return animals to the wild, some are permanently unable to be released. Some non-releasable animals may be suitable for permanent care. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has the statutory role for arranging the appropriate placement of these animals in New South Wales. Under t...

Flying-foxes in urban areas can have negative impacts on residents from noise, smell and feces. This article examined six programs in eastern Australia that offered subsidized equipment and services to mitigate those impacts. Program design was variable, with common subsidies including vehicle and clothesline covers, high-pressure water cleaners an...

The management of the Kareela flying-fox camp in southern Sydney, New South Wales, is a case study of the challenges faced by local councils trying to mitigate negative impacts from flying-foxes on their communities. When flying-foxes were discovered roosting in Kareela in February 2008, local residents and schools complained to the public land man...

A solitary breeding pair of Australian Eurasian Coots Fulica atra australis on a small wetland in Sydney, New South Wales, was monitored during the 2015–2016 breeding season. Three breeding attempts were observed, during which two nest-platforms were built. Adults incubated eggs for 20–35 minutes at a time. Our monitoring recorded two observations...

Masked Lapwings Vanellus miles novaehollandiae nesting in urban and peri-urban areas generate several management issues, such as their ground-based nests being vulnerable to destruction and their aggressive, defensive behaviour towards humans and pets. This paper reports on a four-year study of Masked Lapwing breeding attempts at two peri-urban sit...

Purpose Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a useful method for assessing environmental impacts at large scales. Biodiversity and ecosystem diversity are site-specific, often complex, and difficult to generalise within an LCA framework. There is currently no globally acceptable means of assessing biodiversity within the LCA framework. We introduce, test...

On a rural property near Menangle, New South Wales, a sheet of corrugated iron set over an earth mound provided a retreat site for the Red-naped Snake Furina diadema. The site was inspected on 14 occasions over a period of 32 months, each time revealing an aggregation of between six and eight snakes. Seasonality did not appear to influence the numb...

The first incursion of Chinese Water Dragons (Physignathus cocincinus) in Hong Kong occurred in October 2004 on Tsing Yi Island. This study identified a further 54 citizen-science reports of dragons in different locations of Hong Kong. Although there were no subsequent reports from Tsing Yi Island, there were recurring reports in five other locatio...

The Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) ranks high among the world’s worst invasive alien species. It has become naturalized on all continents except Antarctica and is now the most common chelonian observed in Hong Kong However, during a visit to Hong Kong in October 2016, I photographed two non-indigenous turtles that did not resemble the...

A number of snakes and goannas persist in areas frequented by humans, such as the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute in New South Wales, Australia. This institute is used as both an office location and an agricultural demonstration site, which inevitably results in snakes and goannas coming close to institute buildings, prompting concerns f...

Native mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs kept as pets become displaced after they are unwanted, escaped or seized. The Office of Environment and Heritage manages the rehoming of displaced native animal pets, which are regulated under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 in New South Wales. Primarily, animals are balloted to licensed animal keepe...

The occurrence of owls in the urban environment has been of interest, with recent records of the Eastern Barn Owl Tyto alba delicatula in highly urbanised locations in Sydney, New South Wales. During the long-term monitoring of bird assemblages in the Centennial Parklands, Barn Owls were consistently found roosting under the crowns of Canary Island...

Observations of bill deformities in birds are not uncommon. Pomeroy (1962) suggested that bill deformities occur in fewer than 0.5% of wild birds, which has since been followed by other studies. Being listed as Endangered, any potential impacts on a local population or on individuals’ health in Australian Pied Oystercatchers would be concerning. He...

The management of wetlands in Australia has environmental and socioeconomic implications, especially with respect to their status as foraging and breeding sites for waterbirds. A broad range of waterbirds have increasingly adjusted to modified and artificial wetlands as natural wetlands decline, including wetlands on agricultural land. This paper r...

The invasive Red-eared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans has spread extensively, forming naturalised populations on all continents except Antarctica. Ranked among the 100 worst invasive species, there are biosecurity concerns that native turtles become outcompeted and displaced, as well as other speculative impacts. The actual ecological impacts in...

Everyday Australians are no strangers to toads, despite there being no native species. In a country where the economic impacts of invasive species may cost up to $740 million per annum, biosecurity is a major focus of both primary industries protection and biodiversity conservation in Australia. Historically, one amphibian species has served as a p...

A previous study of the herpetofaunal assemblage of the Lime Kiln Bay Wetland, part of the Oatley Bushland Corridor, identified six species of frog and 17 species of reptile. This contribution presents an additional four species, including sightings of the Eastern Bearded Dragon Pogona barbata and a road-killed Black-bellied Swamp Snake Hemiaspis s...

Accurate estimates of forest biomass are essential to understand the contribution of forests to climate change mitigation efforts. In this manuscript, we report on biomass determinations for 586 directly weighed trees located in three important native forest areas in Australia. The sites were paired according to management strategy; i.e., managed f...

With increasing numbers of Asian Black-spined Toads (Duttaphrynus melanostictus) found at Australian seaports and airports since 1999, this species could become Australia's second invasive toad. Introductions of D. mela-nostictus have already occurred in other countries, with inadvertent stowaways the principal cause. Three recent incursions have b...

White-bellied Sea-Eagles Haliaeetus leucogaster feed on fish, aquatic birds and turtles, with most reported observations of hunting involving fish-catching. We describe three observations of attacks on birds, including one on a Striated Heron Butorides striata that was struck in the air and survived after being washed ashore. Incidents of White-bel...

Mortality in birds engaged in mobbing potential predators is rare, especially while defending their progeny. This paper reports an incident of a nesting Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes being fatally attacked by an Australian Raven Corvus coronoides that it was mobbing. The Raven remained on the carcass for some time, but did not feed on it.

The Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus, a partly-migratory passerine, was observed in bushland remnants in southern Sydney. Here, we report two incidents of Spangled Drongos hunting and feeding on small passerines from mixed flocks. One was seen chasing a Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus, consuming much of the carcass in 17 minutes. Another...

Mortality in birds engaged in mobbing potential predators is rare, especially while defending their progeny. This paper reports an incident of a nesting Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes being fatally attacked by an Australian Raven Corvus coronoides that it was mobbing. The Raven remained on the carcass for some time, but did not feed on it.

In this note, we present observations that suggest the use of brood patches by White-headed Stilts Himantopus leucocephalus for their chicks in southern Sydney.

The beach stone-curlew (Esacus magnirostris) has only been resident in New South Wales since the 1970’s. Here, records of the beach stone-curlew from the Sydney Basin and South East Corner bioregions were analysed. The earliest record was an individual sighted on The Entrance in 1959, with no subsequent records until 1978. The majority of records i...

In this note, I present an apparent observation of interspecific allopreening by an immature Royal Spoonbill toward an adult Australian White Ibis.

The Powerful Owl Ninox strenua typically forages for arboreal prey; however, some authors have identified crustaceans in pellet material. This paper reports on an anecdotal observation of a juvenile Owl catching and consuming a fish. The observation was recorded at dusk in the upper reaches of tidal mangroves in one of the bushland remnants in Sydn...

Phenological patterns in fruiting are an important facet of avian frugivore ecology. The annual diet of the Satin Bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus violaceus has been documented mainly in the northern parts of its distribution. Less diverse assemblages of fruiting plants are expected in the more temperate regions. This paper reports on a five-year dietary...