Important Latham’s Snipe site in Cairns is lost

September 20, 2019

An important site for Snipe in Cairns in Tingara Street, Portsmith, has been virtually destroyed by the Port Authority, who has dumped dredge spoil on the roost site there. This site has held nationally important numbers of snipe on at least once occasion (during the 2019 northward migration season). But this hasn’t helped protect the site from Queensland Government-approved destruction.

On the morning of September 17, inspection of this snipe count revealed that the salt marsh was filled in, and in the big paddock where snipe regularly roost, nothing was left but a small plot of grass. The plot was otherwise filled with dredge spoil – a greater area than was originally approved. The small plot that remains has been severely mown, and is being used as a roadway, making the remnants of this site completely unsuitable for snipe.

This is a sign of the times, when governments seemingly place no priority on protecting the habitat for species that are supposed to be protected. It is particularly disastrous timing for snipe, who are only just arriving back in Australia after their long and arduous migration from Japan.

We are very disappointed that this has been allowed to occur.