The Australian Wildlife Conservancy says it has bought a 200-hectare property on King Island to establish Boulder Wildlife Sanctuary, its first project in Tasmania.
The new sanctuary is intended to protect remaining habitat for the critically endangered King Island scrubtit. ABC News reports that fewer than 100 of the birds remain in the wild.
Large areas of the island were cleared for agriculture, contributing to the loss of native plants and animals. The purchase adds a new place for conservation work on King Island's north coast.
Buying the property is an early step, not proof that the bird's numbers will recover. It gives conservationists a dedicated area to plan for the care of the island's remaining habitat.
