The Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia Inc (SSAA) and Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia (NSW) together pumped more than $100,000 into helping save this country’s most endangered animals through a partnership with Aussie Ark.

Some may question why these groups would put tens of thousands of dollars into Tasmanian devils, among other species, but the shooters group has long played a part in boosting conservation and wildlife management across Australia.

So what is the SSAA?
Established in 1948, SSAA is Australia’s premier shooting organisation, representing more than 200,000 members interested in recreational shooting, hunting and wildlife management. SSAA, through its state and territory branches, has worked alone and in collaboration with government and environmental organisations for decades, with the aim of conserving Australia’s rich and varied wildlife.

SSAA:

• Has official non-government organisation status with the United Nations
• Assists in and coordinates research projects
• Established award-winning SSAA Conservation & Wildlife Management (CWM) groups that have assisted in the recovery and reintroduction of Australian native flora and fauna for more than 20 years
• Pioneered the Farmer Assist program, which connects individual landholders with responsible SSAA members to help with wildlife management issues, giving landholders professional-like services at no cost.

Projects
Working with its state branches and members, the SSAA has introduced many beneficial and long-lasting conservation and wildlife projects in Australia.

Koalas
SSAA Queensland’s Shooting Complex Stewartdale, in the scenic Ripley Valley south of Ipswich, is sprawling with nature. Perfectly located less than an hour from the Brisbane airport, the Stewartdale property is home to the SSAA Ipswich Branch and a number of ranges spread across almost 1000 hectares.

The nature sanctuary is home to tree saplings, waterbirds and the state’s largest state-funded koala habitat restoration project. Opened in February 2014, the mammoth task of planting 113,000 trees across 210 hectares of the property was completed the following year. Along with the dedicated nature reserve, the property is also home to 700 trees that have been specifically planted to provide eucalyptus leaves to the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection to feed sick or injured koalas at the Moggill Koala Hospital in Queensland.

Ducks and other birdlife also seek refuge at the sanctuary. Australia’s largest independent not-for-profit bird conservation organisation, Birdlife Australia, has been surveying the area since 2005.

Western quolls
SSAA, through its South Australian and National branches, has been integral to the reintroduction of the western quoll (dasyurus geoffroii) in South Australia’s Ikara-Flinders Ranges. The species was wiped out in the area by historic farming practices and the spread of their main predator, feral cats. SSAA and its members worked with the South Australian Government to commence Operation Bounceback in the 1990s, which contributed to the removal of tens of thousands of pest animals, including feral cats, in the Ranges.

More recently, SSAA donated $60,000 towards the quoll reintroduction program led by the Foundation for Australia’s Most Endangered Species (FAME) and the South Australian Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR).

Tasmanian devils
The iconic Tasmanian devil is at serious risk of extinction from the highly contagious devil facial tumour disease (DFTD). The species’ population has plummeted by more than 90 per cent since the first case of DFTD was discovered in 1996. Devil Ark, now Aussie Ark, has played a key role in their population insurance along with financial supporters such as the Australian Reptile Park, the Packer family, Glencore, the SSAA Inc and SSAA NSW to name a few.

Pest management
SSAA has partnered with government departments, private landholders and various stakeholders to manage pest species in all parts of Australia. Pest management conducted in parks and state forests not only protects native animals and birdlife, but also contributes to the rejuvenation of the natural landscape.

SSAA also sponsored the development of the Felixer, a humane cat trap that was endorsed by the Threatened Species Commissioner and now receives funding from the federal government. And in Western Australia, SSAA has directly and financially helped increase participation in the Red Card for Rabbits and Foxes – a community pest awareness and control program.

Research
SSAA regularly participates and supports environmental research, including:

• Collecting samples for universities
• Awarding grants to tertiary students who conduct research that will help further the community’s understanding of conservation, hunting and recreational shooting
• Undertaking track and fire trail maintenance and weed mapping control
• Supporting the 2016 Conservation through Sustainable Use of Wildlife Conference, which brought together 200 delegates from universities, government and industry key stakeholders.

SSAA Media Officer Rachael Oxborrow said the organisation looks forward to continuing its conservation and wildlife management work in conjunction with those who want to see our flora and fauna prosper into the future.