A wind farm developer has argued that any potential collisions with a critically-endangered parrot would not have a lasting effect on the species' survival.
ACEN Australia's 100-turbine 720-megawatt proposal on the island sits in the middle of the parrot's believed path for its annual return migration between Tasmania and Victoria. The parrot — one of Australia's most critically endangered species — is central to a planning appeal against the wind farm's approval, with hearings starting in Hobart this week.
"There is no clear evidence … that the possible death of one orange-bellied parrot, or any particular greater number of orange-bellied parrots, due to a collision with a wind turbine on Robbins Island would have any statistically significant effect on the survival of the species, let alone lead to its demise."
He said any changes to the landscape in the parrot's migratory path could have impacts beyond collisions, causing them to find different foraging grounds and harming their survival chances.