14/08/2026
Universities matter because their research is helping protect Australia’s unique wildlife and ecosystems.
New research from Murdoch University has uncovered concerning levels of pesticide contamination in the food sources of endangered Carnaby’s cockatoos, revealing new insights into potential contributors to Carnaby’s Hindlimb Paralysis Syndrome (CHiPS) that has affected black cockatoos in WA since around 2012, causing weakness or paralysis in the legs. Although pesticides have long been suspected as a contributing factor, little was known about how or where the birds might be exposed in the wild.
The findings could also help inform better agricultural practices and conservation efforts that reduce reliance on pesticides, lower risks to wildlife, and support healthy ecosystems.
Read more: https://universitiesmatter.edu.au/carnabys-cockatoos-exposed-to-dangerous-pesticide-concentrations-in-the-wheatbelt/
Murdoch University
