Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs “From the very start, it felt like we were fighting an impossible battle. The development moved so fast, and we were working with seasonal animals that are only around for two to three months of the year.”Lun hoped it wasn’t the end for Maratus yanchep and vowed to continue searching the dunes and fighting for their survival.Michael Lun where he found a new Peacock Spider witth the Elavale Eglinton Peet housing development behind him.Credit: Ross SwanboroughLast year a Peet spokesman said no new species were noted as part of its work in the 80-hectare Elavale estate, which once complete will comprise more than 1000 lots.In a statement the company, a major player in developing master-planned communities in Perth, such as Movida Estate in Midvale and The Avenues within Wungong, said it took its responsibility to protect local environments seriously, and it had met all government and regulatory environmental requirements.However, when WAtoday approached Peet this week it declined to comment further on whether it had conducted any additional flora or fauna surveys after the species was discovered or whether it would allow researchers on site to study the arachnid.LoadingWAtoday understands that now the species has been described by scientists, to secure a threatened species listing, further data would need to be collected and presented to the state Threatened Species Committee, but that the fencing off of the area is now acting as an impediment to this process.It is unclear if the museum has formally requested access to the site. The WA Museum and new Environment Minister Matt Swinbourne have been contacted for comment.Greens Brad Pettitt said it was hard to imagine a more stunning example of the failure of WA’s planning and biodiversity system.“This rare and stunningly beautiful spider is being made extinct for the ugly monoculture of sprawl,” he said.“We have a biodiversity protection system unable and unwilling to act and a planning system enabling this destructive development.“We can only hope the likely extinction of the spider becomes a moment in time when Perth draws a line in the sand, or sand dunes, and says enough is enough – and gets serious about stopping sprawl and replacing it with well-placed infill and density.”The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.
