Wildlife Bytes

Wildlife Bytes 8/2/12

2012-02-07T16:24:00.000-08:00

BRING YOUR POSTERS , HOLD UP YOUR PICTURES OF YOUR NATIVE ANIMAL ON NATIVE ANIMAL LOVERS DAY. JOIN BOB IRWIN IN BRISBANE. http://youtu.be/FYmB9JRs54w

HERE IS A LIST OF THE SPEAKERS ON THE DAY .

Alan Winstanley Earthrace, Australia director of operations, Bob Irwin (briefly then to speak last). Colin Riddell , dugong and sea turtles and M.C. Andrew Powell Shadow Minister for Environment for the LNP , Glen Elmes Past shadow environment minister. Other Speakers; Animals Australias . President Joy Verrinder, Pat OBrien . Kangaroos/wildlife, Mick Dowers. Shark finning Great Barrier Reef , Ray Revill .Queensland dingoes, Meghan Halverson . Koalas in Queensland, Louise Saunders.Flying foxes, Hammy Forrest. President sea bird rescue Queensland, Nicole Mclachlan. Sea shepherd. "In Our Hands project "and Isabel Dow, Animal Liberation Qld .Annette Guice. ALQ President, Michael Beatty QLD RSPCA .But only as support not a speaker (his request), Bob Irwin to speak last (his request) The wrong speakers corner has been quoted previously, its the same address, but 50 metres away and right across the road from the Premiers office ! Follow the Crowd!

Gympie Kangaroo Shooting

The Booral kangaroo matter --- the police officer who shot 20 kangaroos near Gympie did commit a class 2 offence under section 88 NCA 1992 and not the class 4 offence as reported in the paper -- but he hasn't been charged for the class 2 offence. A class 4 offence is just 4 penalty units via an infringement notice ( otherwise the class 4 offence is 100 ...penalty units ). The class 2 offence is 1000 penalty units ( a $100,000.00 fine ) or 1 year imprisonment -- the class 2 offence is to kill ( without a permit ) 10 or more least concern wildlife ----- this fellow is reported to have killed 20 or more least concern wildlife and should have been charged for the class 2 offence. The matter is under Inquiry, but if you haven't yet written, email addys are below. The more complaints they get, the better the outcome.

Police Commissioner,E-mail Address(es): commissioner@police.qld.gov.au Ombudsman, E-mail Address(es): ombudsman@ombudsman.qld.gov.au CMC E-mail Address(es): complaints@cmc.qld.gov.au Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services E-mail Address(es): Police@ministerial.qld.gov.au Minister for Environment E-mail Address(es): derm@ministerial.qld.gov.au Jim Reeves (DERM Director General) E-mail Address(es): jim.reeves@derm.qld.gov.au Terry Wall (DERM Regulator) E-mail Address(es):
Terry.Wall@derm.qld.gov.au

Kangaroo Road Kills

Hyatt Regency Coolum resort has asked Sunshine Coast Regional Council for animal crossing signs and a reduced speed limit along parts of David Low Way after several of its twitchy-nosed visitors were killed by cars. At least two eastern grey kangaroos, famously welcome at the resort's golf course, have been killed within the last week. The Hyatt Regency Coolum said it had requested a 60kmh speed limit along its David Low Way frontage. The resort chain informed the Daily of its action yesterday as a Mudjimba woman shared her story of trying to rescue two adult kangaroos involved in two separate hits last week. Jaylene Musgrave said her two young nieces and her nephew were still traumatised by what occurred last Friday at dusk while driving south on David Low Way. * Sunshine Coast Daily, Read more .. http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2009/07/07/coolum-hyatt-acts-kangaroo-deaths/

Rescued

"Rescued!" is an amazing book about 43 wonderful true stories about rescue and rehabilitation of native wildlife. Everyday, animals living in the wild become sick, injured or orphaned. For a variety of reasons - vehicle accidents, dog and cat attacks, posioning, habitat loss, shooting, fires and floods. Fortunately, some of these animals are given a second chance through the remarkable work of wildlife rehabilitators, an amazing group of dedicated volunteers who take needy animals into their care. They arrange for veterinary treatment, and temporarily provide a protected environment until the animal recovers and can be released back into the wild. Rescued! opens a window on the fascinating world of wildlife carers, and features dozens of wonderful true stories about care and treatment given to owls, penguins, dolphins, koalas, flying foxe, platypus, kangaroos, eagles, turtles, echidnas and many other native animals in Australia. These stories show how physically, emotionally, and financially demanding being a wildlife carer really is. They will make you laugh, make you cry, break your heart, make you angry, and help you believe in miracles again. And they may even inspire you to become a wildlife carer yourself!

Visit the "Rescued" Wildlife Rescue Stories facebook page, to view information regarding the book and write your own wildlife rescue story on the groups page, for wildlife carers to read.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/269455039792113/

Platypus

Did you know that platypus still inhabits 26 of the 31 river systems in Victoria?

Duck Shooting

Australian native waterbirds need your help – join the duck rescue team! The Victorian Baillieu government has called another recreational duck shooting season. Once again the Coalition Against Duck Shooting will patrol the wetlands to help waterbirds on the Opening weekend (March 17 & 18) and every subsequent weekend of the 3-month season.
For more information and to join the duck rescue team, please attend one of the Information Meetings to be held on the top floor of Kindness House, 288 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy at 7.30pm sharp on Wednesday 29 February, Monday 5 March or Thursday 8 March or email Lynn trakell_duck@yahoo.com.au for more information.
Please also sign the petition at: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/ban-duck-shooting-in-victoria-australia/

Sea Lions and Penguins

Pups at Seal Bay on Kangaroo Island face a tough battle for survival, new data shows. A third of the way through the breeding season, the mortality rate is about 40 per cent. At last count, the State Government recorded 76 births and 32 deaths. Scientists are investigating causes of death because many are mysterious. They suspect infection with hook worms. Australian sea lion populations have not recovered from harvesting in the same way as New Zealand fur seals. Adult sea lions are known to become entangled in nets used to trap sharks. The Australian Fisheries Management Authority has announced an 18-month closure of gillnet fishing within a section of the Australian sea lion management zone off South Australia. Yesterday the Australian Marine Conservation Society and the Humane Society International praised the authority's response. However, concerns remain that sea lions and dolphins will continue to be drowned in this South Australian shark fishery. *SA news

A shark fishery off South Australia has become the first area to be closed under new rules aimed at protecting australian sea lions. A sea lion's death due to fishing in the zone led to the closure. The rules force closures once a trigger point is reached - in this case, only one death was needed to close Zone A, west of Fowlers Bay. The shark fishery will be closed until May next year. The rules have been introduced by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority and allow for the deaths of a maximum of 15 sea lions per year across seven fishing zones. Environmentalists lobbied for the changes because of their concern about the number of sea lions getting entangled in shark fishing nets. Alexia Wellbelove from the Humane Society International says the zone closure is a significant step. "We're pleased that there's now a process in place so that when there are animals killed that steps can be taken in the management of the fishery to make sure that the deaths are limited," she said. "One death is too many, but at least it shows that the management process is working." *ABC

Meanwhile the SA The Department of Conservation have reassured concerned beachgoers that penguins currently on the south coast of WA, are healthy despite their unusual appearance. The department has received numerous calls from members of the public reporting that the penguins appear scruffy, lethargic and unusually tame, allowing people to approach them. Warren District nature conservation co-ordinator Karlene Bain said despite their unusual appearance and behaviour the penguins were fine and merely moulting. *

Captive Whales

A US Federal judge for the first time in US history heard arguments in a case that could determine whether animals enjoy the same constitutional protection against slavery as human beings. US District Judge Jeffrey Miller called the hearing in San Diego after Sea World asked the court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that names five orcas as plaintiffs in the case. PETA claims the captured killer whales are treated like slaves for being forced to live in tanks and perform daily at its parks in San Diego and Orlando, Fla.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/animals/were-talking-about-hell-unleashed-whales-sue-sea-world-20120208-1r8p9.html#ixzz1lk1OlIqW

However, while the case would bring publicity to the issue of the rights or interests of "non-human persons", something for which some people have been arguing for a long time, if the case fails and there is then case law history against recognising those rights, that would not be helpful for the cause, the WDCS warned. In the UK, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society senior biologist Philippa Brakes said "I would love to be wrong, and that they find for the orcas in this case, but I doubt very much that's going to happen, and I think it's a strategic error," she said. *U/W Times

Rhinos

British zoos have been warned their rhinos may be attacked by poachers because of the soaring value of their horns in the Asian medicine market. After a rumour that it could cure cancer, the horn is now worth more than $40,000 a kilo, and gangs have been breaking into museums and auction rooms in Britain and Europe to steal trophy rhinoceros heads. The fear is zoos – and live rhinos – may be next. In an unprecedented alert, all 15 British zoos and wildlife and safari parks which hold rhinos – they have 85 animals between them – have been warned by the National Wildlife Crime Unit to tighten security and report anything suspicious to the police at once. "We have warned British zoos to be on their guard against the possibility of being targeted by criminals seeking rhino horn," said the head of the unit, Detective Inspector Brian Stuart. Concern is growing that criminals will try to break into a British zoo at night, kill or tranquillise rhinos, and cut off the horns. The potential profits might be very tempting, as a single big horn could weigh more than 5kg and be worth more than $200,000. The Independent
Read more ... http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/british-zoos-put-on-alert-over-rising-threat-of-rhino-rustlers-6296572.html

Fraser Dingoes

The Fraser Island Dingo, the last remaining pure dingo on the planet, is at the brink of extinction as a result of Queensland Government mismanagement...!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KZCL_khytI&feature=youtu.be

Birds

The critically endangered orange-bellied parrot appears to be moving closer to extinction. Researchers in Melaleuca in south-west Tasmania say the number of birds in the wild is now down to 21, including just eight females. The endangered parrot makes an annual journey to the region for the breeding season. Mark Holdsworth from the orange-bellied parrot recovery team says the drought has contributed to a steady decline in the population. The team is pinning its hopes on a captive breeding program. "You'd expect to have some bad years, unfortunately if you've got a few bad years in a row for a very small population that becomes a serious problem," he said. "We've had to take some bold steps to try and help it out." Photographer Linda Cains is one of many bird watchers who have flown to remote Melaleuca to see the parrot. "That it may be extinct in a few years is just dreadful," she said. The University of Queensland's Hugh Possingham questions whether millions of dollars in government funding should be redirected to save other species instead. "Where they (other species) were cheaper to save, we were more likely to save them and we had a better long run opportunity to save those species in the wild," he said. "One issue is can we save the orange-bellied parrot, the second issue is how do we allocate the limited funds we have across all the species in Australia or Tasmania?" *ABC

WA Museum’s ornithology curator says black cockatoos, which once flocked to the Swan Coastal Plain in tens of thousands, could be extinct within 50 years. “They are iconic large forest cockatoos that were once widespread and common in huge numbers on the Swan Coastal Plain,” Dr Ron Johnstone, who is also an Adjunct Professor at Murdoch University said. “It’s been death by a thousand cuts as the vegetation has been reduced.” He said there were three species - Carnaby’s Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus latirostris), Baudin’s Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus baudinii) and the Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii naso) - that nested in tree hollows, and moved south and west after nesting season to feed on nuts, nectar and wood-boring grubs and insects. Prof Johnstone said nuts from the extensive pine plantations (Pinus radiata) introduced in the 1920s and 30s provided a valuable diet replacement for Carnaby’s cockatoos as developers gradually cleared Perth’s banksia heathlands for housing subdivisions. “(When) a lot of the juveniles are just fledged… these areas became a very valuable source of food (which) the birds were able to use up very quickly because the pines are producing cones during the period when they first arrive,” he said.
Prof Johnstone said the destruction of remnant bushland continues. He gave the example of UWA endowment lands in Floreat. *Sciencenetwork
Read more .. http://www.sciencewa.net.au/3786-perth-slowly-devouring-its-black-cockatoo-species.html

Possums

Soaring temperatures are taking their toll on WA's threatened western ringtail possums, which are suffering so badly in the heat they are falling out of trees. Possum protection groups said last week's intense heat caused heat exhaustion in many possums near Busselton. Possum Centre Busselton chairman Uta Wicke, who cares for 14 possums, said hotter summers, climate change and habitat loss were having a dire effect on the animals. "They get very hot and we have situations this last week, with this enormous heat, the hottest Australia Day in Busselton on record, and possums fell out of the trees because they were just so exhausted from the heat and no access to water," she said. Ms Wicke said people living south of Mandurah and north of Augusta could help by leaving water out for possums. "It would be good to leave a shallow ice-cream container, as high up in the tree as possible, so that the animals don't have to come down to the ground," she said. "Either they won't because they know predators are lurking or they will and the next cat or dog has an easy meal." Ms Wicke said the main threat to possums remained habitat loss and she was furious at a plan to cut down 238 peppermint trees for the $117 million redevelopment of Busselton hospital. The Health Department is advertising a draft environmental plan that suggests moving a core population of Busselton's western ringtail possums. Ms Wick said possums were likely to die if they were taken from their homes in healthy old peppermint trees. *TheWest.com.au

Mining Media Plan

Check out the video the mining industry never expected you to see: You simply have to see this video to believe it. This week mining billionaire Gina Rinehart became the largest shareholder in Fairfax, having already bought a stake in Channel Ten. But this new video reveals this move is bigger than one woman’s ambition – it’s part of a coordinated and very deliberate strategy, with climate skeptic ‘Lord’ Monkton seen here advising a room full of mining executives on how the industry must gain control of Australia’s media. Can you help share this video so all Australians understand what's really going on in the mining industry? Check out the video the mining industry never expected you to see:
http://www.getup.org.au/minersmediaplan You simply have to see this video to believe it. *Network Item

Kangaroo Cruelty

Animal welfare activists have called for the harshest possible penalty for a man accused of running over a kangaroo, tying it to the back of a car and dragging it through a country town.
The kangaroo was dragged for up to 2km before the carcass was dumped in Wodonga's main street. A baby joey was also injured. Yesterday, a man charged with animal cruelty over last month's incident did not appear at Wodonga Magistrates' Court. Outside, about a dozen activists urged the court to show no mercy. Australian Society for Kangaroos spokeswoman Fiona Corke said the kangaroo would have endured "immense pain and suffering". "Our wildlife deserves more respect," she said. "It was so incredibly senseless and cowardly. "A message has to be sent that this is not good enough." Persons convicted of aggravated animal cruelty can face a maximum fine of $60,000 and two years' jail. * Network Item

Crocodile Cull

Crocs are turning big bucks for Territory exporters - but wildlife warrior Terri Irwin has slammed the trade as "illegal". "The sustainable consumptive use of wildlife is the single biggest scientific lie that we have faced in modern history," she said. Fashion demand for the leather from the popular Territory reptile has more than doubled the export of protected saltwater crocodile skins to countries like Singapore, France and Italy. About 52,000 skins and skin pieces left Australian shores in 2010 as well as 2559 leather products and 95 garments, the latest data shows. Commercial buyers and collectors also grabbed 2612kg of croc meat, 100kg of oil, 82 teeth, two skulls, two trophies, one body, one egg as well as two live crocs.
The saltwater crocodile is protected and its commercial slaughter outrages wildlife advocates. Trade in threatened and endangered species is controlled by the Federal Government and requires licences and proof that animals are not being snatched from the wild. Australia is also signatory to an international convention monitoring trade around the world.

Wildlife advocates say croc skins are destined for high-end fashion houses, where the overseas elite pay thousands of dollars for authentic croc boots, bags and belts. Data shows that most of Australia's major exports are destined for commercial use. Ms Irwin described the legal trade in wildlife as a lie. "Whether you're looking at whaling, or whether you're looking at arctic fox fur or whether you're looking at snake skins or, in this case, croc skins, it is the biggest lie being perpetuated," she said. Mrs Irwin said government-sanctioned trading was responsible for the illegal market. "If we did not have a legal means for selling wildlife, there could not be an illegal trade," she said. "Not only is it encouraging (illegal trade), it is the laundering device for illegal wildlife." The World Wildlife Fund's Darren Grover agreed that creating a demand for animals products could encourage trafficking. However he said the WWF was not concerned "as long as it can be shown the trade is sustainable".

A crocodile cull could lull people into a false sense of security about safety but safari style hunting is still on the agenda the Chief Minister Paul Henderson has said. Calls for a crocodile cull in the Territory and across the top of Australia have come of the past few weeks. He said the government had double resources with 20 more traps and a new boat and a cull was something than neither federal Liberal or Labor governments had agreed to. "It is still the position of the Territory Government that we support a limited take of crocodiles for safari hunting," he said. But he said crocodile culling could lead to a false sense of security. *NT News

Wildlife Carers

Minister for Environment and Climate Change Ryan Smith said the Victorian Coalition Government has launched a new round of cash grants designed to help the state's dedicated wildlife rehabilitators cover the cost of their important work. Mr Smith said wildlife rehabilitators across Victoria can now apply for grants of up to $5,000 as part of this round of the $1.2 million Wildlife Rehabilitator Grants Program. This round is for $200,000, plus $70,000 for specific organisations. "Our wildlife rehabilitators, shelter operators and foster carers are dedicated to looking after sick or injured animals and many of them are volunteers," Mr Smith said. "This funding will help wildlife rehabilitators cover the cost of veterinary bills, feed, medicine, maintaining enclosures and even training courses.

"The grants are part of a four-year funding package through which the Coalition Government can demonstrate its support for these dedicated people and organisations by helping them cover those costs. "Without these wildlife shelter operators and wildlife foster carers some of our beloved native wildlife would be left without much needed support when they need it the most," Mr Smith said. The grants also include $70,000 in grants to support vital wildlife emergency response institutions; $27,500 to Phillip Island Nature Park, $40,000 to Zoos Victoria and $2,500 to the Dolphin Research Institute. This funding will be made available to the 380 registered wildlife shelter operators and 399 registered foster carers in Victoria. Applications for the grants should be sent to the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE). Applications open on Monday 6 February 2012 and close on Monday 5 March 2012. * Premiers Office

Black Saturday

Yesterday (Monday) was the anniversary of Black Saturday in Victoria. Our Love and prayers go out to the survivors. For the people that would like more information about the 2009 Bush Fire in Victoria Australia. One Wildlife Sanctuary, is Wildhaven Wildlife Shelter at St Andrews, Victoria. It is run by Stella & Alan Reid. On Black Saturday our world changed forever. Wildhaven was totally destroyed - over 800 animals died at and around Wildhaven; all buildings were razed to the ground. Stella was on a fire truck putting out a fire at a neighbours home. Alan was at Wildhaven with the wildlife: animals were running from the fires and from the house as the smoke alarms screeched. As the buildings caught fire and the gas bottles vented, Alan threw open all the doors then followed the animals towards the forest. They were all running, but there was no where to go. Our world was on fire. It took us over a month to collect the bodies of our little ones from around the house, where our little friends had sheltered. There was so much death at Wildhaven our minds could not and never will comprehend that day. We lived in a fog for over a year and sometimes the fog comes back.

The Black Saturday bushfires were a series of bushfires that ignited or were burning across the Australian state of Victoria on and around Saturday, 7 February 2009. The fires occurred during extreme bushfire-weather conditions, and resulted in Australia's highest ever loss of life from a bushfire; 173 people died and 414 were injured as a result of the fires. As many as 400 individual fires were recorded on 7 February. Following the events of 7 February 2009 and its aftermath, that day has become widely referred to as Black Saturday. The fires affected 78 townships and displaced an estimated 7,562 people. Many of those displaced sought temporary accommodation, much of it donated in the form of spare rooms, caravans, tents, and beds in community relief centres. 450,000 ha (1,100,000 acres) burnt The RSPCA estimated that over a million animals perished in the bushfires. Additionally, many of the surviving wildlife suffered from severe burns. For example, large numbers of kangaroos were afflicted with burned feet due to territorial instincts that drew them back to their recently burned and smouldering home ranges. *Network Item

A court in the Victorian capital, Melbourne, has been told an endangered possum species that was devastated by the state’s Black Saturday bushfires will face more trauma if logging of its habitat goes ahead. The bushfires halved the population of Leadbeater’s possums to only 2000, a barrister for an environmental group told the Victorian Supreme Court on today. AAP newsagency says barrister Kristen Walker told the court that the 2009 fires destroyed 45 per cent of the habitat of the possum, which is Victoria’s faunal emblem. As Victorians prepare to mark the third anniversary of Black Saturday, lawyers for the group My Environment began a court battle with state-owned timber company VicForests to halt logging of the possum’s habitat in forest near Toolangi, northeast of Melbourne. The small nocturnal possum is found only in the mountain ash forests of the area. AAP says that in her opening address, Ms Walker told the court that in the areas devastated by the fires there were no possums. She said evidence would show that once a habitat was logged it took more than 100 years before it was again suitable for Leadbeater’s possums to live in. “The plaintiff’s case, Your Honour, is that logging forever changes the forest and the landscape, and that has consequences not only for the trees, but the species that depend on that landscape,” Ms Walker said. Barristers for VicForests will give their opening address when the trial before Justice Robert Osborn continues tomorrow. *AAP

Kangaroos

A local girl suffered shocking injuries in a freak attack by a kangaroo last week. Seven-year-old Regan McGovern walked into her backyard last Wednesday morning to find a kangaroo grazing. After previously patting a kangaroo at a wildlife park, she thought it would be fine to do the same in her own yard. It wasn’t. The kangaroo began to chase Regan around the yard, and after the animal caught her it knocked her to the ground and began to attack by jumping and pressing down on the young girl’s back. Upon hearing her daughter screaming, Regan’s mother Lexi Cubis raced outside and managed to pick up her daughter and ran towards the house. But the kangaroo wasn’t finished, it chased the pair and once again knocked Regan to the ground and began to attack. Two of Mrs Cubis’ friends then came to their aid and were able to distract the animal and allowed time for Mrs Cubis to get her daughter inside the house.

It bounced around the house for another 10 minutes after that,” Mrs Cubis said. “You just don’t think something like this would happen. We’ve been here four years and we’ve never had any trouble with them (kangaroos).” Mrs Cubis said there is a high population of kangaroos around their area on Black’s Rd and Rogers Rd. Regan was taken to hospital and has now returned home, but is scared to go outside. As a result of the attack, Regan suffered a black eye, scratches and bruises on her stomach and back as well as a fractured wrist. Mrs Cubis said she would like to make other parents and children aware that kangaroos can be extremely dangerous animals. “She is scared to go outside now, her sister is as well,” she said. “It frightened everyone in the house.” Glen Innes Examiner

While it may not happen as quickly as the industry hopes, there are strong signs of a resumption of the kangaroo meat trade with Russia this year, after a meeting of biosecurity officers in Berlin last month. Representatives from the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) met with their Russian Rosselkhoznadzor counterparts as part of the International Green Week food and agriculture industry exhibition. According to a statement provided to Queensland Country Life by the Federal Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), the Russian officials asked to inspect upgrades to Australian processing plants before any trade resumption decision was finalised. "The Russians indicated they are continuing to assess the technical submissions provided to date and would be willing to undertake a technical study visit of the Australian kangaroo meat system in 2012. The timing of this visit is to be confirmed," the statement read.

Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia president and South Australia-based Macro Meats managing director Ray Borda, who was not present at the meeting, said the industry had initially hoped the Russians would allow AQIS to approve the facility upgrades, which would have significantly sped up the approval process. However, he said there were high hopes the Russian trade would be reopened during the next 12 months. "Trade resumption will probably not be quite as quick as we initially expected, but the door is not closed and we are hopeful to see it reopen by the end of the year, with any luck. "But that will all depend on the Russians," Mr Borda said. "From all reports, the meeting went well and the Russians are set to come out to Australia and look at kangaroo premises in the second half of the year."

Mr Borda said his feedback from the meeting was that the Russians had been "highly complimentary" of the Australian certification system and said they appreciated that the industry had made a series of changes to comply with the 2009 audit. "The Russians recognise there have been a lot of changes and are happy to progress and come out here and see the changes first-hand. "We are still very hopeful, but like everyone else, we'd like it to happen yesterday. Nothing will be certain until we return to actually exporting product to Russia." DAFF said it had also provided information to the Chinese on Australian standards for producing kangaroo meat. Queensland Country Life reported last month the department was preparing a document to refute claims of anti-kangaroo meat industry activists. *Qld Country Life

Wildlife Carers

For close to 40 years, Terri Eather has been caring for injured and orphaned wildlife. This Angel of Australia is one of the most respected wildlife carers in this vast country. Spending a day with Terri at her Cornubia home gives you a fair idea of why this disability pensioner is the backbone of saving a plethora of native animal species. Little "Butterfly" is her latest joey to be in her care...yet another orphan who has lost their precious mother to an uncaring driver who didnt stop to attend to this vulnerable baby. With feeds every few hours, sleep is a luxury, but Terri would never stop being a foster mother to our furry friends as well as any sick, injured or orphaned wildlife that crosses her path. Having spent her working life as a police officer seeing the most horrific acts of human depravity and violence and where she was hurt on duty, Terri says she could handle that ... what she can't handle is the barbaric cruelty inflicted on those that cannot fight back and has seen many animals who were beyond her care because of a sickness in society today. She counts Bob Irwin as a dear friend having known him many years because of her voluntary work back in the day that saw the beginning of Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital and was there sitting quietly in the stands when the big boy in khaki was farewelled by the world...another dear friend and one she misses deeply.

With calls coming in from every corner of Australia, this Angel takes it all in her stride giving medical advice akin to something heard in an E.R. room. The main difference is there is no wage for Terri, no grants, no government funding and paying for everything out of a disability pension leaves this proud lady scraping for coins most weeks. Terri jokes, she tries to pay for things with Koala Food Gum Leaves! Her acreage in Cornubia is her sanctuary and when contacted about the hoons speeding up and down outside her home, a local Logan City Councillor wrote to residents requesting they please drive slowly and quietly in the immediate areas as stress from noise can kill wildlife. There also were two 1800 high steel signs in the ground with steel posts and unbelievably, one was stolen and police believe it would have taken the perpetrators over an hour to break the steel post so the sign could be removed. Patience is something Terri has bucketloads of as unfortunately drivers still speed and the hoons are still driving with excess noise. Some lovely neighbours do occasionaly bring her injured wildlife also. Without Terri, there would be far few koalas, roos, birds, lizards, snakes and a range of other native animals able to live another day in their natural habitat...her love is felt in the Aussie bush through and through. * Media release, Vegan Warriors

Koalas

A female koala is in intensive care at Australia Zoo's animal hospital after falling from a tree at a Brendale construction site on Monday. The joey she was carrying in her pouch did not survive the fall. The incident sparked criticism from koala rescue volunteers about the relevance $750-a-day DERM licensed koala spotters and catchers. DERM has acknowledged the incident and while no complaints have been recieved, its environment director Dr Ashley Bunce has commited to contacting council to determine if further action is necessary. An Australia zoo spokeswoman confirmed the five-year-old female koala named Troynina was admitted to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital after falling about 20m from a tree at Brendale. "A wildlife spotter/catcher working on a residential development land clearing site found the injured koala and transported her to the hospital for treatment," she said.

"Upon arrival, Dr Robyn Stenner assessed the koala and found she was carrying a three to four month old female koala joey in her pouch, who had sadly been killed as a result of the fall. "Troynina suffered head trauma, a fractured finger and multiple bruises. "She is currently in the Mammals ICU and expected to remain in care for the next three to four weeks if there are no further complications." The loss of the young koala's life prompted Jaylene Musgrave of the Sunshine Coast Koala Rescue Service to question the effectiveness of spotters. "Spotter/catchers are required to be on every site where (there is) bulldozing or clearing of any land," she said. "They are also required and paid to check all trees and bush for any wildlife that may being sleeping/living in any flora that is to be removed. "At Brendale the spotter catchers failed to protect the koala and her joey."

"And this is becoming common, we are constantly finding joeys dead everywhere there is clearing for development and its time the developers put their hands in their bulging pockets to help pay for them to be looked after properly both on site and by private volunteer carers who are doing incredible work with no support." Urban Development Industry Association (UDIA) environment coordinator Jasmin Lightbody said member builders paid $80 an hour for spotter/catchers during the day, $110 an hour at night or $750 for a full day of their services. Dr Ashley Bunce, DERM wildlife director said the Brendale incident was being investigated. ``For development on a site in this area, a koala spotter is required to be present,'' he said.
``Koala spotters do not need to have a permit but do need to be suitably experienced. '`Spotters cannot remove a koala it has to be able to move of its own volition. ``Koalas cannot be translocated for anything other than scientific purposes and unapproved translocation is an offence under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. Dr Bruce said DERM had not received any complaints about the incident but will contact the Moreton Bay Regional Council to determine what further action, if any, is required. Courier Mail

Another Injured Koala

Found after being hit by a car at Coomera on the Gold Coast. Transported to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital for specialised treatment and rehabilitation. Veterinary Assessment: Dr Bec assessed Pheno, with x-rays revealing he had suffered a fractured forearm. He is otherwise a very healthy male koala of unusually old age - he is very lucky to have lived for such a long time in the area in which he was found. Dr Bec administered Pheno pain relief and applied a cast to his forearm to help the fracture heal in place. Pheno was kept in the Mammals ICU under close observation, and has recently moved to a leafy outdoor enclosure. Pheno will remain in care for the next few months while his fracture heals, and will undergo regular physiotherapy to regain movement and climbing skills. He will then be released back into the wild. AZWH Statistic: On average, two koalas are admitted each week after being hit by a car, with 207 treated in 2011. Please slow down! *AZWH

Become a Wildlife Warrior

By making a one-off donation or joining our monthly giving program you can become part of a global wildlife force that is working hard to preserve our natural environment. Monthly Giving Program; Sign up to become a regular giver for wildlife conservation! Donations start from as little as $2.50 a week and can go to helping our native wildlife at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. Nearly 100 wildlife emergency calls are received every day at the Hospital, Up to 30 different species are admitted to the hospital every day, Currently around 80 koalas undergoing treatment, Approximately 70% of patients are victims of car accidents or domestic pet attacks, The cost to treat one animal ranges from $100 to thousands of dollars To sign up or find out more please visit http://www.wildlifewarriors.org.au *

Wildlife Bytes 2/2/12

2012-02-01T14:49:00.001-08:00

Editorial

Irate commercial fishermen and shop owners are suing the Queensland Government for more than $20 million in business losses, but Premier Anna Bligh says compensation is already in the pipeline. About 60 people are seeking compensation for business losses associated with losing fishing grounds due to dredging works and a fish disease outbreak in Gladstone Harbour. They are claiming a $70 billion port development at Gladstone, to prepare for massive shipments of liquefied natural gas and coal seam gas, contributed to the outbreak. The Premier Anna Bligh has said that compensation for damage to the fisherperson's Industry was always going to be paid, and the decision to pay compensation was made before the dredging started. So they knew before they started the dredging that the marine environment would be damaged! They knew fish and other marine life would be infected by the heavy metals stirred up by the dredging, although they have consistently denied it. But they still went ahead anyway, and Gladestone Harbor has been trashed, and much more trashing is to come. Curtis Island, very much a natural area with lots of wildlife, is to be the future site of another three CSG processing plants. And while its too probably late to save Gladstone Harbor and Curtis Island, groups are now trying to save nearby Keppel Bay from the Industrial fallout. Visit http://www.protectkeppelbay.org * WPAA

New Kangaroo Doco

The documentary 'Kangaroo Mob' will be on ABC 1 on Tuesday 21st February at 8:30pm. It is being promoted with... "meet the mob of 'street smart' kangaroos moving into Australia's Capital City". In light of the fact that several thousand kangaroos have been deliberately killed for no good reason in and around the ACT in recent years, it will be interesting to see what perspective the film makers take regarding the kangaroos. We do not expect the Doco to show kangaroos in a positive light, but we are always ready to be surprised. *WPAA

Family Fun and Music Day, Victoria

Come and enjoy a RAWSOME day of good vibes great music, delicious food, cold bevys & heaps of fun, family friendly - all ages welcome, heaps of delicious of food & drinks - healthy, funky, luscious, affordable, beer & wine for sale, free hydration station - get your fill of H2O, Raw market, merch tent & info stalls, free on-site parking - $2 Carbon tax for every empty seat in your vehicle, free hugs for walkers and bus or bicycle arrivals (use bus# 784, 785, 781), carbon conscious and offset event - join us thru the year for carbon offset projects, loads of FREE kids entertainment - rides, wildlife contact,performances, facepainters, circus, craft,games, do bring - sunscreen, hat, sunnys generous heart - every $ you spend supports conservation, dont bring - alcohol, umbrellas, glass, tight-ass attitude. Visit http://www.raw.org.au/

Elephants in Australia?

Australia should introduce elephants and allow dingoes to breed in packs as a radical, yet serious, solution to the country's rampant bushfire and feral animal problems, a Tasmanian environmental professor says. Alternatively, Aboriginals should be encouraged to reinstate their traditional practices of hunting and patch burning, University of Tasmania professor of environmental change biology, David Bowman, writes in an opinion piece for journal Nature today. Professor Bowman says while climate change may be a contributor to the increasing regularity of wildfires, they are being fuelled by the spread of "alien plants" introduced alongside invasive species that are also now overrunning the country, such as buffalo, pigs, camels and goats. Those animals are reconstructing ecosystems and destabilising the country's food webs, he says. But Professor Bowman believes yet more species need to be introduced to Australia. This time they should be mega-herbivores such as elephants, rhinoceroses or Komodo dragons, which would help reduce the thriving African grass called gamba, a major fire hazard. The poisoning of dingoes also should stop, as dingo packs would be predators for smaller, feral animals such as foxes and pigs.
Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/introduce-elephants-to-solve-bushfire-risks-professor-20120201-1qtob.html#ixzz1lAQUkLNV

Ed Comment; It never ceases to amaze us what some of these academics come up with. Gamba grass was introduced by farmers, dingoes are killed by farmers, kangaroos are killed by farmers, wouldn't the farmes have some fun with elephants walking thru their fences. They might have to buy bigger guns.......

Primates

An International animal charity claims it saved a petrified pregnant orang-utan mother and her infant after they were surrounded by headhunters in Borneo. The charity Four Paws, which was founded in Austria and campaigns to end animal cruelty, had been searching the area around a palm oil plantation after news of killings emerged. According to the charity, palm oil companies pay up to 1 million rupiah (about $100) for each orang-utan slaughtered. ''The Four Paws search unit did not find any surviving orang-utans apart from a pregnant female and her infant, who were already surrounded by a gang of local youths intending to kill them for the bounty,'' the organisation's website said. 'The petrified animals were rescued at last minute and brought to one of the few remaining safe areas in the jungle of Borneo.'' Dr Signe Preuschoft, a Four Paws primate expert, told the Daily Mail: ''Our arrival could not have been more timely.'' The charity, which runs an orang-utan orphanage, said the apes have since been successfully released into the wild. Large tracts of forest in Borneo have been cleared through logging and forest conversion for oil palm plantations and other agriculture. According to WWF, orang-utans are an easy target for hunters, being large and slow, and studies have indicated that 200-500 baby orang-utans from Borneo are illegally traded as pets each year. *Age

Crocodiles

Crocodile sightings near schools have triggered calls for "humane" cullings in northern Australia. North Queensland's Ian Macdonald, who is Federal Opposition spokesman on northern and remote Australia, made the call after a 5m crocodile was spotted near East Innisfail State School, in Queensland, over a 10-day period. "The time for dithering and pandering to the radical green element is over. We need urgent action before someone is killed," he said. Senator Macdonald was critical of the Queensland Government, especially State Fisheries Minister Craig Wallace who he said had praised the success of a shark culling program, but continued to ignore the threat of crocodiles. Crocosaurus Cove croc handler Nigel Palmer said it would be more sensible for the crocs to be moved to farms or parks such as in the NT. He said in the Wet crocs did arrive in unusual places but as the water retracted they went with it. "It (a cull) would be difficult to police and monitor. It would be impossible to control," he said. "The positive would be creating an income for indigenous communities or similar, and the biggest negative would be leaving wounded animals swimming around in the system. And wounded crocodiles are dangerous animals." *NT News

Alpine National Parks

The Baillieu government is refusing to abandon its cattle grazing trial in the Alpine National Park despite the Commonwealth rejecting its plans under national environment laws. Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke yesterday ruled that the grazing trial - which would return 400 cows to the park - posed unacceptable risks to the heritage values of the alpine region and said it was in breach of federal law. ''A national park should not be used as a farm,'' Mr Burke said. ''It is there for nature and it is there for people to enjoy nature. It's not there to be used as a form of free feed for a handful of local users and it shouldn't be used in that way.'' State Environment Minister Ryan Smith said he was now seeking advice from the Victorian Government Solicitor's Office and his department on possible next steps. He said the trial was an election commitment the government intended to keep. But he conceded it would now be difficult to put cows back into the alpine park this summer. ''It [the trial] is an election commitment, we were elected to fulfil our election commitments, this is one and we will certainly be pushing through to the best degree that we can,'' Mr Smith said.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/federal-no-to-alpine-grazing-but-state-refuses-to-bow-20120131-1qrcb.html#ixzz1lAatFI72

Seals

A grey seal hunt on Hay Island off Cape Breton is looking doubtful this year because of a lack of markets, says a spokesman for the sealers.vRobert Courtney said Monday the Cape Breton sealers were hoping to see markets for grey seal meat in China but a proposed trade agreement opening the door for the export of Canadian seal products hasn’t happened.v“It don’t look good without the meat market,” said Courtney, president of the North of Smokey/Inverness South Fishermen’s Association.v“The people in China want it but the border isn’t open and we can’t get it there.”Last January, then-Fisheries Minister Gail Shea announced from Beijing that she had landed a trade agreement to sell Canadian seal meat in China, but bureaucrats with Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have confirmed the Chinese have yet to sign off on the agreement, the Canadian Press reported in November. Frank Pinhorn, executive director of the Canadian Sealers Association, said at the time Fisheries and Oceans may have promised too much, too soon but he’s confident a final deal is in the works. *Cape Breton Post "
Ed comment; Sounds very much like the kangaroo kill....these dispicable Industries trying to dump their products that noone else wants, onto the Chinese markets."

Climate Change

Tropical sea cucumbers and their faeces could save coral reefs from the harmful impacts of climate change, scientists have found. Scientists at One Tree Island, the University of Sydney’s research station on the Great Barrier Reef, say sea cucumbers reduce the impact of ocean acidification on coral growth. "When they ingest sand, the natural digestive processes in the sea cucumber's gut increases the pH levels of the water on the reef where they defecate," Tree Island director professor Maria Byrne said. This works to counter the negative effects of ocean acidification. One of the by-products when sea cucumbers digest sand is also calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which is a key component of coral. "To survive, coral reefs must accumulate CaCO3 at a rate greater than or equal to the CaCO3 that is eroded from the reef," Professor Byrne said. "The research at One Tree Island showed that, in a healthy reef, dissolution of calcium carbonate sediment by sea cucumbers and other bioeroders appears to be an important component of the natural calcium carbonate turnover." The ammonia waste produced when sea cucumbers digest sand also serves to fertilise the surrounding area, providing nutrients for coral growth. Sea cucumbers are among the largest invertebrates found on tropical reefs. About 30 species are commercially harvested by the fishery industry along the Great Barrier Reef and throughout the tropics. "We urgently need to understand the impact of removing sea cucumbers and other invertebrates on reef health and resilience at a time when reefs face an uncertain future," Professor Byrne said. * AAP

Platypus

A juvenile female Platypus has found stuck in a fish ladder in a weir in the Caboolture River. She was taken to The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by the concerned local resident who found Zayne. Triage nurses Lisa and Ann checked over Zayne when she was admitted late in the afternoon, and found she was a healthy little girl who had just been displaced. Dr Robyn’s assessment detected no abnormalities. Zayne was already well hydrated, and fed some mealworms. She was kept in the Mammals ICU overnight for observation, and given the all-clear for release the very next day. Zayne was released in suitable platypus habitat, far from any roads or residential housing, by Murray our Appeals Manager. It’s great getting out of the office to see the results of all of our hard work! AZWH Statistic: It’s very rarely we see platypus at the hospital (3 since 2010), but we’ve treated two in the past week alone! *AZWH

Spiders

Southeast Queensland residents have been warned to be on the lookout for potentially dangerous funnel-web spiders, which typically move around in warm and damp weather. Queensland Museum senior curator Robert Raven yesterday said that although more common in Sydney, funnel-web spiders were found in Brisbane suburbs near dense bush, such as The Gap, Kedron Brook, Mt Coot-tha, Bardon, Kenmore, Brookfield, Pullenvale, Springwood, Rochedale, and Capalaba and Mt Cotton in Redland City. Gaythorne resident Jessica Radnidge thought she had stumbled over an outbreak of funnel-web spiders after she found two at her house in the past three weeks, one of which bit her father, Philip. After examining photographs, Dr Raven said the creatures were mouse spiders. He said the confusion with a funnel-web was understandable because they were similar in size and dark colouring, except that the mouse spider was stockier. People should be wary about funnel-web and mouse spiders, both of which were potentially dangerous. "A child at Gatton was bitten by a mouse spider in the '80s and, judging by the reaction, everyone thought it was a funnel-web," he said. "They can deliver a severe bite." Funnel-web spiders grow as big as an adult hand. With summer temperatures and rain, deadly male funnel-webs will be active until at least March or April. Males often wander at night searching for females, especially during rain. *Courier Mail

Become a Wildlife Warrior

By making a one-off donation or joining our monthly giving program you can become part of a global wildlife force that is working hard to preserve our natural environment. Monthly Giving Program; Sign up to become a regular giver for wildlife conservation! Donations start from as little as $2.50 a week and can go to helping our native wildlife at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. Nearly 100 wildlife emergency calls are received every day at the Hospital, Up to 30 different species are admitted to the hospital every day, Currently around 80 koalas undergoing treatment, Approximately 70% of patients are victims of car accidents or domestic pet attacks, The cost to treat one animal ranges from $100 to thousands of dollars To sign up or find out more please visit http://www.wildlifewarriors.org.au *

Wyangala Kangaroos

A study into the number of kangaroos at Wyangala Dam has been ordered following a New Year’s Day roo attack on a seven-year-old Orange girl. The unprovoked attack left Makayla McEvoy scratched and bruised when she and her family were holidaying at the popular tourist destination near Cowra. Wyangala Waters State Park manager Russell McLeod said the study was ordered at the regular monthly meeting on Tuesday night. He said until the study had been conducted it was too early to say if the park’s kangaroos would be culled. “I hope there won’t be a cull because we’ve only had one incident in anyone’s memory,” he said. “One incident doesn’t mean there should be a cull, the kangaroos have a right to be there. “The kangaroos are a feature of the park, people come here knowing they can see them up close. “[The park] copped a fair bit of media attention. “It’s our duty of care to all our guests and for the animals to hopefully prevent that happening again.”

Mr McLeod said the study would involve an assessment of the kangaroo population, whether it was on the increase and also if current numbers presented a risk to visitors. He said the study would be conducted over a number of months with Wyangala Waters State Trust set to seek funding from Crown Lands to undertake the research. Makayla’s mother Emma McGowan welcomed the study and said she would support the findings. “If the research shows they are multiplying too quickly they should be culled,” she said. While the kangaroos “have a right to exist”, Ms McGowan said “it has to be looked at in context, it’s a recreation park ... people should be protected”. She said Makayla suffers from nightmares and hasn’t been sleeping well since the attack. While park staff installed temporary signs to warn people of the dangers kangaroos present, Ms McGowan said more needed to be done to educate people. *Central Western Daily

Koalas

If Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke does not list koalas as a nationally threatened species, it will show federal environment legislation is incapable of protecting wildlife, says leading University of Queensland researcher Frank Carrick. Dr Carrick said since southeast Queensland koalas were nominated for listing as locally endangered in 2010, there had been silence from the State Government and procrastination by the Federal Government. He said there was clear evidence that southeast koalas should be listed as critically endangered under state legislation. Mr Burke is due to announce his decision next month after a Senate inquiry tabled a damning report on the animal's future. State Environment Minister Vicky Darling would not respond to questions yesterday about whether she would list koalas as locally endangered, saying any decision was for the Federal Government. "This Government recognises that our koala population is vulnerable in southeast Queensland and that's why we have a $60 million koala response strategy to protect habitat, buy new property and implement strict planning controls to link animal conservation with development planning and approvals," she said.

Dr Carrick said Queensland would look silly if it had to play catch-up with the Commonwealth on listings, since the key elements leading to the likely federal listing were based on Queensland research. "In the unlikely event that Commonwealth listing does not happen, it will clearly demonstrate the complete inadequacy of the (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation) Act to protect Australia's unique fauna," he said. Australian Koala Foundation executive director Deborah Tabart has warned for years that unless tough action was taken, koala numbers would crash. Koala numbers in the Redlands east of Brisbane have collapsed by 68 per cent from 1999 to 2010 and a survey released on Tuesday showed a drop of 13 per cent last year. With error margins factored in, Ms Darling is selling it as a sign the decline may have been arrested. *Courier Mail

Dolphins

Jet skiers near Hobart have ploughed through a dolphin pod that was likely to include baby dolphins. Video footage and photographs show the two jet skiers appear to deliberately target the pod, which contained up to 30 dolphins. Onlookers who saw the incident on Saturday, in Frederick Henry Bay off Lauderdale, said people were enjoying watching the dolphins when they were horrified to see the two skis, each carrying a man and a woman, ride through the dolphins. Their horrified voices calling out are heard on the tape. They believed the riders did it deliberately and seemed to continue riding among the dolphins, which split up and swam in different directions. Wildlife biologist Kris Carlyon said it was likely the dolphins would not return."The dolphins will have felt harassed and basically will clear out, at least in the short term," said Mr Carlyon, of the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and the Environment.

"We've seen quite a few calves among the pods [recently] and they are at a particularly vulnerable stage of their life. "This is a sad example of people getting over-excited and ruining it for everyone else." Marine and Safety Tasmania was keen to identify the jet skis or their riders. Police could also become involved. DPIPWE recommends whale-watching guidelines also apply to dolphins: Do not approach in a boat any closer than 100m, the distance recommended for boats moving at slow speed and with no wake (less than 8 knots), Vessels under steam no closer than 300m, Withdraw immediately if animal shows disturbance, Move slowly while in the area, Do not approach from the rear of the animal. Report Tasmanian marine mammal sightings to 0427 WHALES, 0427 942 537. *Mercury

Bats

Hate the annoying drone of mosquitoes buzzing around your head when you are outside trying to enjoy the cool of an evening? You should be thankful for Victoria's microbats, who each devour a staggering 1000 mosquitoes every hour, all through the night. A warm, wet summer has caused an insect boom across Victoria, and the state's tiniest bats are enjoying a feeding frenzy. Often mistaken by home-owners as either large moths or small swallows, these animals can eat almost their own weight in insects each night. Department of Sustainability and Environment bat ecologist Micaela Jemison and wildlife biologist Lindy Lumsden work at the Arthur Rylah Institute, where most of the state's bat research is carried out. According to them, there's a lot to love about the 20 species of microbats that occur in Victoria - 16 of them in greater Melbourne.

Despite being around in large numbers, they are rarely seen. "You notice them if you watch their flight movement," Dr Lumsden said. "Birds swoop, but bats zig-zag and are magnificently manoeuvrable. "As well, while human ears can't hear the echolocation waves they emit, we can certainly detect their squeaks - and, if you are up close to them when they are eating, the sound of them munching and crunching their prey." With sharp little teeth, the bats can catch a moth or mosquito as they fly, scoop it under their wing and hold it against their belly. They then bend their head down to eat on the wing. Unlike movie misconceptions, these bats have good eyesight and don't drink blood. They live for about eight years, roosting in tree hollows and living in relatively small roosts of about 35. At the institute, resident eastern freetail bats George and Cranky are both 22 and have been handled by literally thousand of excited bat fans. * HeraldSun

Introduced Wild Animals

Non-native Burmese pythons are the likely cause of a staggering mammal decline in Florida's Everglades. In PNAS journal, they report that observations of some mammal species have declined by more than 99%. A team studied road surveys of mammals in the Everglades National Park before and after pythons became common. Researchers found a strong link between the spread of pythons and drops in recorded sightings of raccoons, rabbits, bobcats and other species. The national park covers the southern 25% of the original Everglades - a region of subtropical wetlands that has been drained over the last century to reclaim it for human use. The origins of Burmese pythons in south Florida are unknown, but many were imported into the US through the pet trade. As the pythons have made it from captivity into the wild, the absence of natural predators has allowed populations to balloon. Intermittent sightings were recorded for 20 years before the snakes were recognized as being established across the Everglades in 2000.

The pythons are now established across thousands of sq km in southern Florida. Although there are no accurate figures for how many there are, the numbers removed from the Everglades reached nearly 400 in 2009 and this has been increasing year-on-year (apart from a slight drop in 2010 due to a cold spell). “Any snake population - you are only seeing a small fraction of the numbers that are actually out there,’ said Prof Michael Dorcas, one of the study's authors, from Davidson College in North Carolina. He told BBC News: “They are a new top predator in Everglades National Park - one that shouldn't be there. We have documented pythons eating alligators; we have also documented alligators eating pythons. It depends on who is biggest during the encounter.” Earlier this month, US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced that the US was poised to approve a ban on importing Burmese pythons. But some observers remarked that the move was about 30 years too late. * BBC

University of Canberra wildlife virologist Brian Cooke has received an Order of Australia medal (OAM) for services to conservation and the environment through biological management programs for rabbit population control. Dr Cooke is one of Australia's top experts on rabbit control. But he also works in partnership with European researchers, analysing the spread of rabbit viruses, and using the data to help conserve Europe's endangered native rabbit species.

Recenty we ran an article from the media about a kangaroo shooter who had taken to shooting wild dogs and dingoes, and we received some feedback about the issue of distinguishing between wild crossbred dogs, and dingoes. Most of us recognise that the farmers will shoot anything with 4 legs (or two), dingo or crossbred wild dog doesn't matter. When we first started producing Wildlife Bytes 12 years ago, the intention was to try to get as much info about the pressures that are placed on wildlife out to as many people as possible. We try to put good news items in when we can find them, but there's not many. Our objectives with Wildlife Bytes are to inform as many people as possible about the issues that wildlife face, from human activity such as agriculture, housing, and industrial development, and the lack of government concern for wildlife, etc.

As far as introduced wild animals go, WPAA has always argued that the controls now used, such as aerial shooting and poisons, is only a bandaid and does little to really, permanently, address the environmental problems these animals cause. For instance, a 6 months aerial shooting program for say wild pigs, may cost $200,000, and take out say 5000 pigs or less. By the time another $200,000 is available, (if ever) the numbers have bred up to more than what they were before. It's only a very temporary solution...in fact not a solution at all, and it has to be repeated regularly. Same with current attempts to reduce or eradicate camels, horses, rabbits, Indian mynas, and other introduced wild animals.

And while the Government is spending a few hundred thousand, and telling the media how great they are, and what great job they are doing, they give the impression they are taking effective action, when they are really not. For example, if there are 200 million or so wild pigs in Australia, shooting 5000 in one small area, is just a drop in the bucket. WPAA has always argued that Governments have to spend funds to develop permanent longterm solutions to this problem, not just bump off a few now and again, to get a feel good story in the paper.

Also, any program directed at reducing wild introduced animals has to consider humane issues, or it wont get broad community support. The use of poison, particullarly 1080, is opposed by by most Australians, as is aerial shooting, and unless these eradication (or attempted eradication) programs have community support, they dont get very far. People complain to their local members, and the programs get dropped.

Introduced wild animals are a huge problem, and what we are doing now is not solving the problem, it's just putting it on the backburner. At WPAA we dont know what the answer is, nor do we know what can be done to hold back the tide until a permanent solution can be found. But we do know its not what we are doing now. Perhaps we need to develop a benign virus that can carry a contraceptive thru an introduced species population, or something. We have to do something better, and we'd like to see much more funds spent on finding something better, rather than than what we are doing now.

The Government claims there are 1 million camels in Australia (we dont know how they count them) and over 2 million wild pigs. They have admitted that they will never be able to get rid of the pigs, because hunters keep putting young pigs into areas that dont already have them, so they will breed up and be a source of hunting material later. There is no doubt that wild cats get lots of blame for reducing wildlife too, and wild cats are a handy blame game for farmers and government departments to be able to blame wild cats for their own activities....or lack of them. As we have said, we dont know what the answer to reducing the impact of introduced wild animals is, but we do know its not what we are doing now.......WPAA

Wildlife Bytes 26/1/12

2012-01-25T13:49:00.000-08:00

Editorial; 2011, Sad year for Wildlife

Many wildlife lovers know about an incredibly bizarre incident involving animals who ran rampant after being released from a private animal reserve near Zanesville, Ohio after one of the owners of the reserve released them and then apparently shot himself. At least 49 of the animals have been shot and killed, most of them within 1500 feet of their pens, six tranquilized, and one hit by a car. Summary by Marc Bekoff, Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Read more http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animal-emotions/201110/bloodbath-in-ohio-numerous-exotic-animals-killed-after-being-freed

Then in December in Australia, near Gympie, 20 kangaroos are killed by a Police Officer....... without a Permit. Inquiries are ongoing. Permits are being granted to "relocate" flying foxes, in spite of the stress and confusion these relocation attempts cause the flying foxes. One loudmouthed, environmentally bereft politician wants to wipe them out. And we are losing our warrior activists as well. Earlier this year our Elsie Quinn passed away, a stalwart Sydney action lady for all animals. Then Joan Papayani from WLPA passed away in Sydney, closely followed by her husband Cliff. Cliff acted as our Pro Bono barrister in one of our earlier appeals against the commercial kangaroo kill. Even now I can still vividly remember after we lost the Appeal, and the Judgement was handed down, Cliff calling out "its a whitewash!" Another koala has been shot in Queensland, the commercial kangaroo Industry continues to push its disgusting wheelbarrow, and we the taxpayers, are paying for it through Federal Government grants to the Industry. Many of our hardworking wildlife carers are getting out, plagued by a lack of funding and lack of support from Government Environment Departments. Will 2012 be any better for wildlife? We doubt it..........

Bush Food for Captive Wildlife

The Alice Springs Desert Park in Central Australia has been growing native foods for its animals and hopes to eventually become entirely self-sufficient. *ABC
Watch the video .. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-15/wildlife-park-grows-own-bush-foods/3773676

Getup Survey

With an election around the corner in 2013, this year will be critical as Parliament considers a range of progressive reforms. Can you take a few minutes to help set GetUp’s priorities for the year ahead? Can we suggest the commercial kangaroo kill is an issue Getup could work on?
The Survey is here... http://surveys.getup.org.au/s3/2012-Vision-Survey?t=dXNlcmlkPTUxNTY2LGVtYWlsaWQ9NTM4

Wildlife Rally

A Wildlife rally for dugongs and sea turtles is to be held in Brisbane in February, and all native animal/marine groups are invited to the rally. The rally in Brisbane is held under Earthrace Conservation Australia banner .
http://www.earthraceconservation.org/videos/earthrace-and-us-campaign-protect-australias-dugongs-and-sea-turtlesmp4 It is one of three Earthrace Rallys being held in 2012. One in London January 19th, One in new Zealand 20th January, And one in Brisbane Feb 14th . The Rallys are designed to embarrass our governments on dugong and turtle hunting, and also to highlight what the existing government or the incoming government needs to do to help our wildlife causes. Earthrace have invited a lot of animal groups, including Fraser Island dingoes, Koala groups, Wildlife Protection Association of Australia Inc., and Opposition members of the LNP will speak at the rally at our invitation. Bob Irwin will be there in person. It will be Tuesday February 14th, at 2.30 PM on Speakers Corner outside the Old Parliament. Contact is to director of operations Alan Winstanley alan@earthrace.net or ColinwhoCares at dugongman@gmail.com 0427632208 More info on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/366905653326724/

Climate Change

There are concerns residents of the outer islands in the Torres Strait will soon be forced to flee their homes by encroaching seas. Late last year the Federal Government backflipped on a commitment to restore seawalls on the islands. Scientists say without those seawalls infrastructure on the shoreline could be inundated, exposing locals to water-borne diseases. It's just a few days before the king tide season when many island communities in the Torres Strait are expected to flood once again. The rise in sea levels and an increase in extreme weather events in the region make the islands at this time of the year particularly vulnerable. *ABC
Read more; ... http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2012/s3408747.htm

Kangaroos Shot by Police Officer

Last issue of WildIife Bytes we carried a story about the Police Officer who went kangaroo shooting near Gympie, and killed 20 or so kangaroos, many which had been considered "pets" by the locals, and some were even named. The Police Officer is a 42 year old senior officer who took a young teenager out with him in mid December to carry out this senseless attack. This officer, who reportedly killed these kangaroos, has been issued only with an "Infringement Notice," which amounts to a "slap on the wrist." However, in a response to our letter to the Qld Police Commissioner, he states that he (the Commissioner) is unable to comment further as the matter is still under investigation. He did say that the Matter has been referred to the Qld CMC, and the Police Ethical Standards Committee is also investigating. AWPC have set up a petition to get this Policeman properly tried in a court of law because in Australia if you shoot just one kangaroo without a Permit, a native protected species, there carries with it a $10,000 Australian dollar penalty per animal. As the Qld Government has called an election for March 24th, its likely that this matter will be buried, unless we keep up the pressure. If you havent done so already, please take some action now to ensure this matter doesnt get "shoved under the carpet". You could also contact your local Candidates about this too.
Petition here http://www.change.org/petitions/mothers-and-babies-shot-down-by-australian-policeman
Contact the Qld Crime and Misconduct Commission here http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/about-us/contact-us Please take some action over this outrage.

Seals

Post-mortem examinations conducted on New Zealand fur seals found dead on a remote South Australian beach are inconclusive but may point to infection as a cause of death. Staff at Adelaide University's vet school have today completed necropsies on the remains of three of 51 seal pups found dead on the Eyre Peninsula on Sunday, Adelaide University spokesman David Ellis said. One adult and one juvenile were also found dead, taking the total to 53. "The seal pups are quite badly decomposed," Mr Ellis said today. "They can't rule out people doing the wrong thing or foul play but they're leaning towards there potentially being some kind of infection." The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said seals washed up along six kilometres of coastline in the Wanna Beach area of Lincoln National Park on Sunday. The protected species is found along Australia's south coast and along the coast of New Zealand's South Island. The seals can weigh up to 250kg but males usually average about 125kg. They are generally considered docile but will attack if provoked. AAP

Bats

More than five years since the deadly white-nose fungus was first detected in a New York cave where bats hibernate, up to 6.7 million of the animals are estimated to have died in 16 states and Canada, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Tuesday. The estimate, drawn from surveys by wildlife officials mostly in Northeastern states where the disease thrives, confirmed the worst fears of biologists who have been counting dead bats covered in the powdery fungus in mines and caves every winter and worrying whether the little brown bat, the northern long-eared bat and the tricolored bat will survive. “We’re watching a potential extinction event on the order of what we experienced with bison and passenger pigeons for this group of mammals,” said Mylea Bayless, conservation programs manager for Bat Conservation International in Austin, Tex. “The difference is we may be seeing the regional extinction of multiple species,” Bayless said. “Unlike some of the extinction events or population depletion events we’ve seen in the past, we’re looking at a whole group of animals here, not just one species. We don’t know what that means, but it could be catastrophic.” Washington Post
Read more .. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/nearly-7-million-bats-may-have-died-from-white-nose-fungus-officials-say/2012/01/17/gIQAyixH6P_story.html

Crows

A video of a fun-loving crow seemingly using a jar lid to 'snowboard' down a snow-covered roof has gone viral on YouTube. The one minute 24 second clip of the bird, captured by a family in Russia, has notched up nearly 250,000 hits in just two days. The hooded crow is seen taking advantage of the chilly winter weather to repeatedly slide down the roof on the round jar lid. After the enterprising bird successfully slides down the roof, he picks up his lid and flies back to the top to try again. The second time around, it tries sliding over a bare patch of roof but quickly realises that snow works much better than roof tiles. The family who captured the moment watched the bird in awe. "Maybe it is teasing us," one of the children says.
Research has revealed that crows are fiercely intelligent, with powerful memories, planning skills and the ability to trick other animals.
Watch the Video ...... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP9RnDp_tms&feature=player_embedded#!

Black Cockatoos

Black cockatoos are on a death march north says the chair of the Black Cockatoo Preservation Society The WA government should stop logging immediately in old growth forest in order to save the lives of black cockatoos. That's the opinion of Glenn Dewhurst, chair of the Black Cockatoo Preservation Society Australia. Cockatoo numbers of both white-tailed and red-tailed species are decreasing in the South West and the metropolitan area, he says, and lack of food is one of the reasons. Marri, jarrah nuts, hakea and banksia form part of the bird's normal diet, explains Glenn, "Unfortunately it is becoming more scarce." Glenn, who is also Chair of Wildlife Australia, has been looking after injured birds since 2004. "(We would) get up to 300, 400 rescues a year," he says. "We have 200 at the moment." *ABC
Read more ... http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/01/17/3409833.htm

Allan the Dollarbird

Found hopping and flapping on the side of a road in Landsborough, and transported to: The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by the concerned local resident who found Allan. Dr Claude assessed Allan and noted weakness, but a good body score overall. X-rays revealed Allan had no fractures, however there were several foreign objects located in his stomach, including what looked like a can ring pull. Dr Claude gave Allan fluids, pain relief and antibiotics, and prepared for surgery the following day. However in the morning, Dr Claude discovered that overnight Allan had passed three can ring pulls, a rock, and a piece of plastic! Outcome: Allan is still having a little trouble standing, however is now able to be sent to a registered wildlife carer for hand-raising before being released back into the wild. AZWH Statistic: Please dispose of your rubbish carefully! Many patients are brought to us after eating what they mistake for food, and not all are as lucky as Allan. *AZWH

Feral Pythons

The United States is banning the import of Burmese pythons and three other species of giant constrictor snakes due to the danger they pose to local wildlife. U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar made the announcement Tuesday as he visited the Everglades National Park in Florida, saying the ban will take effect in about 60 days. The move will make it illegal to import the snakes or transport them across state lines. In addition to the python, the new policy refers to the yellow anaconda as well as the northern and southern African pythons as injurious wildlife. Salazar said in a statement that the nonnative, invasive snakes pose a real and immediate threat to the Everglades and other ecosystems in the United States. He said the Burmese python has already gained a foothold in the Everglades. * Voice of America
Read more ... http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/US-Bans-Snakes-Plaguing-Florida-Everglades-137524748.html

New Primate Rediscovered!

Scientists working in the dense jungles of Indonesia have "rediscovered" a large, grey monkey so rare it was believed to be extinct. They were all the more baffled to find the Miller's grizzled langur - its black face framed by a fluffy, dracula-esque white collar - in an area well outside its previously recorded home range. The team set up camera traps in the Wehea Forest on the eastern tip of Borneo island in June, hoping to capture images of clouded leopards, orang-utans and other wildlife known to congregate at several mineral salt licks. The pictures that came back caught them all by surprise: groups of monkeys none had ever seen. With virtually no photographs of the grizzled langurs in existence, it at first was a challenge to confirm their suspicions, said Brent Loken, a PhD student at Simon Fraser University in Canada, and one of the lead researchers. The only images out there were museum sketches.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/monkey-believed-extinct--rediscovered-20120122-1qbrl.html#ixzz1kRrBzR2v

Fishing

Rising wealth in Asia and fishing subsidies are among factors driving overexploitation of the world's fish resources, while fish habitat is being destroyed by pollution and climate change, UN marine experts said Tuesday. Up to 32 per cent of the world's fish stocks are overexploited, depleted or recovering, they warned. Up to half of the world's mangrove forests and a fifth of coral reefs that are fish spawning grounds have been destroyed. The UN Environment Programme says less-destructive ways of fishing that use more labour and less energy are needed to help restore the health of the world's oceans and coasts. The agency is leading a five-day conference in Manila of experts and officials from 70 governments.
Read more .. http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120124/UNEP-world-fish-stock-warning-120124/20120124/?hub=CalgaryHome

Become a Wildlife Warrior

By making a one-off donation or joining our monthly giving program you can become part of a global wildlife force that is working hard to preserve our natural environment. Monthly Giving Program; Sign up to become a regular giver for wildlife conservation! Donations start from as little as $2.50 a week and can go to helping our native wildlife at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. Nearly 100 wildlife emergency calls are received every day at the Hospital, Up to 30 different species are admitted to the hospital every day, Currently around 80 koalas undergoing treatment, Approximately 70% of patients are victims of car accidents or domestic pet attacks, The cost to treat one animal ranges from $100 to thousands of dollars To sign up or find out more please visit http://www.wildlifewarriors.org.au *

Wildlife Caring

The Gold Coast's wildlife has a good friend in 2012's Citizen of the Year. Founder of the ABC and Wildlife Trauma Centre Trish Wimberly took out the top gong at the annual Gold Coast City Council Australia Day Awards. Mayor Ron Clarke said the awards were all about recognising and celebrating the city's outstanding community members and organisations. "It is so pleasing that our community has embraced the challenge of looking after our environment as shown by this year's recipients of the Gold Coast Citizen of the Year and the Environmental Achievement Award," Cr Clarke said. Mrs Wimberly and her husband provide medical care to all species of sick, injured and orphaned bats and Australian native fauna. Since 2000 their not-for-profit organisation has rescued most of the non-domesticated animals injured on the Coast's roads. The centre's operation requires a 24/7 commitment, houses up to 500 animals and is well deserving of Mrs Wimberly's accolade. *MyDaily News

Injured wallaby joeys are slowly bouncing back thanks to the care of a Townsville volunteer carer. Louella and Reidy, as featured on the front page of today's Bulletin, are among 13 joeys cared for by North Queensland Wildlife Care's Margaret Neihoff at Kirwan. "They're not ready to live independently until about 12 months old but they will leave the substitute pouches in the next few weeks," she said. It takes the 71-year-old retiree up to eight hours to feed the joeys five times each day. "It takes about 90 minutes to feed them once I make the milk and get the bottles ready," she said. "I take them to the toilet and keep them clean and wash the bottles too." Named after Reid River, Reidy was found with a broken tail off the highway near Charters Towers. "He was found like that on the side of the road but he's recovering and it's not going to impede his mobility," she said. Found in her dead mum's pouch, Louella was given to Ms Neihoff by a family at Alligator Creek."She came here last Sunday, the family saw the mother on the side of the road, the body was decomposing after she'd been hit by a car," she said. "I think people should not assume there won't be a joey inside even if the body doesn't look fresh - they should really check the pouch." A carer of 30 years, Ms Neihoff said North Queensland Wildlife Care needed more people willing to rehabilitate animals. "We have basic training on February 18 to become registered, people can sign up online," she said. * Cairns Post More info: http://www.nqwildlife.org.au

Although Wildlife Victoria has closed its overnight emergency service, other local services are available for injured animals and birds. Leader revealed in December that despite receiving a massive $4.3 million in donations after 2009’s Black Saturday fires, financial statements showed Wildlife Victoria could be bankrupt within three years. Chief executive Karen Masson revealed in an email sent to the organisation’s membership last week that the 24-hour rescue service would become a day service from February 1. Between 9pm and 7am the hotline would provide “information only” and no longer answer emergency calls. “We trust that with suitable funding in place we will be able to offer a service to cover these hours, if possible, later in the year,” Ms Masson said in the email. However, local wildlife carers said this decision would not affect services around the peninsula. Wildlife Help On Mornington Peninsula (WHOMP) treasurer, Una Merrick, said her organisation’s phone number was monitored 24 hours. “WHOMP is the main group here and, combined with Help for Wildlife, we have covered the peninsula for many years,” Ms Merrick said. Wildlife Victoria has also withdrawn food and fuel subsidies to carers and rescuers, who rely on a 50 per cent rebate on the cost of specially formulated milk and 10c a kilometre when attending callouts. Food rebates will cease from January 31, while fuel will no longer be subsidised after March 31. Ms Merrick said she had always paid for all food given to animals and, up until recently, all petrol costs in transporting many of the larger wildlife to Healesville’s animal hospital. Anyone who finds injured wildlife can phone WHOMP on 0417 380 687. * Leader

Nicola Vaughan, 35, Willliamstown, of Wildlife Victoria, wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, is one of 12 community workers recognised in the Victorian Australia Day awards. "In four years working with Wildlife Victoria I have helped transport and foster hundreds of native animals - such as possums, native birds, goannas, kangaroo joeys, micro bats and small mammals. "In feel a responsibility because in my generation we have expanded our urban boundaries so much that it is badly affecting wildlife. "I keep my summer free of paid work so I can help with wildlife." she said. * Herald Sun

The next workshop on Pelicans & Seabirds,which will be presented by Julie Dunn, Founder & Coordinator of Australian Seabired Rescue South Coast. To be conducted in beautiful Bermagui on the 25th February 2012, this workshop will teach you how to recognize pelicans, seabirds & shorebirds that are sick, injured or orphaned. Also how to rescue and provide immediate first aid in the field. If you could please distribute the flyer amongst your work colleagues, associates, friends or whoever you think may be interested in attending it would be appreciated. I would encourage anyone interested in reducing the human impact on our coastal wildlife to attend. Should you have any queries please do not hesitate in contacting me on the ASR Hotline 0431282238 .Julie Dunn, Founder & Co-ordinator, Australian Seabird Rescue South Coast, Mob: 0431272237 email: seabirdrescue@optusnet.com.au

Whaling

Activists and the Coalition say a broken promise by the federal Labor government led three Australian anti-whaling protesters to board a Japanese whaling vessel. West Australians Glen Pendlebury, Simon Peterffy and Geoffrey Tuxworth boarded the Shonan Maru No.2 off Bunbury, WA, on January 7 and demanded the crew take them back to Australia. The action was a futile attempt to divert the whaling fleet's security vessel from shadowing a Sea Shepherd anti-whaling boat. In diplomatic talks, Japan agreed not to charge the men with trespass and allowed them to be picked up by an Australian customs boat, which brought them to the WA port of Albany on Monday.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/whale-watch/activists-blame-labor-for-whaling-clash-20120117-1q4cw.html#ixzz1jkQ2ll9F

Anti-whaling campaigners and the crew of a Japanese whaling ship have had a violent clash at sea, with the activists hurling containers of rotten butter and paint and getting sticks and teargas in return. Sea Shepherd's Steve Irwin vessel was shadowing the Yushin Maru 2 in the Antarctic Ocean when the confrontation occurred on Sunday. The Japanese Fisheries Agency says the activists threw more than 40 bottles of rotten butter and paint at the whaling ship. Steve Irwin captain Paul Watson told the ABC that the Japanese returned fire with concussion grenades and teargas. "They have been using concussion grenades on us," Mr Watson said. "Today they used, also for the first time, teargas which they have in these large canisters on backpacks." It was the latest incident in the long-running battle between the activists and Japanese. Two weeks ago three Australians illegally boarded the Shonan Maru 2 off the West Australian coast in an effort to disrupt the Japanese whalers. "We're chasing the Japanese whaling fleet. They're running and it's a constant confrontation," Mr Watson said. He said the Australian and New Zealand governments should have ships in the area to monitor the situation. "But our objective is to save as many whales as we possibly can and their objective is to kill as many whales as they possibly can," Mr Watson said. * Age

Taxpayers forked out $155,000 to retrieve the three environmentalists who boarded a Japanese whaling security vessel off the coast of Bunbury. The Federal Government announced the costs yesterday, saying the total included fuel for customs vessel the Ocean Protector, which picked up the men, a port berth and support services. That was in addition to the vessel's usual running costs. The sum comes in addition to the regular operating costs of running the Ocean Protector over the time it took the vessel to go fetch the trio, which amounted to about $900,000. WA men Geoffrey Tuxworth, Simon Peterffy and Glen Pendlebury were dropped in Albany on Monday. Prime Minister Julia Gillard was deeply critical of the men, and complained taxpayers would have to foot the bill for their hi-jinks. But activist group Sea Shepherd say the Australians would not have had to cough up had the Government allowed one of its vessels to retrieve the men. However the Japanese refused to consider such a plan, fearing what might happen should a Sea Shepherd boat be allowed to get too close to one of its vessels. *WA News

Ed Comment; Of course there has been much criticism of the boarding by anti-environment ratbags, but if the Feds had done what almost all Australians want them to do...send a boat down there the incident may not have happened. Instead the Government criticises those that are prepared to take action, and waffle on about an "International court case" that just doesnt seem to happen. If women hadn't hit the streets pre 1926, protested and been arrested, women would not be able to vote today. Nor could the First People vote until 1962, until protest action forced the Governemts hand. Nothing good happens from Government without Protest action, it's been that for many decades, and will continue while we have Governments that put money, power, and their own interests before what the Community wants. *

Kangaroos

Bathurst Regional Council has confirmed there are no plans to cull kangaroos on Mount Panorama ahead of next month’s Bathurst 12 Hour. Bathurst Regional Council came under fire in 2009 for culling 140 kangaroos in the interest of track safety ahead of that year’s Bathurst 1000, although it was later cleared of any wrongdoing. Now the council has a policy of zero cullings and has turned to other methods of controlling the large kangaroo population on the mountain during race meetings. That’s good news for the dozens of roos that have been seen on the Mount just weeks out from the Bath-urst 12 Hour from February 24 to 26. Acting general manager Bob Roach yesterday said council would put in place a number of procedures to ensure the safety of drivers during the 12 Hour, including additional fencing and deploying extra staff to appropriate areas of the track to control the movement of kangaroos away from the circuit. “These staff stay in place for the duration of the race,” Mr Roach said. “That’s how we control them now.”

Meanwhile, council’s fauna management strategy should be released for public comment in the next couple of months. Dr Anne Kerle, who has been studying kangaroo behaviour on Mount Panorama, said the strategy aimed to ensure the survival of native species and allow for the continuation of human activities. She said she doesn’t believe the full range of strategies have been explored yet. Australian Society for Kangaroos president Nikki Sutterby yesterday said the organisation had been assured by council there would not be any more killing. “It’s good to see,” she said. “They said they will not use terminal means and we are hoping they stick to that commitment. “The local, national and international community were outraged by what happened. “The international community values these animals. “We hope the race organisers will work with the local council to ensure everyone is protected.” Ms Sutterby said Bathurst Regional Council’s policy of herding the kangaroos away from the track during races had certainly proved effective. *Western Advocate

Flying Foxes

Flying foxes have officially won the war in Charters Towers, claiming the town's historic park as their own. Charters Towers Mayor Ben Callcott has conceded defeat against the thousands of bats that invaded Lissner Park about 11 years ago and have since refused to leave. He said unless state legislation was changed, which prevented the council from interfering with the colony, the council had simply run out of options. Locals claim the bats are a major health hazard, fearing they may spread disease, and are fed up with living with the stench and noise from the colony, which now numbers about 15,000. Charters Towers Regional Council has been granted 15 damage mitigation permits by the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) over the years, to disperse the bats using noise, fogging and lighting.

An attempt to muster the bats using a helicopter was scuttled late last year by the Civil Aviation and Safety Authority over safety concerns. The council has applied for a 16th permit to move the bats, but Cr Callcott said their best efforts had simply shifted the animals to other parts of the town, where they had become even more of a problem. ``Charters Towers City Council spent $250,000 harassing them and it didn't do anything other than distributing them into suburbia,'' Cr Callcott said. ``I'm not prepared to spend that kind of money to achieve the same ending. ``We may never get permission to muster them, so in that case, let them lodge in Lissner Park, where at least people can choose whether they get underneath them.
LNP leader Campbell Newman, who visited Charters Towers last year, promised the town ``the bats in Lissner Park will go''.

Cr Callcott said a law change was the only solution. ``The bats under the present legislation have defeated us,'' he said. Charters Towers Action Group Against Flying Foxes spokesman Jim Henderson, who lives near the park, said the bats were creating a health hazard and preventing locals and visitors from enjoying public facilities. ``Nobody wants to come into the park and sit under those tables,'' he said. Mr Henderson said residents' pleas to the State Government for help moving the flying foxes on had fallen upon deaf ears. ``They've ignored us and ignored us since I've been fighting it,'' he said. Vikki King, who lives opposite the colony, said she wanted the right to remove the bats from her own backyard. ``Three or four weeks ago, every tree was chock-a-block in my yard here,'' she said. ``The bat shit is everywhere and it just eats everything.'' *Townsville Bulletin

Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is on the brink of another outbreak of the coral-devouring crown of thorns starfish and Cairns tourism operators are calling on the Federal Government to support their efforts to stop the pest. The starfish is the biggest threat to the Reef because they eat their size in coral cover every day – and some weigh as much as 80kg, executive director of the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators, Col McKenzie, said. Hundreds of crown of thorns starfish have been found on reefs off Cairns, near Lizard Island, Green Island and Opal Reef off Port Douglas, he said. "We’re at the very start of another outbreak," Mr McKenzie said. "We want to get early action – if we don’t it will get worse." Australian Institute of Marine Science research director Dr Peter Doherty said conditions were ripe for another outbreak because major floods prompt increased spawning of crown of thorns starfish.

"We feel at this time there is a real and renewed threat of new outbreaks," he said. "We have certainly seen an abundance in the number of crown of thorns starfish in the Cairns sector of the Great Barrier Reef." Past outbreaks have started on reefs near Cairns and spread to the southern tip of the Reef, Dr Doherty said. There have been three major crown of thorns starfish outbreaks on the Great Barrier Reef in the past 40 years, he said. Another outbreak is particularly concerning because coral cover on the Reef is at its lowest point since the institute began keeping records in 1985. Mr McKenzie is drafting a letter to send to Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke to request $1.2 million for an intensive three-year eradication program. Cairns tourism operators have invested $1.7 million since 2010 to fight the invasive species in collaboration with the State Government, which has contributed $2.5 million. The money has been used to train crown of thorns control divers, who injecting sodium bisulphate into the invasive pest to kill them. Cairns Post

Birds

Researchers are finding clues on how and why noisy miners work together to fend off threats to their colony. Dr Paul McDonald of the University of New England reports his findings on the birds (Manorina melanocephala) today in the journal Biology Letters. "Miners co-operate in lots of different ways. They feed offspring that aren't their own and they also co-operate to help mob predators," says McDonald. "If a raven comes into the colony they all work together to drive it away. We call that mobbing." Many animal societies show such behaviour but there is much to learn about how co-operation is co-ordinated, says McDonald. He says noisy miners appear to co-operate with each other regardless of whether they are related. This presents a bit of puzzle for biologists because evolutionary theory suggests an animal must get a benefit in return for the cost of helping others. "If you're helping relatives then you are essentially helping part of yourself - your own genes - and that tends to offset that cost. But if you are helping non-relatives then that benefit is not there," says McDonald.

He says one of the many hypotheses put forward to explain the evolution of co-operative behaviour is a 'tit-for-tat' system in which birds keep track of who helps them so they can help them back. But before hypotheses like this can be tested, the birds must first to be shown to have the ability to differentiate between individuals. McDonald tested wild birds in the lab using a technique pioneered on humans, for their ability to distinguish the calls for help from different birds. Each bird was played repeated recorded 'recruitment calls" from a first bird until they became habituated, that is, they stopped responding to the call by turning their head towards the speaker. They were then played a recording of a call from a second bird. In all cases the test birds responded to the second bird call, showing they could differentiate between the calls of the first and second bird.

The experiment involved 34 test birds, half of which were played calls from a bird from their area they were familiar with, and half of which were played calls from a completely unknown bird. "They were just as good at differentiating between the calls of new birds as the ones that they were familiar with," says McDonald. He says a second experiment confirmed the birds were using differences in bird call characteristics to differentiate between the calls. McDonald says he is yet to check whether the birds can attach different calls to particular individuals, but assuming they can, the findings show a potential mechanism that birds can use to co-operate. "To show that they are capable of differentiating calls - even of birds they've never heard before - is really quite new and exciting," he says. "It opens up the possibility of a whole range of different scenarios for organising that society." He says future genetic tests could also still determine that the birds preferentially help those they are closely related to, but help unrelated birds less frequently. This is known to be the case in a related species. *ABC

Snakes

Boa constrictors can sense the heartbeat of their quarry as they suffocate it, thus giving them the signal to know when the prey is dead, scientists say. In a study published on in the journal Royal Society Biology Letters, snake experts at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania pondered how the boa can tell when its target is lifeless and can then be swallowed.
Timing the constriction is vital for these snakes. Squeezing is a huge drain on their energy reserves, for their metabolic rate rises seven-fold during the operation. And while they are coiled around the prey, they themselves are vulnerable to other predators. The team used a clever idea, 'warm cadaveric rats', to monitor the boas. These were lab rats that had been humanely killed, frozen and then re-warmed to 38°cusing an electric blanket. The rodents' bodies were then fitted with two tiny gauges: a sensor to monitor external pressure and a replica heart, comprising a water-filled bulb that was connected by a tube to an external pump, which imitated a heartbeat. Primed for action, the hi-tech rats were placed within striking range of seven captive-born snakes which had never been exposed to live prey and nine wild-caught counterparts.

The herpetologists carried out three experiments, each time controlling the rat's fake heartbeat, to see how long the boa kept up its squeeze. When they shut off the heartbeat for 10 minutes, the snakes continued their constriction for another seven minutes or so and then released the rat, presuming it to be dead. But snakes confronted with a rat with a continuously beating heartbeat doubled the pressure and kept up the squeeze for around 22 minutes. This is a phenomenal achievement, and the longest ever observed for any snake, says the paper.
Rats without a heartbeat were constricted for about 12 minutes on average. But the snake notably did not adjust its coils or apply periodic bursts of pressure, as it did with rats with a beating heart. Overall, wild snakes were cannier about how long and how much to squeeze. "Our findings suggest that the ability to respond to a heartbeat is innate, whereas the magnitude of the response is guided by experience," says the study. "We suggest that the capacity to improve performance through learning enables snakes to become efficient predators of variable and unpredictable prey animals." *ABC/AFP

Hunting

Hunters would be allowed to shoot cats that stray from houses on to public land under a controversial plan being pushed by a Victorian gun group. The Sporting Shooters Association of Victoria wants the State Government to change the law to allow hunters to kill any cat it considers a risk to native fauna. The push to legally destroy family pets and feral cats is among a range of changes the group is seeking. They include new hunting seasons for cockatoos and galahs, the vulnerable crested pigeon and new regulations for slaying of eastern grey kangaroos. In a report requesting amendments to wildlife regulations, the association says destruction of native wildlife in Victorian forests could be "partly mitigated if there was a provision to destroy cats within specified distances of dwellings.

"Cats within 200 metres of dwellings or on public land should be considered a danger to native fauna. Such animals within these areas should be able to be legally destroyed," the report says. The cat killing push has angered animal rights groups and comes as Bendigo residents were warned last week to keep pets inside after threats on public notice boards vowing to trap cats after dark and tan their hides. Upper House Greens leader Greg Barber said the cat owners would be horrified shooters had their pets in their sites: " ... this shows they are out of touch with community values and they don't care about people because it would be absolutely devastating to people if they lost their cat in this way," he said. The report is expected to be given to the Baillieu Government mid-year. *News.com.au

Wildlife Bytes 16/1/12

2012-01-16T00:05:00.000-08:00

Leading Story

Flying Foxes

The Qld Environment Department has issued its fourth permit in six months to allow people to break up flying fox camps, with the latest at Jericho in the west. It brings to reality a prediction in August by scientists and conservationists that the Government would cave in to community pressure on the vexing issue. Permits also have been issued to Gatton, Barcaldine and Gayndah. Environment Minister Vicky Darling yesterday gave permission to Barcaldine Regional Council to trim and cut down trees to stop flying foxes roosting in the township of Jericho. Up to 12,000 little red flying foxes previously lived in the roost adjacent to the Capricorn Highway but recently moved to a new roosting site on nearby Jordan Creek. The council will be allowed six months to carry out the work as long as flying foxes do not return to the site or use nearby areas. "In that time, the council must also prepare a long-term plan to manage vegetation at the roost to deter flying foxes from returning to the site," Ms Darling said.

"Living near flying fox roosts can be distressing and I am very sympathetic to residents' concerns. "The permit applies only to the vacated roost site and does not authorise the removal of vegetation at the Jordan Creek site." In August, about 30,000 little red flying foxes were moved from Barcaldine about 90km away. Although it is not known if these are the same animals, Griffith University wildlife expert Darryl Jones predicted then they would become someone else's problem. Queensland Conservation Council chairman Simon Baltais said the Environment Department was not addressing the root cause of the problem which was habitat clearing. Flying foxes arrived in Barcaldine after Cyclone Larry in 2008 and again after Cyclone Yasi last year. Ms Darling said flying foxes played a crucial role in the environment as pollinators of native plants and trees and were protected under the Nature Conservation Act. * Courier Mail

Editorial; Kangaroo Cigarette Packaging

The Australian government has lashed out at British American Tobacco for using images of kangaroos to sell its cigarettes in Europe. British American, which is battling the Australian government over moves toward plain packaging in Australia, is selling its Winfield brand overseas with a picture of a kangaroo on the front and a map of Australia on the back. It is also using the slogan "An Australian Favourite" and Attorney General Nicola Roxon, the former health minister, is not amused."I think many Australians are going to be outraged that a big tobacco company all the way round the world is using Australia's healthy lifestyle to market their deadly products," she said. And aren't they a bunch of hypocrites? We kill millions of kangaroos every year for dogs meat, but our government is "furious" that some someone wants to put a picture of a kangaroo on cigarette packaging. What about all the Australians that are furious over the kangaroo kill? Well, we just dont count, do we?

Kangaroo Petition

Last issue of WildIife Bytes we carried a story about the Police Officer who went kangaroo shooting near Gympie, and killed 20 or so kangaroos, many which had been considered "pets" by the locals, and some were even named. The Police Officer is a 42 year old senior officer who took a young teenager out with him in mid December to carry out this senseless attack. This officer, who reportedly killed these kangaroos, has been issued only with an "Infringement Notice," which amounts to a "slap on the wrist." However, in a response to our letter to the Qld Police Commissioner, he states that he (the Commissioner) is unable to comment further as the matter is still under investigation. He did say that the Matter has been referred to the Qld CMC, and the Police Ethical Standards Committee is also investigating. AWPC have set up a petition to get this Policeman properly tried in a court of law because in Australia if you shoot just one kangaroo without a Permit, a native protected species, there carries with it a $10,000 Australian dollar penalty per animal. This is not the first time police have been involved in such behavior either, we had a similar incident in WA a few years ago, and another incident in Central Queensland also. Police Officers need to set an example to the Community. The Petition can be found below, if you have time please sign it to make sure this behavior from our Police is deemed unacceptable. Also, as this has been referred to the CMC, we need people to contact them, asking if this matter contraves any other Act, such as the Qld Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (ACPA) According to the ACPA, its likely that the offender committed acts of cruelty by leaving live young in dead mothers pouches which were found and picked up by horse riders the following day. * WPAA
Petition here http://www.change.org/petitions/mothers-and-babies-shot-down-by-australian-policeman
Contact the Qld Crime and Misconduct Commission here http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/about-us/contact-us Please take some action over this outrage.

Kangaroo Mafia

One of our WPAA Members was watching the Channel Nine Today show last week (1st week in January 2012) and this doctor (nutritionalist) was promoting kangaroo as a healthy meat to eat. She was actually promoting it as the only meat to eat!! Did not promote fish, or even lean meat, or poultry, or vegetables! So our Member wrote to her, and received a very silly response. So we built a webpage with all the details, and we thought our other Readers might like to follow up with a response too?? Her address details are online here .....
Read more, its the third story on the Page Map, called "Kangaroo meat can Kill You!!" ....... http://www.kangaroo-protection-coalition.com/page-map.html

Gladstone Harbor

Controversial dredging in Gladstone's disease-hit harbour has been stopped by the State Government. The Department of Environment and Natural Resource Management issued the order on Monday because of dirty water conditions. Last year's wet season flooding has been blamed by the harbour's operator Gladstone Ports Corporation for diseases in fish. Greens spokesman Andrew Jeremijenko yesterday said it now was apparent the corporation was unable to comply with environmental conditions during normal seasonal high tides. "They are turning a once-clean harbour into a mud pit," Dr Jeremijenko said. "The harbour has been changed by this dredging project. They've had high (turbidity) readings for 21 out of the past 100 days when it should be one out of 100. "We'll see these problems in Gladstone every time we get big tides. We'll see it next month and in March and that's when the barramundi will be coming out to spawn." *Courier Mail
Read more .. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/dredging-halted-over-fears-at-dirty-water/story-e6freoof-1226241228730

Frogs

With voices hardly louder than an insect's buzz, the tiniest frogs ever discovered are smaller than a coin and hop about the rainforest of the tropical island of Papua New Guinea, US scientists say. Not only are Paedophryne amauensis and Paedophryne swiftorum the smallest frogs known, they are also the smallest vertebrates, said the report in the science journal PLoS ONE. The little land frog Paedophryne amauensis comes in at 7.7 millimetres. The Paedophryne swiftorum measures a bit over eight millimetres. Previously the smallest vertebrate was believed to be a transparent Indonesian fish known as Paedocypris progenetica, averaging eight millimetres. "It was particularly difficult to locate Paedophryne amauensis due to its diminutive size and the males' high-pitched insect-like mating call," said Louisiana State University scientist Chris Austin, who discovered them. "But it's a great find. The ecosystems these extremely small frogs occupy are very similar, primarily inhabiting leaf litter on the floor of tropical rainforest environments," Austin said. "We believe these creatures aren't just biological oddities, but instead represent a previously undocumented ecological guild - they occupy a habitat niche that no other vertebrate does." In fact, judging by the frequency of male mating calls they heard, Austin said the tiny frogs might be spaced as close as 50 centimetres from each other on ground beneath the leaves. *Age

Dingoes

Ray Revill runs the Fraser Coast TESS Wildlife sanctuary in Maryborough, and he says that the dingo pups have taken to their new home very easily. "We got them when they were around seven months old, and they're very fun loving animals. "It was a big coup for Queensland and the region to obtain the first two legally bred and registered dingos; they're microchipped, vaccinated, wormed, they get everything a domestic dog gets. "I trust them more than I would a domestic dog, that's my personal opinion."
Read more ... http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2011/12/12/3389272.htm

Sugar Gliders

A Hollywood woman, using Facebook in a unique way, was charged Tuesday with breeding sugar gliders - small possums native to Australia - and attempting to sell the exotic animals on Facebook. Amy Young Lynn, 39, was busted with eight sugar gliders by undercover state Fish and Game officials. Authorities say undercover officials responded to Lynn's Facebook ad offering the animals for $400 a pair. The animals were seized and transported to a wildlife preserve. Sugar gliders are small possums native to Australia that have the ability to soar more than 400 feet through the air on wing-like membranes that stretch between their front and hind legs. They are bred and allowed as pets in many places in the United States, but they are banned as pets in California, as well as in Australia, as a deterrent to the common practice of taking them from the wild. How did Lynn obtain the animals? Prosecutors say two sugar gliders were gifted to her at a party; the animals later reproduced. Lynn had been charged with eight counts of unlawful possession and attempted sale of a restricted species. If convicted, she could serve up to four years in jail and a $8,000 fine. *Liast.com

Black Swans

People are used to seeing swans swimming about on the river Severn at Upton, UK< but a few heads were turned when this rare black swan floated into town this week. The striking species is native to Australia and, despite being popular with wildlife parks and private collectors, has never flourished in the wild in this country. This photo was taken by Upton resident Jackie Surtees, who had heard that it had been spotted on the river. She said: “When I went down to the river on Wednesday morning I noticed the resident swans coming out of the marina. “A while later I noticed them coming upriver being chased by the visitor.” Steve Bloomfield, a conservation officer with Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, said it was a “notable occurrence.” He said: “Up until early 2000 there had only been about 40 or 50 sightings in the wild, and although the most recent survey recorded way more than that they are still reasonably scarce. “I would think that, without question, this is one that has escaped from a local wildlife site or, more likely, a private collection.” He said that it could well have been at large in the countryside for some time. He said: “Although they have never really successfully bred in the wild, they are very capable of looking after themselves.” *UK Mail

Turtles

If you would like to watch a video showing the brutality of the some Indigenous turtle hunting, go here ... http://youtu.be/uQKEh4HPnhI Everyone should see this, and it must stop! In spite of strong lobbying during the last 10 years or so, the current Queensland Government has consistently refused to include Indigenous hunting under the Qld Animal Cruelty Act. Whats happening in this video is perfectly legal, and it must stop!

Emerging Wildlife Viruses

A pilot study reported online this week in the journal PLoS ONE reveals how scientists found evidence of potentially dangerous viruses, including retroviruses and herpesviruses, in bushmeat and other wildlife products smuggled into the US. The report authors say the study shows the importance of establishing proper surveillance and testing of imported wildlife products in order to assess the potential risks they pose to public health. The products had been confiscated at several US international airports, including John F. Kennedy International Airport, George Bush Intercontinental-Houston and Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International. Among the items confiscated were raw to semi-cooked parts of baboon, chimpanzee, other non-human primates such as mangabey, guenon and green monkey, and various rodent species, including cane rat and rat.The authors note in their introduction that although we know that the global trade in wildlife has contributed to the emergence and spread of many infectious diseases, and the US is the world's largest importer of wildlife and wildlife products, it has "minimal pathogen surveillance", which makes it virtually impossible to assess the risks to public health posed by this practice. Research estimates that 75% of emerging infectious diseases in humans originate from contact with wildlife, and these diseases are transmitted through human-animal interactions inherent in the global wildlife trade. * Medical News Today
Read more ... http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/240221.php

Climate Change

As climate change alters the temperatures of reptile habitats around the globe, tests of one lizard species suggests warmer nests could make some reptiles smarter. When researchers incubated the eggs of Bassiana duperreyi, a mountain-dwelling Australian skink, at warmer-than-usual temperatures, they grew up to perform especially well on a learning task. Herpetologists knew reptiles incubated in warmer nests developed differently, but linking hotter egg temperatures to increased intelligence is a first. “We have 16 to 17 years of data on the effects of incubation temperature on skinks. We know the hotter guys are bigger, faster, absorb more [egg] yolk,” said herpetologist Joshua Amiel of the University of Sydney, whose research was published Jan. 11 in Biology Letters. “But hardly anyone has given a look at the effect on reptile learning.” Wired.com
Read more .. http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/01/warmer-lizard-intelligence/

Become a Wildlife Warrior

By making a one-off donation or joining our monthly giving program you can become part of a global wildlife force that is working hard to preserve our natural environment. Monthly Giving Program; Sign up to become a regular giver for wildlife conservation! Donations start from as little as $2.50 a week and can go to helping our native wildlife at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. Nearly 100 wildlife emergency calls are received every day at the Hospital, Up to 30 different species are admitted to the hospital every day, Currently around 80 koalas undergoing treatment, Approximately 70% of patients are victims of car accidents or domestic pet attacks, The cost to treat one animal ranges from $100 to thousands of dollars To sign up or find out more please visit http://www.wildlifewarriors.org.au *

Landclearing

Australia is still clearing about one million hectares of native forests and woodlands a year, resulting in a ''massive loss'' of wildlife and plant diversity, a leading environmentalist says. Stuart Blanch, a river systems ecologist appointed by the former Rudd government as a member of its Northern Land and Water Taskforce, has called for a shake-up of Australia's national reserve system to ''ratchet up'' protection of forests and tropical savanna woodlands and ''build a carbon storehouse''. Dr Blanch, the director of the Northern Territory's environment centre, wants the area of Australia's national parks and reserves to be more than doubled, from 12 per cent to 25 per cent. He has also stressed the need for a ''giant T-shaped corridor'' of protected areas in Australia's north, stretching across the Top End's tropical savannas, and '' forming a spine right down through the centre of Australia to protect our arid zone ecosystems''. Reaad More ... http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/national/national/general/landclearing-limits-urged/2418734.aspx

AZWH Patient of the Week...Button the Swamp Wallaby

Age: Juvenile Sex: Male Transported to: The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by his licensed wildlife carer Helen, who had been raising Button after being orphaned. Veterinary Assessment: Dr Claude assessed Button and found that his little stomach was severely bloated. He was also suffering from bad case of gas and diarrhoea, though pathology tests cleared him of any infectious disease. Button the Swamp Wallaby Treatment: Some medical treatments attempted to resolve the bloat were unsuccessful, so Dr Claude performed an exploratory laparotomy and found that Button’s small intestines were a little tangled (intussusception), which she corrected. Dr Claude also aspirated excess air, and administered pain
relief and fluids. Future: Button is currently feeding on grasses and milk formula, and is under close observation in the Nursery ICU. He will remain in care until he is old enough for release back into the wild. AZWH Statistic: Summer is our busiest time of year for orphans, with over 275 admitted in the last two months alone. Visit our website http://www.wildlifewarriors.org.au to donate to sick and orphaned wildlife like Button.

Kangaroos

A kangaroo was tied to the back of a car and dragged for at least two kilometres through suburban streets in Victoria's north in a stunt that has outraged police. The dead kangaroo was found lying in a pool of blood in the middle of High Street in Wodonga about 3.35am with a rope tied around its neck and paw. Acting Senior Sergeant Larry Goldsworthy, from Wodonga Police, said it was unclear whether the adolescent kangaroo was alive or dead when it was dragged behind the vehicle. Officers discovered a two-kilometre trail of blood and fur leading to where the carcass was found by a passerby. "I think the community has every right to be outraged at the behaviour of the people involved in this," Acting Senior Sergeant Goldsworthy said. "The kangaroo had a rope tied around its forearm and neck. "There was a pool of blood, missing skin and fur and when police drove around the surrounding area they found some of its internal organs on the road. "We don't know whether the kangaroo was alive or dead at the time."

Police are examining CCTV footage from surrounding streets to see if the culprits were caught on camera. Acting Senior Sergeant Goldsworthy said it was possible the offenders may have bragged about their brutal act online. "Potentially the offender may have filmed it and put it on Facebook. They could be bragging about it to their friends. Anyone with information should contact police," he said. Police said the offenders could be charged with aggravated animal cruelty if the animal was found to be alive when it was tied to the car and dragged along. The maximum penalty for that charge is two years in prison or a $60,000 fine. Anyone with information has been urged to call Wodonga Police on (02) 6049 2600 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppers.com.au * Age

An Albury man was charged late last night over the horrific death and dragging of a kangaroo through the streets of Wodonga on Wednesday. Police revealed early this morning that the man, 19, was arrested after members of the public found references to the incident on Facebook and that reports in The Border Mail also led to people contacting Wodonga police. Police said the man had been charged with aggravated cruelty on a kangaroo. They said the man was alleged to have intentionally driven over the kangaroo and then killed it by kicking it. Police said the man also allegedly killed the kangaroo’s joey “in inhumane circumstances”. “No doubt, the matter was resolved quickly because of the assistance we gained from the public,” Sen-Sgt Damian Bould said. “We would still like to speak with any other members of the public who may have information.”

Police said the investigation was ongoing, with another man believed to have been in the vehicle at the time. The charged man is to appear before the Wodonga Magistrates Court next month. A woman walking past found the kangaroo dumped near the Westpac Bank in High Street, Wodonga, on Wednesday at 3.30am. It had been left with a rope tied around its neck and arm, while its fur and skin had been grazed from its body. The kangaroo’s neck was cut and it was face down on the pavement. The remnants of the roo left a 30-metre trail down Wodonga’s main street. Heavy rain had failed to remove a visible trail marking where the kangaroo had been dragged through the city. The other signs of the kangaroo being dragged were in Holmes Court, De Kerilleau Drive, and Lawrence Street. * Border Mail

Monitor Lizards

Frequent hunting of Malacca's giant monitor lizards for their skin and meat as well as their body liquid for aphrodisiac purposes, could drive the reptile to extinction. “Fifteen years ago, these reptiles could be easily spotted lazing along the river bank of scenic Malacca River. Now, they are hard to come by,” said city councillor Ronald Gan Yong Hoe. “In some countries, monitor lizards are protected under Endangered Species Acts. We hope the state government will move to conserve our local reptiles,” the member of the Malacca Historic City Council said. “If nothing is done, the extensive poaching of this reptile could lead to its extinction,” he said. Gan said the local monitor lizards, known locally as biawak, are large water monitor species (varanussalvator) capable of growing up to three metres long and 25 kilos in weight. He said that apart from their skin and meat, the reptlie was sought for a liquid from its body that was commonly believed to increase sexual prowess in both men and women.

Gan said the reptile's thick and leathery skin was used for clothing accessories, such as bags and belts, while its meat was said to have healing powers for ailments such as asthma and pneumonia besides increasing sexual prowess. He said that besides poaching, the reptiles were often exposed to other risks, such as being hit by vehicles when crossing roads. On a more positive note, Gan said a father and daughter from Australia, who dubbed themselves as Biawak Dundees, were rescuing and treating injured monitor lizards here. Gan added that following a proposal by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, the state government has made lizard- watching one of the features of the Malacca River cruise. Meanwhile, mayor Zainal Abu said poaching activities along the river bank has declined due to continuous patrols by the council's enforcement officers. However, he added, there could still be some hunting upstream and it was up to the state Wildlife and National Parks Department to curtail such activity. * The Star

Dingo Killing

The art of hunting wild dogs appears to be well and truly alive in the Bymount region, north of Roma, where local landowner, Danny Sutton (pictured), has single-handedly destroyed more than 100 wild dogs in the past six months. Mr Sutton has handed over 97 scalps to the Maranoa Regional Council since the start of July 2011. He also shot several more wild dogs from a helicopter that were not recovered, bringing his total for the past six months to over 100. Widely respected for his trapping and shooting abilities, Mr Sutton believes his tally is just the tip of the iceberg. "The dogs are everywhere now and what I've got is just a fraction of what's out there," he said. "About 75pc of those dogs were shot within a 20km radius of here."Queensland Country Life caught up with Mr Sutton at his 2270-hectare property, Freshfields, 20km west of Bymount and 90km north of Roma.

Together with his wife Donna, Mr Sutton runs a cattle operation on the property, but heads out to hunt for pups and dogs whenever he has the time. He learned the art of trapping and tracking dogs from other local landholders including Les Ridge and Garry Lee. Mr Sutton said his recent tally included around 65 pups caught in the local area. "I used to trap a lot of dogs but it can be a full-time job, and I just don't get the time now," he said. "I generally start looking for pups around July all you can do is go out and look for their tracks and try to follow them. "You can waste whole days or you can find them in 15 minutes. "Whenever I get a spare few hours I jump on the bike and go looking." Mr Sutton's talent for destroying wild dogs will no doubt put him in contention for the inaugural Golden Dogger Awards in 2012.

An initiative of the Maranoa Regional Wild Dog Advisory Group, the awards aim to reward people within the Maranoa region who present scalps for the $50 bounty from January 1 to December 31, 2012. The awards will include categories such as Golden Dogger, Inside Dogger, Outside Dogger, Novice Dogger, Junior Dogger, Most Active Landholder Inside the Fence, Most Active Landholder Outside the Fence and Most Active Kangaroo Shooter. Mr Sutton is a member of the Maranoa Wild Dog Advisory Committee and believes more landholders need to take responsibility for the growing number of wild dogs throughout western Queensland. "We need to do something to encourage more people to actively hunt for dogs," he said.
"I don't think increasing the bounty for anyone who catches the odd dog is the solution it needs to be a system where people are encouraged to get a large number of dogs. "These dogs must be doing damage to cattle herds now, too we are constantly hearing stories about people finding dead calves these days." *Qld Country Life

Animal Politics in the ACT

If you live in the ACT why should you join the Animal Justice Party? The election in the ACT will be held in 2012. The AJP need more ACT members by this February. A minimum of 100 are needed in order to be included in the election. This number has not been reached yet. Please become a member of this important political party ASAP. Let your acquaintances, friends and family know about this and urge them to join. It would be fantastic to have the AJP running in the local election this year! The Membership form is online, and can be posted to AJP po box 3126 Blakehurst NSW 2221 or if you wish can be scanned and emailed to info@animaljusticeparty.org Australia's largest kangaroo meat processor says the long awaited resumption of trade with Russia and China could take place within the next six months. http://www.animaljusticeparty.org/join-us/

Ed comment; The ACT Greens are undoubtably the most despicable political Party in Australia. They entered the ACT Parliament through a deal with the then Chief Minister John Stanhope, who was responsible for the ongoing slaughter of thousands of kangaroos around Canberra. The ACT Greens support the slaughter, and in spite of much community opposition, they still do. Some of the ACT kangaroo experts tried to talk some sense into them, but they made a deal to get into Government, and continue to support the killing. If you live in Canberra please support the Animal Justice Party so they can get a Candidate into the next ACT election. They need more Members before February 2012. Join Now! http://http://www.animaljusticeparty.org/join-us/

Another Kangaroo Industry Beatup

Beginning as a supplier for the pet food market in the early 1980s, South Australia-based Macro Meats supplies about 100 tonnes of kangaroo meat for human consumption every week to more than 2500 supermarkets across Australia. Managing director Ray Borda said the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) would meet with Russian trade officials in Berlin on January 16, where trade resumption was expected to be discussed. Mr Borda, who also serves as Kanga-roo Industry Association of Australia president, said while he expected the Russian Government to again request to inspect major Australian plants before giving trade the green light, he hoped an an-nouncement would be made before the end of the financial year. "The Russians asked the Australians to take part in the meeting. It is the first time since the roo ban that we have seen a positive move by the Russians, so we are all very hopeful," he said. He said AQIS was similarly preparing a document which he expected to be lodged with the Chinese Government in the coming weeks and which refuted the "baseless claims" of anti-kangaroo industry protest groups.

The Chinese Government became reluctant to import kangaroo product last year following a backlash from its decision to import seal meat from Canada and a sustained protest campaign from animal rights activists in Australia. "There is a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel ? the Federal Government is putting together a factual report to be presented to the Chinese to prove there are no animal welfare issues and the allegations coming from activists are untrue," he said. "The Russian market has also been going without kangaroo meat for three years and yet our Russian customers are still asking for it. There is more than enough demand internationally for the Australian roo industry." However, he that warned increasing international trade, even with major markets, was not without its difficulties.

He said he was concerned that the expanding kangaroo populations and big increases in harvest quotas could encourage the industry to rapidly lift production, causing an oversupply of kangaroo meat in international marketplace, which would drive prices down. He said this would set a "dangerous" precedent that would threaten the long- term sustainability of the industry. "There are more kangaroos out there than we've ever seen in history but we are still waiting on the Chinese and Russian markets to get started," he said. "Consistency is the key to our industry. We could all go out and try to sell the big supply levels we have now but we would have to sell it at a price far too low to be sustainable. It is crucial we pick up one of those two markets because gives us a greater capacity without having to prostitute our price." Whereas the wider kangaroo meat industry had struggled since the closure of the Russian trade in 2009, Mr Borda said his company has seen 25 percent annual growth in retail sales of kangaroo meat in recent years, mostly through the domestic market.

Mr Borda said the Russian trade only accounted for about 10percent of his business prior to its suspension. He said Macro Meats had taken an "under the radar" approach to marketing domestically, using the proven health strengths of the product to target health conscious consumers, including providing information and recipes to dieticians and weight loss companies. "To market kangaroo meat is not something that is easy," he said. "We spend a lot of money defending ourselves against animal activists who make silly accusations with no basis of fact. The animal activists don't want anyone to eat meat at all, but kangaroos are an especially easy target because of the general public's lack of knowledge on the issue. "Kangaroo meat for human consumption is still very much in its infancy. We have only been eating it for 15 years in this country. When you think people have been eating beef and pork for thousands of years, you are not going to be able to change that tradition overnight." *Stock and Land

Wildlfie Bytes 9/1/12

2012-01-08T22:27:00.001-08:00

IMPORTANT RALLY INVITATION, please share widely .

A Wildlife rally for dugongs and sea turtles is to be held in Brisbane, and all native animal/marine groups are invited to the rally. The rally in Brisbane is held under Earthrace Conservation Australia banner .
http://www.earthraceconservation.org/videos/earthrace-and-us-campaign-protect-australias-dugongs-and-sea-turtlesmp4

It is one of three Earthrace Rallys being held in 2012. One in London January 19th, One in new Zealand 20th January, And one in Brisbane Feb 14th . The Rallys are designed to embarrass our governments on dugong and turtle hunting, and also to highlight what the existing government or the incoming government needs to do to help our wildlife causes. Earthrace have invited a lot of animal groups, including Fraser Island dingoes, Koala groups, Wildlife Protection Association of Australia Inc., and Opposition members of the LNP will speak at the rally at our invitation. Bob Irwin will be there in person.

Fruit bats, cassowaries, koalas, kangaroos, wombats, marine conservation, etc. will be represented. The speakers have a strict 5 minute grab to say what they want on their own issue. Only one from each group will be able to speak. So one flying fox group speaker, one cassowary group speaker, and so on, but if time permits they will extend it. No one will be able to bring an animal. It will be Tuesday February 14th, during the parliamentary lunch break 1 PM to 2.30 PM on Speakers Corner outside the Old Parliament. Media has been arranged including the discovery channel, but feel free to do your own. If interested let me know as ONLY ONE PERSON FROM EACH ANIMAL GROUP WILL GET TO SPEAK. To participate you must contact either of the persons below
Contact is to director of operations Alan Winstanley alan@earthrace.net or ColinwhoCares at dugongman@gmail.com 0427632208

Kangaroo Shooting

A police officer responsible for the mass shooting of kangaroos on a Booral property could be hit with a $200,000 fine. Yesterday, the Chronicle received information that the Gympie officer, who opened fire on more than 20 kangaroos on land backing onto Wheeley Rd, did not have the required permits. Fines of up to $10,000 for each dead kangaroo could apply. A Department of Environment spokesman said the investigation was in the hands of Queensland Police. While little more than the line "investigations are continuing" has come from police headquarters, the Chronicle has not received a phone call from anyone in senior ranks defending the officer's behaviour. The Chronicle is still awaiting a response to a number of concerns raised by witnesses at the scene, involving the firearm used and the shooter's behaviour towards residents and other officers. A police spokeswoman said she could not comment on specifics while the investigation was still under way.
Roo Rules.....Both recreational and commercial shooters require a DERM permit. New applicants must complete a TAFE course and firearms competency test. A $10,000 fine can apply for every kangaroo killed without a permit. *Fraser Coast Chronicle

Meanwhile the Age reports that the Queensland senior constable could face disciplinary action after being served with an infringement notice over the killing of more than 20 kangaroos on a south-east Queensland property. Horse riders stumbled on the carcasses on a property at Booral, near Hervey Bay, last month. Some joeys were shot at point-blank range, and only one of the three young that survived the shooting could be saved. Kangaroos are protected animals. It is an offence to kill one without a permit, and carries fines of up to $10,000 per kangaroo. The 42-year-old man has been issued with an infringement notice for contravening the Nature Conservation Act, police say. A 16-year-old boy charged with the same offence is being dealt with under the Youth Justice Act. *AAP

A western Queensland kangaroo harvester says roo shooters have stopped working because they cannot sell their product. Amby-based Tom Garrett says he has been notified by a major company they will not be buying any more kangaroos until further notice due to an oversupply. Mr Garrett says no-one is too sure what has caused the oversupply or how long it will take to clear product. Russia banned roo exports in 2009 and the industry has been struggling since. Mr Garrett says the latest setback is a concern. "We still have no large market for export kangaroo for manufacturing meat," he said. "Two-thirds of manufacturing meat or more went to Russia. "Processors just can't afford to store that amount of meat if they can't find markets for it, then their profits lessens and so their only alternative I suppose is to cut back on production until they can find other markets." Mr Garrett says no-one is sure when harvesting will resume. "At least one of the companies, and the company that I deal with has told us that they have an oversupply of kangaroos at the moment and to stop purchasing animals from the paddock," he said. "In other words, shooters will stop shooting animals and the box operators will stop buying from shooters. "Then we received another message from them saying no more purchases until further notice." He says rural families who depend on the industry will struggle until harvesting resumes. "The ones I've heard from are very nervous about it," he said. "I wouldn't have thought this year that there would have been as many people renew their licences, but all indications are that licences have been renewed as normal, tags have been bought as normal, and everyone is ready to go out and harvest. "But of course they can't because they can't get rid of their product." The company, Game Meat Processors, has declined to comment. *ABC

The number of kangaroos available for harvesting in Queensland has risen by 63 per cent on last year's figures. Permits for the killing of more than 3 million kangaroos will be available in 2012. John Kelly, the executive officer of the Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia, says recent weather conditions have meant the population of kangaroos across Australia have swelled to about 35 million. "The industry isn't in the best position it's been in, but there's fairly good prospects coming for this year," he said. Mr Kelly also says he expects the Russian and Chinese markets to open up this year, giving a much needed boost to the industry. "I'd expect to see us back into the Russian market during the first half of this year, and I'm also quite confident that at some stage this year we'll get into the Chinese market." Russia banned imports of kangaroo meat in 2009. Mr Kelly's confidence comes amid concerns out of western Queensland that the industry is struggling, with some shooters claiming there's no market for their product. "I don't think they have any reason to be nervous; this is an industry with an extremely bright future," he said. "I expect the next five to 10 years to be a very exciting time in the kangaroo industry." *ABC
Ed Comment; Not such a very exciting time if you are a kangaroo........

Bushmeat of the Sea

They may be man's best underwater friend but more dolphins are being killed for food than ever before. The eating of sea mammals - including seals, sea lions and walruses - is becoming increasingly popular in poor nations across the world. Fishermen struggling to make ends meet, because of a fall in coastal fish catches, are being forced to turn to the more meaty alternatives. Martin Robards, of Alaska's Wildlife Conservation Society, conducted the study of 900 sources after only hearing anecdotal stories about the phenomenon.
He said: 'This is essentially a bushmeat problem. It is now clear that human consumption of marine mammals is geographically widespread, taxonomically diverse, and often of uncertain sustainability.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2082195/Dolphin-sandwich-Eating-sea-mammals-rise-fall-fish-sees-fishermen-struggling-make-ends-meet.html#ixzz1iuO0aaUY

Flying Foxes

A western Queensland mayor says the State Government is ignoring the will of residents in his shire who support culling flying foxes. Mount Isa Mayor John Molony has asked the State Government to make the city exempt from current legislation aimed at protecting flying foxes. He says the bats need to be culled because there is nowhere to move them. Environment Minister Vicky Darling has described that solution as "cruel". Councillor Molony says she is out of touch with residents who recently held a rally in support of a cull. "If I am so bloody wicked, why were the other people - the 100-odd people in Banks Crescent - singing from the same page as I was the other day?" he said. Councillor Molony says flying fox numbers have reached "plague proportions" in the city, but Ms Darling disputes that claim. *ABC

Dingoes

Australian health authorities are watching with alarm the spread of rabies through nearby Indonesia, fearful that the lethal virus could be brought into remote northern Australia by illegal fishing boats. Rabies appeared in Bali in 2008, where it has since killed more than 130 people, and has spread through 24 of Indonesia's 33 provinces. It has now appeared on the island of Pulau Larat, 600km north of Darwin, causing 19 deaths in 2010. Worldwide, it kills about 55,000 people a year. The federal Quarantine Inspection Service said the virus was endemic throughout much of Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe. "Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Papua New Guinea, and Pacific Island nations are free of endemic rabies, but it must be remembered that this can change at any time," the department said. *NZ Herald
Read more ... http://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10776794

Bugs and Creepy Crawlies

One of the best small insect websites we have seen can be found here ... http://lifeunseen.com/index1.php The webmaster is an amateur photographer who has filed over 5000 of his photos of small insects on the website. Most of them are named, and there is some very good information provided about them. As he points out, without the humble ant, wasp, bug or spider, the world as we know it can not exist. *WPAA

Kookaburras

A young kookaburra was taken into the RSCPA Wacol office on Thursday after he was found with severe damage to his wings and tail feathers. Wildlife nurse Jess Vincent says it looked like someone may have tried to keep Chopper as a pet and "severely mutilated" his primary and secondary feathers to stop him from flying. She said it was a common occurrence for people to take wild animals that were injured or lost, thinking they were helping them. "It's done with good intentions but they are actually not helping at all," she said. "They're wild animals, they should not be turned into pets. We'd like people to know that. If you find an injured animal or a young bird, bring them to us or return them to their nests." She said while he had not been doing any "kookaburra laugh" calls, he was reportedly chirpy and bright despite the injuries. Chopper went into foster care yesterday afternoon and will have to undergo about six months of rehabilitation. *Courier mail

Genetically Altered Monkeys

US researchers say they have created the world's first genetically modified monkeys by fusing cells from up to six different embryos, in what could be a big advance for medical research. Until now, rodents have been the primary creatures used to make chimeras, a lab animal produced by combining two or more fertilised eggs or early embryos together. Scientists have long been able to create "knock-out" mice with certain genes deleted in order to study a host of ailments and remedies, including obesity, heart disease, anxiety, diabetes and Parkinson's disease. Attempts to do the same with more complicated primates have failed in the past, but scientists in the western state of Oregon succeeded by altering the method used to make mice. *Age
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/animals/worlds-first-genetically-modified-monkeys-created-20120106-1pncx.html#ixzz1icjx27ML
Ed Comment; How disgusting is that?

Mystery Kangaroo

Motorists cruising along Boat Harbour Drive in Hervey Bay were startled yesterday by the sight of an adult kangaroo dead on the side of the road. The animal showed no signs of trauma, which only added to the mystery. A spokewoman for an animal welfare group blamed ongoing residential development for forcing the animal into an urban centre, where it would have become confused and terrified. "The problem is that their habitat is being taken over by development," Fraser Coast treasurer of the Wildlife Preservation Society Carol Bussey said. "It is becomeing more of a problem in our area especially with development in Eli Waters and Point Vernon and in the neighbourhood of the Hervey Bay Hospital. "These developments are pushing the kangaroos out. Static roo populations are found on the Hervey Bay golf course and on the fringes of the city, but there have been recent sightings in Main St and residents on Torquay Rd have also reported kangaroos infiltrating their back gardens. * Fraser Coast Chronicle

Honey Bees

Northern California scientists say they have found a possible explanation for the honey bee die-off: a parasitic fly that hijacks the bees' bodies and causes them to abandon hives. The symptoms mirror colony collapse disorder, in which all the adult honey bees in a colony suddenly disappear. The disorder continues to decimate hives in the US and overseas. The disease is of great concern, because bees pollinate about a third of the United States' food supply. Its presence is especially alarming in California, the nation's top producer of fruits and vegetables, where bees play an essential role in the $US2 billion ($1.9 billion) almond industry and other crops. * Age
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/parasitic-fly-may-explain-bee-deaths-20120105-1pmgv.html#ixzz1iciViCfP

AZWH First Patient of the Week 2012, Ball the Channel-billed Cuckoo

An adult female Channel-billed Cuckoo was found being attacked by crows at Meridan Plains about 7.30pm, likely because she was close to their nest. She was transported to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by the concerned resident who rescued and named her Ball. Dr Amber found some bruising on Ball’s legs, but no other wounds or obvious fractures. X-rays revealed quite a surprise - a fully developed egg ready to pop out! Dr Amber administered Ball injectable calcium, pain relief and fluids, and kept her nice and warm in the Birds ICU for observation overnight. Ball was released back to where she was found the following day, with high hopes she will find a safe spot to lay her egg. AZWH Statistic: The AZWH has treated 17 channel-billed cuckoos over the past 8 years, a small number due largely to the species’ migratory patterns over the northern parts of Australia. The species naturally lay their eggs in other birds’ nests. *

Boyne River Fish Kill

The Queensland Greens say another fish kill in central Queensland could have been caused by dredging, despite the State Government all but ruling it out. The Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) is at a loss to explain what killed seven decomposing barramundi examined by its officers in the Boyne River on Tuesday. Departmental officers travelled there to investigate commercial fisherman Chris Sipp's report of about 15 dead barramundi in the river. DERM director-general Jim Reeves said the fish bodies were decomposed and had probably been there for at least three days. One showed signs of a skin lesion. Because of their decomposed state it wasn't possible to take samples of the fish to find out what killed them, Mr Reeves said. Water samples of the Boyne River taken by DERM on the day found nothing out of the ordinary. *Courier Mail
Read more .. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/dredging-blamed-by-greens-for-another-fish-kill-in-boyne-river/story-e6freon6-1226236801968

Fireworks

Thousands of dead blackbirds rained down on a town in Louisiana last New Year's Eve after revellers set off fireworks that spooked them from their roost. And US officials reported a similar occurrence in Arkansas on Saturday as 2012 approached. Police said dozens of blackbirds had fallen dead, prompting officers to ban residents from shooting fireworks on Saturday night. It wasn't immediately clear if fireworks were again to blame, but authorities weren't taking a chance. Meanwhile in Australia millions of dollars were wasted in every State as the Government's addiction to fireworks displays continued. We've heard that the Sydney fireworks alone cost $6 million! One man was killed by an exploding firecracker, and several injured. Pet animals cower in terror, wildlife panicks, and our essential services like health, police, education remain stretched for money. Just getting a bed in a public hospital requires that one must be dead, or nearly dead. Time to stop the stupid fireworks displays and put the money where it is needed. *WPAA

Roadkill

A roadside memorial for millions of native animals that have died on Tasmania's roads has been given a thumbs-up from animal welfare supporters. Tasmanian wildlife advocates yesterday said they would favour one or two monuments that drew attention to wildlife road trauma. Bonorong Wildlife Park director Greg Irons said a memorial could be a way of jolting Tasmanians' awareness to the horrors suffered by hundreds of thousands of animals injured and left to die on roads. Claire Fryer, Asia Pacific campaign co-ordinator for Animal Rights organisation PETA, suggested a mural depicting the type and number of animals killed. Mr Irons said Tasmanians were becoming desensitised. His business supports a volunteer network of animal rescuers and animal carers in southern Tasmania. Mr Irons said motorists could help to mitigate it by driving at 80km/h instead of 100km/h on main roads after dark.
"It is a massive welfare issue. People think they are powerless to do anything, but slowing down helps," he said. Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania co-ordinator Chris Simcox said resources were needed for public education. He said the State Government could help by adding wildlife safety to the licence test process. And road-kill estimates of 293,000 animals a year, by the science-based website roadkilltas.com, appeared low. The Bonorong-Friends of Carers hotline for a wildlife emergency is 6268 1184. *Mercury

Become a Wildlife Warrior

By making a one-off donation or joining our monthly giving program you can become part of a global wildlife force that is working hard to preserve our natural environment. Monthly Giving Program; Sign up to become a regular giver for wildlife conservation! Donations start from as little as $2.50 a week and can go to helping our native wildlife at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. Nearly 100 wildlife emergency calls are received every day at the Hospital, Up to 30 different species are admitted to the hospital every day, Currently around 80 koalas undergoing treatment, Approximately 70% of patients are victims of car accidents or domestic pet attacks, The cost to treat one animal ranges from $100 to thousands of dollars To sign up or find out more please visit http://www.wildlifewarriors.org.au *

Wild Pigs

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Pest Management Officer, Lisa Wellman said feral pigs caused considerable environmental damage and the service considered their control to be a high priority. "Feral pigs are a declared pest and have been recognised as a key threatening process to biodiversity at a national and state level because of the impact they cause from predation, habitat degradation, competition and disease transmission," Ms Wellman said. "Feral pigs degrade habitat through selective feeding, trampling and rooting for underground parts of plants and invertebrates. "They are particularly damaging along drainage lines, moist gullies and around swamps and lagoons or after rain, when the ground is softer," she said. Ms Wellman said a range of techniques are used to control feral pigs including baiting, trapping and aerial culling. "Feral pig control requires a co-ordinated approach. A number of stakeholders including landowners, the Livestock Health and Pest Authority, local councils, National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Catchment Management Authority have contributed to the movie," she said. Five minute version of the film is here .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i33xK70Tmfg

Ed Comment; there is not doubt wild pigs do huge amount of environmental damage, but in our view the control methods used are only a bandaid. They've been using baiting, ( including aerial baiting which impacts on other native animals), trapping and aerial shooting for decades and the wild pig problem is growing, not reducing. Seems to us they need to get serious about the problem, and the funding used on the bandaid methods put to finding a permanent, longterm solution.

Petition

If you havnt yet signed the Petition to stop kangaroo meat imports into the European Union, the link is here ......
http://www.change.org/petitions/call-for-support-to-ban-kangaroo-products-in-eu?organization=awpc

Gladstone Harbor

The Greens say the Gladstone Ports Corporation is trying to remove its harbour from the World Heritage List so it can avoid international scrutiny about its dredging operations. The World Heritage Committee is sending a team to Australia to investigate the $16 billion LNG site at Gladstone and a massive port expansion along the east coast. The Gladstone Ports Corporation has sent a letter to state and federal MPs asking them to support moves to remove the harbour from the conservation list. Greens Senator Larissa Waters says it is the latest dirty tactic being used to justify dredging which is suspected of killing marine life in the region. "This latest letter by the Gladstone Ports Corporation asking for the Harbour to be removed from World Heritage listing is frankly just an admission that this dredging is an environmental disaster," she said. "It is very interesting that we hear that the Ports Corporation wrote to state and federal MPs a month ago. They didn't write to me, and I've been one of the most vocal critics." "The Ports Corporation have got Buckley's chance of getting this harbour delisted," she added. "It is on the World Heritage list for a reason and it needs to stay there and be treated properly. "[It needs] to not just be treated like an underwater open-cut mine. "We had 75,000 people sign a letter after that Four Corners expose calling on the Federal Minister to stop the dredging." *ABC

Temporary Australians

A Northern Territory "thrill-seeker" who has wakeboarded croc-infested waters more than 30 times said the fun outweighed the danger. The 29-year-old man, who wished not to be named, said: "I'm the only one who ever gets out on the water." He said even his friends thought he was "crazy" and refused to wakeboard Adelaide River and Corroboree Billabong - which are home to some of the world's biggest saltwater crocodiles. "They think they're going to die," he said. "It's just a bit of fun." The McArthur River miner said he would go wakeboarding on Territory waterways every two months and had been doing it for five years. But he said the key to keeping safe on the water was to go around the crocodiles - not over them - and make sure the driver of the boat could quickly turn around if he fell off. He said some people would jump out of planes for their adrenaline but he would wakeboard the Top End. "I've never had an incident on the water," he said. But he said he would often tell himself: "Don't freak out. It's only dangerous if you fall off," he said. The online video was taken on Adelaide River in late October. The miner said he knew the video would "cause quite a stir" after his friends appeared on the front page of the NT News for the same stunt in August. East Darwin hockey player Dean Holt told the NT News in September that his mate - who was photographed wakeboarding the billabong - took to the water as a one off. But the miner said he was "a bit of a thrill seeker". *NT news

Dingoes

If a sickly young dingo pup proves to be a purebred Fraser Island Dingo, the culprits could face a $300,000 fine or up to two years in prison for taking him out of a national park. The malnourished male pup, which appears to be purebred, was caught in the early hours of Thursday morning near Maryborough and delivered to the TESS Wildlife Sanctuary. The Department of Environment and Resource Management is now investigating the incident amid claims both adult and juvenile dingoes have been taken off the island in increased numbers over the past two years. DERM regional manager, Great Sandy region, Peter Wright said there had not previously been any confirmation of dingoes being unlawfully taken from the island, but there had been reports. "The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service in the Great Sandy region occasionally receives reports of dingoes being taken from Fraser Island and each one is investigated by the department," Mr Wright said.

TESS Wildlife Sanctuary curator Ray Revill said DERM might have to return to random vehicle inspections on Fraser Island, which had a dingo population estimated to be 100-200. He said unconfirmed reports of dingoes being taken from Fraser Island had become especially prevalent in the past year. Cheryl Bryant, publicity officer for conservation group Save Fraser Island Dingoes, said the group received reports that dingoes with ear tags had been spotted on the mainland, but had been unable to confirm it. The captured young dingo will spend the next four weeks receiving treatment and special care. Mr Revill said if the pup was confirmed as a Fraser Island dingo, it was not likely to be returned to the island and might stay at the sanctuary. He said staff would call on the public to give the youngster a name after it had made a full recovery. It would take at least a month of special feeding and vet care before the animal returned to full health. *Fraser Coast Chronicle

Koalas

Fleet the koala, who was found shot seven times by a slug gun in October last year, has succumbed to his injuries. Fleet was brought to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital at Beerwah, Queensland, last October with seven pellets lodged in his body, including one in each limb. Veterinarians treating Fleet said three pellets found close to the surface initially were removed, but others in Fleet's skull and body were deemed too dangerous to take out and were left untouched. Unfortunately, a pellet lodged in Fleet's nasal cavity later became infected.
Vets treating the animal said despite strong antibiotic therapy and attempted removal he was unable to beat the infection. Surgery was performed yesterday to remove the pellet, but Fleet did not survive the operation. Vet Amber Gillett said staff at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital had worked tirelessly to save the famous little animal. "From the start the biggest risk to Fleet's survival was infection," she said. "We got it under control in his foot after weeks of antibiotics and debridement on his foot, but his nasal infection did not respond, hence why the decision was made to remove the pellet to eliminate this source of infection.

"Surgery to remove deeply embedded pellets is risky and is generally not necessary if they don't pose a direct risk to survival of the patient, hence why these were left where they were to begin with. "Once infection sets in however, removal of these pellets can become part of the treatment to help clear up the infection." Dr Gillett said the Zoo was committed to saving every single animal and it was upsetting to lose one of their patients. "Every animal we treat gets a little piece of us and we often feel a personal attachment to them, making losing them all the harder," she said. "It angers me beyond belief that someone could heartlessly shoot and leave for dead one of our protected species, and our national icon. Our koalas are at serious risk of extinction in south east QLD and it is devastating to lose one to such a cowardly act of cruelty. "In particular though, we are devastated to lose Fleet. He was a fighter and our greatest wish was to return him as a healthy koala into the wild. "We still have not caught Fleet's shooter and his death should send a strong message about the severity of animal cruelty and malicious intent on our native protected wildlife," Dr Gillett said. * News.com.au.
To donate to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, go to http://www.everydayhero.com.au/event/koala

Pet Wildlife Stolen

What could be Britain's most daring thieves were last night on the run from police after around 100 exotic animals - including a 5ft crocodile - were swiped in a pet shop raid. The dwarf caiman crocodile was part of a haul including dozens of snakes and lizards snatched from Stockport Pet Warehouse in Heaviley, Greater Manchester. Officers are now hunting the missing menagerie and have warned the thieves they could be risking life and limb trying to handle the stolen predator. The owners of the shop, Jon Bibby, 40, and Paul Williamson, 45, are also concerned about the stolen animals who, they fear, may not survive if not cared for properly. Mr Williamson said: 'There have been about 100 animals taken, the most dangerous being the crocodile, but also about 50 snakes, some of which are five to six foot.' Around 40 lizards, including geckos and bearded dragons, were also stolen, he added.'We can obviously replace these, but they also took two birds, a cockatoo and a parakeet, which we were caring for while customers were on holiday,' Mr Williamson said. 'They had taught the cockatoo to talk and that is not something that can be replaced. It will be devastating for them.' *MailonLine.co.uk

The Cuvier's dwarf caiman (above) is the smallest known species of crocodilian reptile, with a total length of up to 5.2ft in males and typically up to 4ft in females. Hailing from northern and central South America, the nocturnal dwarf caimans live near fast stretches of stream, using burrows as shelter during the day. While young, they mainly eat invertebrates like tropical insects and freshwater molluscs, broadening their diet to include fish as they mature. However, like all crocodiles, they still have fiercely powerful jaws and sharp teeth, capable of cracking the shells of their prey and ripping flesh and bone.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2082072/A-crocodile-50-snakes-bearded-dragons-snatched-tenacious-raid-pet-shop.html#ixzz1iW6wvnfu

Whaling

The conservation group Sea Shepherd has received what it describes as a reprimand from the Australian government for its use of aerial drones to track the Japanese whaling fleet. The Australian Antarctic Division told it the drones must undergo an urgent environmental impact assessment (EIA) if they are to be used in waters covered by the Antarctic Treaty.The drones were used by the group last month to find the factory ship Nisshin Maru before it reached Antarctic waters. The federal government requires anyone going to the far south from an Australian port to fill in an EIA and seek approval under the Antarctic Treaty. The group completed EIAs before departing from Hobart and Fremantle last month but an AAD manager, Gillian Slocum, emailed the group after the drones' existence became public. ''I do not recall drones being included in your EIA,'' Ms Slocum said. ''If you do intend to use them in the Antarctic Treaty area then this activity must be subject to the same assessment as the rest of your season activities have been.''

Sea Shepherd's leader, Paul Watson, said the demand was at odds with the treatment of the whalers in the Antarctic. "I find it interesting that they can tell us we can't use drones in the Southern Ocean but Japan can kill whales in the same waters," Mr Watson said. "I think Tokyo has made another complaint to Australia." The group's damaged ship Brigitte Bardot and its escort the Steve Irwin are returning to Fremantle, but a drone is believed to be in use on a third ship, Bob Barker. Mr Watson said yesterday Sea Shepherd knew the Nisshin Maru's location, and it was yet to conduct any whaling. The Brigitte Bardot, and the Steve Irwin are due to arrive in Fremantle today. Comment was sought from the federal Environment Minister, Tony Burke. *SMH
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/whale-watch/sea-shepherd-drones-provoke-official-rebuke-20120103-1pjj9.html#ixzz1iXQNW7fG

Attorney-General Nicola Roxon has held open all options as a Japanese whaling fleet security ship carrying three Australian environmentalists heads into the Southern Ocean today.
Ms Roxon has refused to rule out sending an Australian Government vessel to meet the Shonan Maru No. 2, following repeated calls from the Coalition and Greens for the patrol ship Ocean Protector to monitor the whaling conflict. "Our top priority is to make sure those three men are being treated properly and will be returned promptly," she told the ABC. West Australian forest activists Glen Pendlebury, Geoffrey Tuxworth and Simon Peterffy boarded the Japanese ship in an attempt to make it abandon its pursuit of the Sea Shepherd vessel Steve Irwin. The government is expected to seek confidential diplomatic talks with Japan to resolve the impasse, but Ms Roxon told reporters that the government was not impartial in the matter. "We don't support Japanese scientific whaling," she said. "We don't believe that it's an appropriate practice and we would like it to stop. We are not in the least bit impartial about that. "But that doesn't mean that there is a free open slather if people take the law into their own hands."

The Shonan Maru No. 2 was this morning about 100 nautical miles south of Australia and heading south in pursuit of the Steve Irwin, Sea Shepherd's leader Paul Watson said. The men were in good health on the ship, according to Glenn Inwood, a New Zealand-based spokesman for Japan's Institute for Cetacean Research, which runs the whaling fleet. Mr Inwood said the men had risked being taken to Japan for trial, but there has been no comment yet from the government in Tokyo. Mr Watson criticised the Federal Government's response to the crisis as "the bullshit politics of compromise". "Nicola Roxon has been quick to condemn these three brave men by saying they were detained by the Japanese in international waters and Australia would be powerless to stop them being taken back to Japan," Mr Watson said. "Of course the only reason they boarded the Shonan Maru No. 2 was because her government has refused to make good on their pre-election promise to get tough with the illegal Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary." *Age

Toxoplasmosis in Wildlife

Tasmanian farmers have called for urgent monitoring amid reports the parasitic disease toxoplasmosis is on the increase in native animals and stock. New Tasmanian research shows animals living in areas with high cat numbers are five times more likely to have the toxoplasma parasite. It also reported evidence of feral cat spikes in areas where devils had been wiped out by facial tumour disease. "There is a real issue around toxoplasmosis that needs to be dealt with, as well as other animal diseases like tularemia (from possums)," Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association chief executive Jan Davis said. "We feel this has been put in the too-hard basket but these diseases, as well as a concern on farms, are a risk for humans, too. We want the Government to invest in research and monitoring."

Toxoplasmosis aborts unborn lambs, in particular, and can kill and in humans can affect unborn babies. There have been reports of wallabies and bandicoots dazed and blind. It is fatal to the vulnerable eastern barred bandicoot. Wildlife can be run over or eaten because they lose sight. A paper presented in New Zealand last month states: "Evidence is emerging of feral cat increases in many areas of Tasmania, which may be a consequence of declining devil densities. "The highest toxoplasmosis seroprevalance (positive test) in pademelons occurred in areas where cat density was the highest, being almost five times higher than in regions with the lowest cat densities." The research was conducted by Tracey Hollings and Menna Jones, of the University of Tasmania, Hamish McCallum, of Griffith University, and Nick Mooney from the Department of Primary Industries. The highest numbers of positive tests were in eastern quolls.

Last year, Tamar Natural Resource Management trapped dozens of feral cats that were all infected. In September, Tasmanian Country reported on farmers concerned about a drop in wallaby numbers. Reports of diseased wallabies were made from Bothwell to the Tasman Peninsula. Bothwell farmer Neil Monks said "they went blind and just pined away ... you could walk up to them and they were just sitting up looking at the sky". The Department of Primary Industries said illness was often triggered when animals were stressed from hunger, age or the weather. Monitoring from 2005 to 2008 showed a big decline in pademelons in the south, although drops in native species were expected because of drought. Surveys were continuing but the department said there had been no reported increase in animal deaths. Landholders and others can report unusual symptoms or disease in wildlife to 6233 6556 or notifiable diseases to 1800 675 888. *Mercury

Ed Comment; Well, in Tassie they eat a lot of of wallaby and possum meat, so this report may slow down the consumption of wildlife meat. Anyone who eats wildlife meat runs the risk of getting toxoplasmosis.....and other largely untreatable diseases. To read more about toxo in wildlife, and its devastating effects on humans, go to ........ http://www.kangaroo-protection-coalition.com/kangaroos-toxoplasmosis.html

Kangaroo Attack

A seven-year-old girl who suffered cuts and bruises after being attacked by a kangaroo in Australia has said she thought she was going to die. Makayla McEvoy was playing near a group of the kangaroos at a campsite when one charged at her, pinned her to the ground, and kicked her in the face, arms and back. Describing the attack, the schoolgirl, who is now recovering after being treated for her wounds, said she was "very, very scared". She added: "I thought I was going to die. All I could see was grey, grey, grey". The ordeal happened at Wyangala Dam, a popular picnic and camping area about 186 miles (300km) west of Sydney. "It just jumped on her back and knocked her to the ground and started. It was just jumping up and jumping up on top of her and scratching her," said Makayla's mother, Emma McGovern. Her step-father, Mitch McGovern, ran to save her.

He said: "As I jumped over the top of Makayla to get rid of the kangaroo, all I could see was she was laying, sort of, face down on the ground with her shirt was all ripped, and her back was cut. "There was no noise, I thought the worst." Makayla McEvoy hurt after being attacked by wild kangaroo, west of Sydney, Australia Makayla McEvoy suffered cuts and bruises to her face, arms and back Mrs McGovern added: "Honestly, I thought she was dead. She didn't make any noise. She didn't scream for help." Mr McGovern said he struggled to fight off the kangaroo. "As I went to turn back, it actually came back at me, jumped and kicked me in the back of the leg," he said. Makayla was rushed to hospital where her wounds were treated.

She said the attack has not put her off hoping to be a veterinary surgeon one day. Grey kangaroos can grow as tall as 9ft (2.8 metres), and weigh up to 10st (66kg). The park management said they will put up signs to warn people about kangaroo attacks. The Eastern Grey Kangaroo is found in southern and eastern Australia, with a population of several million. They normally avoid interaction with humans, and there have only been a handful of recorded attacks on people. *Sky News

Fires

Fire authorities will be forced to conduct night fuel-reduction burns over summer, as the Government struggles to deal with a huge backlog of grass fuel left around the ACT. The rare decision comes after a disastrous start to the territory's hazard reduction program this financial year. Just 104ha of a planned 5316ha of fuel-reduction burning has been completed so far, according to Territory and Municipal Services. The backlog has been caused by recent rains, which have made it impossible for Parks, Conservation and Lands fire officers to conduct burns. TAMS fire unit manager Neil Cooper said authorities would now be forced to take the unusual step of conducting night-time burns during summer. Mr Cooper said fire officers would be forced to wait for a cool change, during which they would conduct a large number of burns over a short, concentrated period. He said this would potentially create smoke hazards across the ACT.

The wet weather has also caused ''havoc'' for scheduled maintenance and upgrades to the ACT's fire trails, including work planned for the Mt Franklin Road in Namadgi National Park, according to Mr Cooper. The ACT Government was urged to improve access to the Mt Franklin Road, and a number of other fire trails, by the McLeod Inquiry in the wake of the devastating 2003 Canberra bushfires. Mr Cooper said he was confident that TAMS would achieve its hazard reduction burn target of 5316ha by the end of the financial year. ''With the continuing run of wet weather, it's caused us to adapt and reassess how we do things,'' Mr Cooper said. 'What we've done is looked at those areas and discussed how we can still achieve this fuel management outcome using other means, such as slashing and grazing.'' About 7000ha of fuel was planned to be removed through cattle grazing, while 8000ha has already been slashed once by Parks, Conservation and Lands. The Rural Fire Service has warned that if current warm temperatures continue over the next month, the risk of fast-moving grass fires will be dramatically increased.

Temperatures reached 34 degrees yesterday, 33 degrees on Monday, and 30 degrees on Sunday, while today is forecast to hit 34, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. But storms are forecast for today, and showers are expected to continue later this week. RFS chief officer Andrew Stark said the warmer weather was not a big concern, but said a sustained hot period would create a ''rush of grass'', increasing the risk of dangerous grass fires. "'The real risk with these conditions, and for the ACT this year, is grass fires, rather than forest fires,'' Mr Stark said. ''They're very fast moving, very wind driven, very intense heat, and very tall flames, particularly with all the available grass at the moment.'' 'Grass fires can move up to four times faster than forest fires, so they can develop into dangerous conditions very quickly.'' Mr Stark said he was ''quite confident'' in the fuel management activities scheduled in the ACT's current Bushfire Operations Plan. 'They're always challenging, because the weather that hurts us in summer, hurts us in winter.''

Ed Comment; Over the last few years the ACT Government, arguably the most dysfunctional government in Australia, have deliberately killed thousands of kangaroos in the Parks and Reserves around Canberra, because they were eating the grass. Now they are burning the Parks to keep the grass down!

Wildlfie Bytes 20/12/11

2011-12-19T20:06:00.001-08:00

Whaling

In an odd twist, an American law firm that prides itself on supporting a local no-kill animal shelter has decided to represent the Japanese whaling fleet in their lawsuit against the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Miller Nash, with offices based in Portland and Seattle, will act on behalf of The Institute of Cetacean Research to seek a court order against the Sea Shepherd to prevent them from “engaging in activities at sea that could cause injuries to the crews and damage to the vessels.” SSCS founder Paul Watson dismissed the suit, calling the allegations just another form of harassment. “I don’t believe they have a case and I doubt a U.S. court would take this seriously,” he said in an earlier statement. “Unlike Japan, the courts in the United States don’t automatically do what the government demands that they do.” *Ecorazzi

Environmentalists Monday called on Yahoo! Japan to ban all sales of whale, dolphin and porpoise products on their fee based Store and Auction sites after discovering that whale products sold via the Yahoo! Japan sites were contaminated with toxic mercury pollution. Mercury can cause brain and neurological damage in humans. The Environmental Investigation Agency, a non-profit environmental group based in Washington and London released new results of eight whale products purchased recently from Yahoo! Japan Store sites and tested by a laboratory in Japan earlier this month. Five of the products exceeded the Government of Japan safety guidelines for mercury contamination in seafood for human consumption. The average concentration of mercury in the eight products was 1.78 parts per million, more than four times higher than the “safe” level of 0.4 set by the Government of Japan. One whale meat sample was more than 16 times the limit for mercury at 6.5ppm. The sample was sold as “dried whale from Taiji.” Taiji is the town where the Oscar winning documentary “The Cove” documented mass killing of dolphins in the nearby bay. *Read More .... http://championsforcetaceans.com/2011/10/28/yahoo-sells-risso-dolphin-meat-from-the-cove/

New Online Wildlfie Magazine

Check out this fabulous new FREE wildlife e-mag by Andrea Devos - http://www.taswildliferescue.com.au

North Stradbroke

The Queensland Government has declared one of its most visited tourist islands a National Park, but the move has angered local conservation groups. Environment Minister Vicky Darling says Sunday's announcement declaring 13,000 hectares on North Stradbroke Island a national park keeps an earlier promise by the State Government. "We remain committed to delivering on our promise to protect a further 30 per cent of North Stradbroke Island and end sand mining by 2026,'' she said in a statement. However, the island's conservation groups say two-thirds of the area that has been declared a national park has been degraded or destroyed by mining. Sand-mining company Sibelco had advocated the state government plan to stagger national park declarations to allow it to extract resources before moving on, Nikki Parker, spokeswoman for Friends of Stradbroke Island and Stradbroke Island Management Organisation, said. "This government has declared high conservation areas will be national park in the future but only after they have been irreversibly damaged and destroyed by sand mining,'' she said in a statement. The LNP says the announcement is a bid to win green votes before the state election, due in March. Opposition environment spokesman Andrew Powell says taxpayers will have to pay for rehabilitating land that Sibelco degraded. "The cost of rehabilitating local vegetation due to bad planning is estimated to be in the millions,'' he said in a statement. *Courier Mail

Kangaroos Shot

The senseless slaughter of kangaroos and livestock on a Booral acreage has shattered members of the close-knit neighbourhood who were forced to endure a weekend of terror. More than 20 kangaroos, mainly females with joeys, and at least one cow, were killed by rogue shooters on land they had no permission to be on. It was Friday night that residents of Wheeley St were first alerted to the shining of a spotlight and cracking sounds of gunfire in the paddocks backing onto their properties. Carmel and George Watson were among the first to sight the culprits who, they were shocked to discover, were allegedly a father and his two children. Police officers from the dog squad were called to confront the shooters and evict them from the land owned by a farmer from town, who had no idea the killing spree was taking place. Residents thought it was over, but on Saturday night the shooters returned, killing well into the night and yesterday morning. It was only when a group of local horse riders arrived on their Sunday morning trail ride that the extent of the carnage was finally discovered. Horrified residents banded together to check the kangaroos' pouches for joeys. Some were lying next to their mothers and had been shot at point blank range. Three were found alive and taken to a wildlife carer in Maryborough. The Watson's and their neighbours want justice for the creatures they have come to love. They say they would understand if the kangaroos were damaging a farmer's land, but could not understand why anyone would kill animals just for the fun of it. Police are investigating. * Fraser Coast Chronicle

Hunting can be Dangerous to your Health

A Florida man has become the second hunter in two weeks to be shot by his own dog. Billy E Brown, 78, was driving to go deer hunting when his bulldog, Eli, managed to discharged a rifle into his leg. He had been heading for a deer hunting spot in Pasco County with a friend when he was shot in the thigh, reports Fox News. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Gary Morse said: "His friend was riding next to him in the front seat, with the dog and the gun in between them." As the trio drove down a rough limestone road, Eli "got excited in the truck" and knocked against the rifle, firing off a round. Hit just above the right knee, Brown was rushed to hospital in Tampa where he underwent surgery. His condition is described as stable. Late last month, a Utah hunter was shot in the buttocks by his dog during a botched duck hunt. Doctors removbed 27 pellets of bird shot from the 46-year-old's body following the mishap. *Orange.co.uk

Kangaroo Industry

Kangaroo killiing enthusiast Professor Mike Archer has an interesting article in the online magazine "The Conversation". Of course he spouts a lot of nonsense, but if you read the article, dont forget to read all the comments. They are more entertaining than the article itself, most comments are from academics, and it gives an insight into the strange and weird attitudes to wildlife that some of these academics have. Unfortunately some of these people will eventually work in government departments, which may explain why the Government rarely gets it right!

Read the article here ... http://theconversation.edu.au/ordering-the-vegetarian-meal-theres-more-animal-blood-on-your-hands-4659

Fossil Wildlife

Fossils from a tusked, wombat-like creature as big as a cow have been identified in Tasmania for the first time. The dicynodont, similar to a mammal, lived about 250 million years ago, predating dinosaurs. The University of Tasmania unveiled the fossils and images yesterday for the first time, five years after bushwalkers Bob and Penny Tyson stumbled upon the fossil site on the Tasman Peninsula. Researchers from Queensland Museum and Latrobe University joined UTAS to describe the first dicynodont (pronounced de-sign-adont). "Dicynodont have been found everywhere else in the world, every other continent including Antarctica ... this fills an important gap in our knowledge of these mammal-like reptiles and where they lived," said Queensland Museum head of geosciences Andrew Rozefelds at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery yesterday. Dr Rozefelds, a former TMAG deputy director, said the bone was part of a skull and a partial tusk and was the largest to be found in Australia. It was only the second record in Australia of this age. *Mercury
Read more ... http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2011/12/20/285991_tasmania-news.html

Frogs

A group of critically endangered sunset frogs have been translocated to the South West in the hope that they will establish a new population there. A total of 31 frogs and 252 tadpoles will be moved from protective care at Perth Zoo to a peat swamp near Walpole. With only 30 known populations of the sunset frog in a small corner of the South West, it is hoped the zoo-bred frogs will successfully establish a new population outside the known distribution area of the species. The Department of Environment and Conservation project officer Dr Manda Page said the sunset frog had been identified as at risk of becoming extinct due to its very restricted distribution and dependence on a specific habitat — a habitat that is a relict of an ancient environment. “It lives in poorly drained peat-based swamps at the headwaters of drainage systems in a 300km2 area near Walpole and Nornalup and is vulnerable to environmental changes caused by a changing climate, as well as disturbances from feral animals, feral pigs in particular,” she said. “The release site for the frogs and tadpoles was chosen because it provides suitable habitat and extends the known range of the species. The West
Read more .... http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/12403860/hope-for-sunset-frog-population/

Crows

A new and extreme sport is sweeping coastal skies. "Crow gliding' is a risky and breezy answer to snowboarding and sees our black feathered friends hitching a ride on unsuspecting hang-gliders. So far there hasn't been many people able to capture these birds in action but Noosa's Mike Drinkwater was able to snap a shot (pictured) when he was photographing sea eagles at Sunshine Beach. Mr Drinkwater said at first he had no idea what the bird was trying to do but after he rode the hang-glider for a few seconds, flew off and then jumped on again, it was clear he was just having fun. "The crow was riding on the edge of the hang-glider," he said. "I grabbed my camera to take a closer look - I was amazed. "He was surfing the sky. He was probably thinking 'I reckon I can land on this'." The cartoonist who dabbles in photography said he never imagined he would snap such an unusual shot. "I was there to photograph a different type of bird," he said. "But the crow ended up stealing the show." *Sunshine Coast Daily

Water Birds

Talk about great weather for ducks. Scientists have counted the third highest number of water birds in eastern and central Australia in 29 years. Almost a million birds were counted in an area covering about a third of the continent and it's all down to two great rain-bringing La Nina seasons. One of Australia's longest-running wildlife surveys has found that widespread flooding across the Lake Eyre and Murray-Darling Basins has rejuvenated rivers and wetlands and produced an explosion in waterbird breeding. Survey leader and director of the Australian Wetlands and Rivers Centre at the University of NSW, Richard Kingsford, said yesterday he was astounded by the numbers. "This is all down to the factories of the Lake Eyre and Murray-Darling basins," Professor Kingsford said. "They have given us a tremendous bounce back in bird numbers after years of drought." Prof Kingsford said the richness of breeding species was also high and the floods had seen a turn around in a 30-year decline. Researchers saw 22 species, including black swan, Pacific black duck, Australasian shoveler, chestnut and grey teal, hardhead, freckled duck, plumed whistling-duck and Australian shelduck.

Each October since 1983 waterbirds are counted across 10 survey bands - each 30km wide - extending from the east coast to the NT border and from the Whitsunday Islands in Queensland to south of Melbourne. "We haven't reached the previous heights of the early 1980s but this result highlights the importance of a series of floods and environmental flows over a large part of the continent," he said. Wetland habitat was again extensive in the Cooper Creek catchment, as well as in the Diamantina and Georgina river systems, which state Environment Minister Vicky Darling announced last week would be protected under landmark wild rivers legislation. The nation's State of the Environment report, released last week by Environment Minister Tony Burke, said Australia faced challenges from the legacy of centuries of over-consumption and pollution of environmental resources. Australian Conservation Foundation spokeswoman Denise Boyd said the report sounded an alarm to all Australians about the health of the country's environment. "The report states in its findings that climate change poses 'the largest future threat to our inland water systems' and that land clearing averaged about one million hectares per year for the past decade," Ms Boyd said. *Courier Mail

Kangaroo Kill

The shooters who killed a number of animals and alarmed Booral residents over the weekend were on the property with permission. Garnet Bengston, the owner of the property, said there was a misunderstanding about the shooters. He said that when the incident was first reported to police on Friday he did not realise that shooters who had used his land for many years had arranged to come out for the weekend. Mr Bengston told the Chronicle that the person who was on the property had phoned his wife on Friday to ask permission to be there but she forgot to tell him they were coming. "But the shooter had previously been given permission to be on the property over the years," he said. Mr Bengston said the shooter "was a responsible member of society." As for the dozens of dead kangaroos and one dead cow, Mr Bengston said "there is just far too many of them (kangaroos) but I just don't know what to do about that."

He said the cow that was shot was already dying. "We lose cattle all the time because of plastic bags and rubbish," he said. The Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) said the killing of kangaroos for recreation was legal under certain circumstances. The DERM website states the following about the issue: "You need a licence, permit or authority to harvest macropods, whether for recreation or commercial use. In Queensland, DERM issues these." "You cannot harvest macropods in protected areas, such as national parks or in state forests." "Recreational harvesters can only use the macropods that are taken for their personal use and have annual limits." At this stage it is unknown if the shooters had the required permit. *Fraser Coast Chronicle

Ed Comment; we have written to DERM to ask if these ratbags had Permits, because clearly they have breached the Code of Practice.

Wildlife Bytes 16/12/11

2011-12-15T11:31:00.000-08:00

Kangaroos and Wallabies

An increase in kangaroos and wallabies on local roads around Young (NSW) could have something to do with the cherry harvest, according to a local wildlife carer. “Animals, particularly wallabies, hang out in the orchards, but when the pickers come in they take off to other areas,” said Sandra Latham from Wildcare. “They’re trying to keep away from people, but as a result they end up crossing a road at some point,” Ms Latham said. She has suggested drivers stick to the speed limit and install animal warning whistles on their vehicles, to avoid a collision. “If people do hit wildlife, by law they’re supposed to stop, they should never leave an injured animal on the side of the road.” It’s currently high season for joeys, so motorists who come across dead kangaroos or wallabies are being urged to check their pouches. “And if anyone sees an injured animal, or finds a joey, they should contact a wildlife group or a vet,” Ms Latham said. *Young Witness

Australia Zoo Patient of the Week, Rupert the Green Tree Frog

A green tree frog was found In a house at Mooloolah Valley with a gash near the left shoulder. Transported to: The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by the concerned home owner. Dr Amber found that Rupert’s wound was an old one and in the early stages of healing. The 78g frog is otherwise very bright and active, and hopping around well. Dr Amber applied a topical antibotic cream to Rupert’s wound to help stave off any infections. The cream will be applied daily over the next week. Rupert will spend the next week in care at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, and will then be assessed for release back to the wild near where he was found. AZWH Statistic: No animal is too small for treatment at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital! We have treated over 29 native frogs so far in 2011. *

Gladstone Harbor

Almost 75,000 Australians have signed a petition calling on UNESCO to intervene and help put a stop to dredging in Queensland’s World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef. Lobby group GetUp! presented the petition to a UNESCO official in the French capital, Paris, today on behalf of the 74,708 Australians who signed it. Their concerns centre on an approval to dredge 46 million cubic metres during the next 20 years within Gladstone Harbour, which is inside the World Heritage area of the reef. So far, 1.5 million cubic metres have been dredged to make way for two Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) projects, export hubs on Curtis Island and an expansion of the port itself. *Econews

Kangaroo Kill at Longreach

We were contacted today (thursday) by an ally from Longreach, who informed us that a non-commercial kangaroo kill was to undertaken at Isisford Airport, near Longreach. The shooting took place on the 14th and 15th of this month around the airport at Isisford which is about 115klms from Longreach. The reason given was 'safety' this airport has around 3-4 planes coming in each week some are medical planes the others are private aircraft owned by 4 loxcal graziers. The airport is partly enclosed with a fence but the Roos can come and go, the landing strip is tarmac and according to Longreach Council there has been a huge build up in Roo numbers putting the safety of the aircraft at risk. The Council is looking at other measures for control after this shoot, but the Council spokesperson didn't know what they were. Andrew McKenzie who is the Director for Corporate Service his details are.... ph. 07 465841111 and the switch will put you through or get him to ring back. The phone for the Isisford Council is 07 4658890 The notice about the kill was placed in the Longreach Leader, which is how our informer found out about it. Several of us on Thursday emailed the Longreach Council asking the the kill be cancelled for Thursday night, but we havent received a reply as yet. If you have time please contact the Longreach Regional Council and ask them to implement non-lethal kangaro control measures. Email: receipt@longreach.qld.gov.au *WPAA
PS As we go to mailout, we've heard that there are very bad storms in Longreach last night so teh kil was cancelled! We should also mention 4 graziers have properties at Isisford, largest is Isisford Downs owned by the Packers! *

Dingo Day

It was a rare opportunity for families to get up close and personal with wild animals at the annual Dingo Day in Apex Park. Several young dingoes mixed closely with the crowd, attracting attention and affection from young and old at the annual event, hosted by lobby group Save the Fraser Island Dingo. But the key message of the event was: "If you want to pat a dingo, do it here and not on Fraser Island." Hundreds of people stopped to check out the action, which included a bouncy castle, sausage sizzle and live music - and many left with a paw print painted on their faces. Group president Malcolm Kilpatrick said the annual Dingo Day aimed to raise awareness about the challenges faced by the dingoes, and to educate people about how to treat the wild animals. "With Christmas holidays coming up, a lot of people are going over to Fraser Island - it's a notoriously high-risk time for interactions with dingoes," Mr Kilpatrick said. "We are trying to educate people that they need to keep their children within arm's reach, and they need to stay well away from dingoes on the island." The two visiting animals, Honey and pup Coda, were brought by Durong Dingo Sanctuary owner Simon "Dingo" Stretton. "People have been really curious about them because they've never been allowed to pat a dingo before," Mr Stretton said. "Instead of thinking dingoes are mean or killers, people are walking away with a different attitude." *FC Chronicle

Numbats

Thirteen numbats from Perth Zoo are on their way to a new home at a NSW wildlife sanctuary. The numbats, five males and eight females, were selected from the zoo’s breeding program to be released at the Scotia Sanctuary south of Broken Hill. The sanctuary protects two wild populations of numbats from feral predators, Environment Minister Bill Marmion said. “All the numbats at Scotia Sanctuary are descended from the population at Dryandra Woodland near Narrogin, although half the original founders arrived via another Dryandra-descended population at AWC’s Yookamurra Wildlife Sanctuary in South Australia,” he said. The numbats will be tracked via radio collars donated by community group Project Numbat, which raised the $250 for each collar via its membership. Feral foxes and cats have drastically reduced the numbat population and they are listed as an endangered species. PerthNow

Climate Change

The 190 nations that participated in extended UN climate change talks in Durban, South Africa, agreed to deal on Sunday that commits them to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within a decade. The result of over two weeks of discussions is a commitment period that effectively extends the Kyoto Protocol and maps out a path to a legally binding global agreement in 2015 to limit and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with a deadline of 2020 for all countries to begin taking action. Although Greenpeace called the deal a win for polluters and many were dismayed at the lengthy timeline for action, the deal (which now includes key players China, India and the United States) was broadly welcomed. ABC News / Reuters provides a good summary of the key measures agreed in Durban. *Network Item

Grebes Down

Thousands of migratory birds died on impact after apparently mistaking a Wal-Mart car park in the US and other areas of southern Utah for bodies of water and plummeting to the ground in what one wildlife expert has called the worst downing she has ever seen. Crews went to work cleaning up the dead birds and rescuing the survivors after the creatures crash-landed in the St George area on Monday night. By Tuesday evening, volunteers had rescued more than 2000 birds. "They're just everywhere," said Teresa Griffin, wildlife program manager for the Utah Department of Wildlife Resource's southern region. "It's been non-stop. All our employees are driving around picking them up, and we've got so many people coming to our office and dropping them off." Officials say stormy conditions probably confused the flock of grebes, a duck-like aquatic bird most likely making its way to Mexico for the winter. The birds tried to land in a Cedar City Wal-Mart car park and elsewhere. *Age
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/thousands-of-birds-make-fatal-crash-landing-in-walmart-car-park-20111215-1ovgw.html#ixzz1gZN0nzKc

Biodiversity Loss

Australia lacks the scientific data to deliver effective environment policies and track their impact, according to the latest federal State of the Environment report. The report's findings on the continuing decline of native wildlife has prompted Australian National University ecologist Professor David Lindenmayer to urge the Gillard Government to ''stop treating science as a luxury'' when funding environmental programs. 'We are seeing millions wasted on revegetation programs that will not, and cannot deliver because they are not underpinned by scientific programs that will tell us whether or not they are working,'' Professor Lindenmayer said. ''Can you imagine making a major business investment without the economic capability to measure the return on that investment.'' The co-director of the ANU's climate law and policy institute, Andrew Macintosh, has also called on governments to ''think beyond the press release'' when drafting environmental policy. ''Ministers must have the ticker to ask for, and take frank and fearless advice on the progress of the programs they announce,'' he said. *Canberra Times Read more .. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/national/national/general/gillard-urged-to-stop-treating-science-as-luxury/2390664.aspx?storypage=0

Pandas

Police in Tokyo have arrested a man accused of trying to sell a stuffed giant panda, an endangered species, to Chinese tourists for three million yen ($38,000). Shang Erqiang, 40, a Tokyo restaurant operator originally from China, was arrested last week, a police official told AFP. Reports dubbed the animal as an "80 per cent real giant panda" because its head and ears appeared to belong to another animal, possibly another type of bear. Television pictures showed the animal being displayed in a bamboo-decorated glass cage. Japanese law protects the trade in endangered animals and carries the threat of fines and imprisonment. Pandas are revered in China, and Beijing often uses the bears as diplomatic gifts to other countries. Just 1600 remain in the wild in China, with about 300 more in captivity. *AFP

Jungle Radio

Jungles Radio is a cutting edge Live Radio & Podcast Program that explores various topics in Reptile, Amphibian and Invertebrate care as well as important worldwide Wildlife Conservation issues. Join your host Danny Mendez, a Zoologist, Zookeeper, and Naturalist with a rich background in the professional zoological world as he explores various topics of interest and brings you the best interviews from all over the world and leading experts in the field. Urban Jungles Radio is LIVE every Friday night at 10pm EDT. or 1pm Queensland time at http://www.urbanjunglesradio.com/

Rats

Rats will free distressed cagemates from a trap, even when there’s no evident reward for the help—and even when it might cost them a little food, a study has found. Scientists say the phenomenon is an unusual finding of empathy in animals other than primates—humans and their evolutionary relatives, the apes and monkeys. Empathy has often been considered unique to primates, though a related phenomenon dubbed “emotional contagion” has been identified among a wider variety of species. In that effect, an animal experiences the emotions of others. Read more ... http://www.world-science.net/othernews/111208_rats

Wildlife Carers Dictionary

The Wildlife Carers Dictionary is a free online resource full of words and phrases often used in the wildlife carers community. It would be a useful resource for first time carers and long time carers alike as well as vets, vet nurses, zoo and sanctuary keepers and just anybody who loves to learn about Australian native animals. The Wildlife Carers Dictionary can be downloaded at http://www.fourthcrossingwildlife.com/WildlifeCarersDictionary.htm

Become a Wildlife Warrior

By making a one-off donation or joining our monthly giving program you can become part of a global wildlife force that is working hard to preserve our natural environment. Monthly Giving Program; Sign up to become a regular giver for wildlife conservation! Donations start from as little as $2.50 a week and can go to helping our native wildlife at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. Nearly 100 wildlife emergency calls are received every day at the Hospital, Up to 30 different species are admitted to the hospital every day, Currently around 80 koalas undergoing treatment, Approximately 70% of patients are victims of car accidents or domestic pet attacks, The cost to treat one animal ranges from $100 to thousands of dollars To sign up or find out more please visit http://www.wildlifewarriors.org.au
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Wildlife Pets

South Australian police are on the lookout for Pinocchio, a freshwater crocodile stolen from a home in Snowtown over the weekend. Police said the 70cm croc was taken from a locked enclosure at the home in the mid-north town between Friday last week and Monday. The enclosure was in the rear yard of a home and was purpose-built to house various wildlife. Last week thieves also made off with two pythons and a crocodile from a reptile store in Adelaide. The two green tree pythons, both four years old, were 1.2 metres long and the two-year-old Johnston's freshwater crocodile was 60cm long. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) spokesman Glenn Sant said it was likely the reptiles would be exported or sold to collectors. "You can basically assume they will go into the illegal wildlife trade," he said last week. "They're worth a lot of money overseas." Police said they did not believe the two incidents were connected. *NineMSM

Ravens

Wild ravens purposefully show objects to their mating partners—the first time this behavior has been observed in the wild except in the closest relatives of humans, scientists report. The researchers consider these actions as part of a class of behaviors called deictic gestures, which include pointing and showing and which are aimed at drawing attention to an external object. Such gestures are thought to reflect complex intelligence and to represent the starting point for the use of symbols, and therefore language.
read more ... http://www.world-science.net/othernews/111129_ravens

Spiders

Golden orb spiders add a chemical to their webs to deter invading ants, scientists have discovered. Scientists from Australia and Singapore had set out to discover why ants were rarely found on the webs of the spiders, which are widespread in the warmer regions of the earth. "We found that large golden orb web spiders add a defensive alkaloid chemical onto the silk, which stops the ants from walking on to the web when they come into contact with it," team leader Associate Professor Daiqin Li, from the National University of Singapore, said in a statement on Wednesday. Professor Mark Elgar from the University of Melbourne said the team was impressed by the strength of the ant repellent used in the webs. "The orb spider is potentially vulnerable to attack from groups of ants while sitting in its web waiting for prey," he said. "So the chemical defence in web silk may have evolved to not only protect the spider, but to reduce the time and energy that would otherwise be required to chase away invading ants." The team also found that only the larger spiders produced the compound. The researchers hope the discovery may provide new opportunities for pesticide production. *Network Item

Green Politics

The State of the Environment report released yesterday reveals that most of Australia’s plants and animals are on the path to extinction, Australian Greens environment spokesperson Senator Larissa Waters said today. The report also acknowledged from the outset that the environment was a national issue that required national leadership. “The call for national leadership is completely at odds with the Federal Government’s intention to delegate many environmental protection powers to the states,” Senator Waters said. “This is why I’ve introduced my water bill, which would give the Federal Government the power to protect water from mining operations at the national level and demonstrate the greater environmental leadership which is so desperately needed. “I have also introduced a bill to allow newly discovered species to be emergency-listed as threatened, so they can receive immediate protection. “The report also recognised that port development and shipping accidents pose a major threat to our marine environments – a timely warning for the Government to stop treating the Great Barrier Reef as a coal and gas highway. “Australia’s unique and precious wildlife is daily sliding closer to extinction – if the Government has any intention at all of preventing this crisis, it will support my two bills and take the strong action necessary to protect our wildlife and our environment.” *Qld Greens Media Release

Koalas

Tens of thousands of trees planted to save southeast Queensland's dying koalas will save fewer than 30 animals, a lobbyist says. Environment Minister Vicki Darling this week planted the last of 30,000 trees on a property at Daisy Hill, south of Brisbane. It was part of a $48 million, six-year plan to purchase eight parcels of protected land around the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay regions to save the critically endangered animal. Australian Koala Foundation president Deborah Tabart told AAP the 379 hectares purchased would support approximately 30 koalas if well vegetated. ``It is really a drop in the ocean,'' Ms Tabart said. ``I would be much happier for her to say I have saved 30,000 hectares for koalas.'' Ms Tabart said the saplings would take five years to reach a maturity suitable for koalas. Koala numbers in the state's southeast corner have plummeted almost 60 per cent in the past three years. ``It's time for the average Australian to realise this is just a bandaid,'' Ms Tabart said. ``Those areas are where the Urban Land Development Authority have cut down a lot of trees.'' The koala has not been added to the list of fauna protected under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act despite lobbying from the Australian Greens and environmental groups. Koalas are considered critically endangered in southeast Queensland, which is one step away from extinct. *News.com.au

Wildlife Trafficking

Mine site workers in the North West are being recruited by environmental authorities to try to stop the trade in smuggled reptiles amid claims that many animals are being taken from the Pilbara and sold on the black market. Unlike mammals, reptiles are simple to transport because they can be easily immobilised and are able to survive for days without food or water. There is a lucrative domestic and international trade in Australian snakes and lizards with some fetching $20,000 overseas. Even bobtail lizards can bring in up to $7500 on the Asian black market. In the past two years, two fly-in, fly-out workers have been arrested for smuggling reptiles including a Pilbara mine site worker who was arrested at Perth Airport in September after carrying two Stimson's pythons and a sand swimmer skink on a flight from Newman. He was fined $3700 with $119 in court costs over the smuggled reptiles and a third Stimson's python and a pygmy python found at his house.

Department of Environment and Conservation wildlife officer Matt Swan said that 67 native animals had been seized by authorities this year with pygmy pythons, Pilbara olive pythons, banded knob tailed geckos and pygmy spiny tailed skinks among the most heavily targeted species. With illegal collecting taking place in remote locations, the DEC is turning to mine site workers to be the eyes and ears of the department. "Wildlife officers raise the issue of illegal reptile collecting in discussions with mine site staff whenever they visit a site," Mr Swan said. "DEC recently delivered a presentation to staff at the Perth headquarters of a mining company on smuggling and how to detect it. Smuggling can be a cruel practice depending on the way reptiles are handled and transported. "High mortality is associated with overcrowding, lack of ventilation and the use of tape or other materials to restrict the movement of animals, causing severe stress." Anyone with information about the removal of reptiles should call the DEC Wildcare hotline on 9474 9055 or the Customs hotline on 1800 061 800. *TheWest

Kangaroos

Roo shooter Rob Aspinall wants to assure Bulletin readers that no professional hunter would skin, disembowel and dump kangaroo carcasses at the side of the road. Rob, a commercial roo shooter for 15 years, says he was as shocked as anyone by the gruesome images of six skinned carcasses on the edge of a road at Kabra this week. "It makes no sense and I have no idea why someone would do it," he said. "But I know one thing; whoever it was is an idiot." Rob is one of about 830 licensed shooters in Queensland and says none of them would risk losing their accreditation by acting cruelly or inappropriately. "The regulations are very strict. There are limits on the numbers we can shoot, and the method of the kill. It has to be clean, one shot to the head so the animal doesn't suffer," said Rob who is based in Rockhampton and travels to properties as far away as Dingo, Emerald and Sarina. Shoots have to be conducted at night and the carcasses have to be taken to an approved wild-game chiller within a few hours of being killed. "All the kangaroos I harvest are for human consumption and they have to be at least 16kg before I shoot them."

Rob says while it might be possible to make a living as a professional shooter, the rewards are not great and the lifestyle is "not real good". "It's a lot of effort and at the moment roo carcasses are fetching 75 cents a kilo. Most shooters do it to supplement their income from another job." Rob decided to speak out fearing readers might think that a professional shooter was responsible for the carnage at Kabra. And Inspector for the RSPCA for the Rockhampton region Laurie Stageman said the killing of these kangaroos was most likely done by "yobs". "I doubt it very much that this was done by a professional shooter," Mr Stageman said. "They have a code of conduct that the professional roo shooters follow, they shoot them, tag them and they go to the chillers and are sold. It's against their profession, they already cop enough flak for what they do." Rob says he and a partner shot about 500 roos last year, but his total will be down this year. On a good night they kill about 30 roos. It makes no sense, whoever it was is an idiot. *Morning Bulletin

At least 26 kangaroos were shot and killed during the 12-month NMIT Eden Park cull, Freedom of Information documents show. But discrepancies between documents released by Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE and the Department of Sustainability and Environment make the exact number of animals killed unclear. NMIT reports say 27 kangaroos were shot, while department documents say it was 26. Several documents requested through FoI by the Australian Society for Kangaroos were not provided. In October last year, the department granted NMIT a permit to cull 300 kangaroos at its 320ha Northern Lodge stud farm. Despite numerous requests for information by the media and the public, the department and NMIT never publicly revealed how many kangaroos were killed. One document shows shooting began at Northern Lodge on March 10, with a department wildlife officer in attendance. Two kangaroos were shot on that day, with another 24 killed on March 17.

Two more shots were fired on March 19, but no kangaroos were killed. The document, approved by department secretary Greg Wilson on May 9, said “to date, no further shooting has taken place”. It is not known whether more shooting related to the cull occurred between May 9 and the day the permit expired on October 18. Nancy Worland reported hearing shots while visiting her daughter in Eden Park in January. Wildlife volunteers monitored the TAFE property from March 21 until the cull permit expired. Australian Society for Kangaroos spokeswoman Fiona Corke, who obtained the documents, said it was difficult to know exactly how many kangaroos were killed.“I don’t know what to believe; I don’t know if it was 27 or 100,” she said. The documents show that two joeys were euthanased after their mothers were killed. How do you think NMIT and the department have handled this issue? Tell us at whittlesealeader.com.au *Whittlesea News

Videos about the Kangaroo Kill

Australian Society for Kangaroos would like to thank Voiceless for the grant to fund this Community Service Advertisement and for their dedication, commitment and ongoing contribution towards saving the lives of millions of kangaroos. We would also like to thank Rob Thomas and management for allowing us to use his hauntingly beautiful song, Now Comes the Night in this Community Service Advertisement. Due to music licencing agreements our TV ad can only be seen in Australia, we apologise to overseas viewers however please feel free to browse our website to discover more about the plight of kangaroos. Big thanks to the production team: Moving Stills Production Company, Nick Carrafa and Szumai Anderson. Produced, written and directed by Fiona Corke and Nikki Sutterby. Watch the Advertisment http://www.australiansocietyforkangaroos.org/advertisement.html

And the VIVA! video, The Commercial Killing of Kangaroos for meat and leather - this video show the reality of the trade. Please visit www.viva.org.uk to order a free Go Veggie pack!
Watch Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSgxx4ijeMg&feature=share&mid=54

WA Fires

They are the forgotten victims of the bushfires in the South-West - species of native animals and birds that may have been completely wiped out. Conservationists and animal carers say populations of highly endangered possums, black cockatoos and other native species may now be locally extinct in the Margaret River, Nannup and Augusta regions. The wildlife disaster is a result of at least two fires that burned through more than 70,000 hectares and destroyed more than 40 properties after a series of prescribed burns by WA's Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) flared out of control in November. FAWNA president Jeff Falconer, who is in charge of animal rescue efforts in the region, told AAP this week the fires had wiped out almost entire populations in some areas. ``Probably 90 per cent of the wildlife in those areas where the fire was fairly bad would have been killed,'' he said. Mr Falconer said the combined Nannup-Augusta fire, which burnt about 50,000ha, was ``the biggest on record'' in WA's South-West. Conservationists have been scathing of the decision to hold the burns in spring, during the nesting and breeding seasons, saying young animals and birds wouldn't have stood a chance.

Busselton Possum Centre president Ute Wicke told AAP she had pleaded with the DEC two months ago not to conduct the burns during breeding season. ``We were particularly worried about the burns that get away - like we've just seen,'' she said. Ms Wicke said the fires had ``devastated'' some of WA's healthiest populations of endangered ringtail possums around Margaret River. ``At this time of the year, the possums have very vulnerable young with them - they are just out of the pouch - and they don't have a chance,'' she said. ``So not only the adult population dies, but so does the next generation. ``We really feel we might have lost the best habitats and ringtails will go locally extinct in those areas.'' Ms Wicke said the aftermath of the fires had been heartbreaking, after she found 25 dead possums and many other animals that were ``unrecognisable''. Margaret River Vet Clinic owner Michel Noey said she had treated about 20 possums for burns following the fire, and had been called out to euthanise a number of injured kangaroos.

She said possums were especially vulnerable to bushfires. ``They can't hop, they can't move fast,'' she said. ``I guess the (injured animals) that haven't been brought in by now would have died of their wounds or dehydration.'' Dr Noey said such was the ferocity of the fires, little would remain of any animals that had perished in the bush. Dave Patterson of the Nannup Black Cockatoo Rehabilitation Centre said the DEC had been warned for many years not to carry out burns during the nesting season. ``But the DEC just keeps doing it and doing it - they don't listen,'' he said. ``It's in the middle of the breeding season for the red-tails (black cockatoos), so any chicks that were in a nest hollow would have been killed. ``These birds are critically endangered - the population can't sustain it. ``There will definitely be local extinctions here because the birds that have survived now can't find anything to eat. ``We're already getting a lot of birds in here that are really undernourished - they're starving.''

Mr Patterson said the biggest impact had been on endangered Baudin's red-tailed black cockatoos, which are only found WA's southwest and number fewer than 10,000. ``But it's been devastating for all native animals in the region,'' he said. Conservation Council of WA director Piers Verstegan said the long term impact would be deadly. ``The removal of a massive food source and potentially huge numbers of individuals is going to be a critical blow to endangered species in the area,'' he said. The main problem with prescribed burns, apart from the timing, was the ``arbitrary'' 200,000ha target the DEC tried to meet each year without any ecological basis, Mr Verstegan said. ``The DEC, which is supposed to be responsible for maintaining our natural environment and the species within it, is applying what we believe to be a completely reckless regime of prescribed burning,'' he said. ``The target approach needs to be scrapped.''

A DEC spokeswoman said prescribed burns were usually conducted in spring and autumn when weather was mild and fires were easier to manage. ``In southern parts of WA, spring burning is undertaken when fuels are still reasonably moist from winter rains,'' she said. `As the spring progresses and the effect of sun and wind continue to dry the fuels, it makes them more flammable and the opportunity to undertake safe burns decreases.'' Anyone wishing to donate to the southwest fire animal rescue and rehabilitation appeal can contact Mr Falconer at FAWNA on 0438 526 660 or visit www.fawna.com.au, or Ms Wicke at the Busselton Possum Centre on 0420 939 890 or visit www.possumcentre.com.au. * PerthNow

New Species

A wildly-coloured gecko, a fish that looks like a gherkin, and a monkey with an Elvis-like hairstyle are among the more than 200 new species discovered in the Greater Mekong region last year, environmental group WWF has said. The area's diversity is so astonishing that a new species is found every two days, but regional cooperation and decision-making must take centre stage to preserve its richness, the group added. The dangers posed to local wildlife were highlighted earlier this year, when WWF said that Vietnam's Javan rhinos have been poached into extinction. "While the 2010 discoveries are new to science, many are already destined for the dinner table, struggling to survive in shrinking habitats and at risk of extinction," said Stuart Chapman, Conservation Director of WWF Greater Mekong, in a statement.

Among the new species highlighted in the report "Wild Mekong" is a gecko with bright orange legs, a yellow neck, and a blue-gray body with yellow bars on its bright orange sides, discovered on an island in southern Vietnam. Then there is a black and white snub-nosed monkey whose head sports an Elvis-like hairstyle, found in Myanmar's mountainous Kachin state. Locals say the animal can be spotted with its head between its knees in rainy weather as it tries to keep rain from running into its upturned nose. Other featured creatures among the 208 new finds include a lizard that reproduces via cloning without the need for male lizards, a fish that resembles a gherkin, and five species of carnivorous pitcher plant, some of which lure in and consume rats and even birds. "Mekong governments have to stop thinking about biodiversity protection as a cost and recognise it as an investment to ensure long-term stability," Mr Chapman said.

"The region's treasure trove of biodiversity will be lost if governments fail to invest in the conservation and maintenance of biodiversity, which is so fundamental to ensuring long-term sustainability in the face of global environmental change." Despite restrictions, trade in wildlife remains an active threat to a range of endangered animals in the region, with some hunted because body parts - such as rhinoceros horns - are coveted ingredients in traditional Asian medicine. Others, such as Mekong dolphins, face threats from fishing gear such as gill nets and illegal fishing methods, prompting the WWF in August to warn that one dolphin population in the river was at high risk of extinction. The Greater Mekong region covers Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the southern Chinese province of Yunnan. * Telegraph UK

Noxious Carp

The pest of many waterways in the southern Australian state of Victoria could soon be the toast of Europe’s fashionable dining tables. A European carp control program on the Lower Ovens River will see many of the higher quality fish sent overseas where their eggs, or roe, are seen as a tasty delicacy. Some food entusiasts say the roe from carp is just as delicious as the expensive Russian or Beluga caviar, which uses the roe from sturgeon. AAP newsagency says those fish that don’t make the grade will be sent to Baranduda, near Albury-Wodonga and will be worm-farm composted to produce an organic liquid fertiliser in a bid to clear the waters of the pest. Jarod Lyon, fish ecologist at the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s Arthur Rylah Institute said cutting carp numbers is crucial to protect other species. “The program includes installing specially designed cage traps to protect two wetlands from the damage caused by carp, while nets protect other wetlands and electrofishing is used to back it all up by removing the carp from the river itself,” he said.

“The Lower Ovens Heritage River is a high conservation value aquatic ecosystem for threatened native fish species including the iconic Murray Cod and Trout Cod. “Cutting carp numbers is an important part of the effort to protect those species,” he added. Mr Lyon said professional fisherman Keith Bell is part of the integrated carp control program. “Whilst most carp caught are composted to produce an organic liquid fertiliser, Keith exports some of the higher quality fish and even their roe to Europe for human consumption.” The cages have been installed on the Lower Ovens River near Peechelba, between Bundalong and Wangaratta. Wetlands and billabongs connected to the Ovens are key carp breeding grounds and by preventing the carp from getting into the wetlands, ecologists are hoping to reduce their numbers. The fish are particularly targeted in October and November when they spawn in wetlands. *EcoNews

Wildlife Bytes 9/12/11

2011-12-08T13:13:00.001-08:00

Coal Seam Gas

The scale and speed of its growth has been nothing short of astonishing: billions of dollars have poured into regional areas; new jobs have been created; state and national coffers have swelled; export contracts have been signed and sealed; massive liquefied natural gas facilities have been approved for construction at regional ports. Farmers fear they are losing control of their land. Miners and some politicians say coal seam gas offers a much greener energy choice. Environmentalists and other politicians have cast doubt on those claims. The ABC's data journalism project has pulled together information from dozens of sources to provide an insight into the promise and the dangers inherent in the coal seam gas rush.
It is estimated there will be 40,000 coal seam gas wells in Australia, and it is believed the Industry will have a huge and devastating impact on wildlife habitat.....for many reasons.
See the map, and get more info........ http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-24/coal-seam-gas-by-the-numbers-map/3664318

Some of the issues surrounding CSG are most alarming, as the major political parties throw their support unconditionally behind it. Breaches of conditions are ignored; protestor Drew Hutton, calmly sitting on the ground during a"lock-the-gate" campaign, is arrested and taken away in handcuffs; the arresting officer taken to the site in a mining company vehicle; Fed. Environment Minister Tony Broke (sorry, Tony Burke) sets up an environmental "oversight" advisory committee consisting of mining experts; Gladestone Harbor destroyed, and Curtis Island, which should have been National Park, targeted for more CSG loading facilities. Chinese, American, and British multinationals are buying up farms to convert to coal and CSG mines. Huge areas of Queensland and NSW are to be moonscaped, and the ground water polluted. A coal seam gas site in north-central New South Wales is already discharging water with high levels of ammonia into the Murray-Darling river system. The major political Parties all without reserve support the CSG Industry because of the money. It was interesting that at Drew Huttons trial in Dalby Court (not coverd by the media) supporters present included Larissa Waters and Bob Brown, from the Greens, Bob Katter, and someone from the Queensland party. Noone from the major Parties turned up. We should all be very worried. * WPAA

Whaling

Japan's whaling fleet has left its home port for another turbulent season in the Southern Ocean, this year courtesy of extra money from the nation's earthquake recovery fund. Three vessels have set sail from the port of Ishinomaki, in western Japan, with a mission to catch 900 whales over the next three months. The Japanese fleet will have beefed-up security this year after its last season was cut short by the Sea Shepherd anti-whaling group. The fleet did not get anywhere near its target last season and Sea Shepherd is hoping for a repeat performance. But there is anger in Japan and elsewhere this year about the source of new funds for the trip. The Japan Fisheries Agency says the trip's use of $28 million from the earthquake recovery fund is legitimate, because one of the towns devastated by the March earthquake and tsunami was a whaling port. Greenpeace Japan executive director Junichi Sato says it is a massive stretch to link whaling to the earthquake. "It's not related to the recovery at all," he said. "It is used to cover the deaths of the whaling program because the whaling program itself has been suffering from big financial problems." Three Sea Shepherd vessels are preparing to depart from Albany and Hobart in the next 10 days to disrupt the whaling. The group's founder, Paul Watson, says a lot of people should be angry that recovery money is going to whaling. "I know there's a lot of angry people who said 'look, I didn't send my money to help the victims of the tsunami only to have you use it to go down and kill some whales'," he said. *ABC
Read more http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-12-07/japan-whaling-fleet-embarks/3716546

Snails

A giant carnivorous albino snail has been found living in New Zealand bushland. A group of trampers stumbled across the white Powelliphanta - only the second recorded - during a trip though the Kahurangi National Park at the tip of the South Island. "Our group had seen three or four snails already that morning as it had rained and they'd come out in the wet conditions," said hiker Bill Brough, of Motueka. "Then I saw the white snail and went wow! We were excited to see it, knowing how extraordinary it was." Powelliphanta snails are found only in New Zealand and are the giants of the snail world. They are carnivores, with their favourite prey being earthworms. They also eat slugs. Photos taken by the Waimea Tramping Club show the Powelliphanta hochstetteri hochstetteri had a characteristic golden brown-spiralled shell but a body that was glowing white rather than the usual deep black colour. Department of Conservation Powelliphanta expert Kath Walker says in more than 30 years studying the native snails it is only the second albino she has seen. *Age
Read more, see photoes: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/giant-meateating-milky-bar-snail-stuns-hikers-20111201-1o7t3.html#ixzz1fddUbrG6

Development and Wildlife

Endangered animals would be moved from boom housing suburbs to a safe haven, under a plan to keep more land for housing. Property developers say that "frog and bandicoot nirvana" could be created for the species while ensuring that enough land was available to build homes, schools and playgrounds. The Herald Sun revealed last week that draft measures to protect the growling grass frog could stop up to 66,000 houses being built and prevent about $2.6 billion in development. Special no-go zones in growth corridors would be set aside for habitats used by the frog and for other species like the southern brown bandicoot. But Property Council of Australia state CEO Jennifer Cunich said yesterday the State Government plans would see 4400 ha of potential housing land locked up, based largely on questionable science and preconceived outcomes. Ms Cunich said that in the case of the frog, a better option was to keep only high-value habitats in growth areas and to set up alternative locations for frogs outside the urban growth boundary. "Why are we restricting opportunities for our future communities when we could be creating frog and bandicoot nirvana outside the boundary," she said. *Herald Sun
Read more; http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/frogs-in-a-place-where-they-wont-croak/story-fn7x8me2-1226214560801

Wildlife Trafficking

Officials have seized nearly 50 native reptiles being held at a remote property in south-western New South Wales. A tip-off led police and investigators from the state's Office of Environment and heritage to the house at Oxley, near Hay. In a bedroom of the house they found 34 shingleback lizards, five blue-tongue lizards, five eastern bearded dragons and two geckos. National Parks and Wildlife western region director Mark Peacock says the animals were in poor heath. "The animals were found with no food or water and no cages to protect them from each other," Mr Peacock said. "Many had been defecated on by other reptiles in the room." The animals were assessed and treated by a vet at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo. Officials also recovered a sand goanna lizard and lace monitor lizard from a home at nearby Maude. Mr Peacock says it is possible charges will be laid over the haul. "Intelligence received by investigators is that Australian native reptiles are highly sought after by overseas traders," he said. *ABC

Elephant Death

A 25-year-old Australian woman has died after being mauled by a pygmy elephant in a remote wildlife park on Borneo island in Malaysia. The woman, who has been identified as Sydney-based veterinarian Jenna O'Grady Donley by Malaysian newspaper The Star, was trekking with a friend and a local guide in the Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Sabah state when the group were attacked by the rare pygmy elephant yesterday. While the guide and the other woman managed to get away, the elephant's tusk pierced Ms Donley's body and she died instantly, the state wildlife department director Laurentius Ambu told AFP. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) confirmed that a 25-year-old from NSW had died in Malaysia and that her death was believed to be the result of an elephant attack. *The Australian

No Wildlife Care Facility for Fraser Island

The Queensland Environment Minister Vicky Darling has refused a request by SFID to establish a Wildlife Care Facility on Fraser Island, saying the Rangers on the Island are welltrained and capable of handling any wildlife issues. * Network Item

GoldenBacked Rats

It was once so common it was considered a pest, found running through the rooftops of many houses in Broome. But in a narrow, rainforest-filled gorge, 350 kilometres from the West Australian pearling capital, ecologist Katherine Tuft has had no luck catching a golden-backed tree rat. And then, as she inspects the fifth cage she placed out the night before, Dr Tuft finds what she is looking for. ''These guys used to be across much of northern Australia but they've really contracted back and now the north-west Kimberley is the only place they are,'' Dr Tuft, from the non-profit conservation group the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, said. The unfortunate case of the native rodent is representative of the plight of more than half of northern Australia's small mammals, such as the northern quoll and golden bandicoot, whose ranges have contracted and whose populations have plummeted in the past 20 years. For these species, the north-west Kimberley is the last stand. *Age
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/got-you-you-little-rat--now-lets-save-you-20111202-1obgi.html#ixzz1fdeCXnKo

Flamingoes

Nearly 140 greater flamingos were killed in a wildlife sanctuary in western India when they were startled and flew into a string of high tension power lines, a forest official said on Friday. Tens of thousands of flamingos turn the flat, warm marshes of the Khadir region of Gujarat state into a sea of pink every year when they fly in from Siberia to breed. This year, their numbers were unusually high, with about 500,000 birds making the migratory flight from Siberia, district chief conservator of forests DK Sharma said. Sharma said the mass electrocution took place some 12 days ago, when a large flock of flamingos was startled at night by the noise of a vehicle. "The entire flock took off. Many of them flew straight into the electric wires and 139 were killed instantly," he said.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/electrocution-kills-140-flamingos-in-india-20111202-1ob3f.html#ixzz1fdedlYMX

New Crab Found

A species of crab found a thousand feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean near Costa Rica lives off the bacteria on its claws – bacteria that it fertilizes by waving them in methane and sulfide released from the seafloor. This "farming" behavior was described for the first time in detail by the scientists this week in the journal PLoS One. This new species of the Yeti crab, called Kiwa puravida, was first discovered in 2006, according to Andrew Thurber, a post-doctoral researcher at Oregon State University and lead author of the study. It is only the second member of the Yeti family of crabs – first discovered in 2005 – and illustrates how little scientists know about the deep ocean environment, the researchers say. * BBC
read More; http://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=69753248110

Turtles Speared

The Queensland Government has ordered an investigation into reports Indigenous hunters are spearing turtles at Green Island, off Cairns in the far north, while tourists are swimming nearby. The Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators (AMPTO) says it has been sent photographs of the hunters in waters off the island last Friday morning. Traditional owners are allowed to hunt the protected animals under the Native Title Act but many local Aboriginal groups have imposed a moratorium on taking turtles because of their dwindling numbers. AMPTO spokesman Col McKenzie says he is outraged by the photos taken at Green Island. "They were taken at nine o'clock in the morning as boats were arriving with hundreds of tourists on board," he said. "This is not the message that we want to sell to the world about tourism and protection of the Great Barrier Reef. Queensland Environment Minister Vicky Darling says she is concerned by the reports and will ask her department to investigate. "I really believe most traditional owners are very sensitive to this and wouldn't be doing this sort of hunting in front of people," she said. "It's just a matter of finding out who these people are and talking to them about the appropriateness of it. "If it's a poaching case, then that's certainly something that the State Government can investigate. "In this case, having seen these images, I'll be asking my department to investigate this particular instance and see what's going on." *ABC

Kangaroos Killed and Dumped

A scene of six kangaroo carcases skinned, disembowelled and dumped on the side of a Kabra dirt road had wildlife and animal authorities in shock yesterday. Rockhampton region RSPCA inspector Laurie Stageman said it was a barbaric act if done for fun. "Even if it wasn't for fun, they've still breached the Native Conservation Act," Mr Stageman said. However, given the state the carcases were left in, a commercial roo shooter may have been responsible for the killings. Department of Environment and Resource Management spokesman Clive Cook said yesterday that as a native species, kangaroos were protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. "It is an offence to deliberately kill or injure a protected animal unless authorised to do so," he said. "The maximum penalty for deliberately killing a kangaroo without authority is $10,000. "In Queensland, there are currently 44 damage mitigation permits for the take of kangaroos and 1447 commercial wildlife harvesting licences for macropods (kangaroos)." Australian Society for Kangaroos president Nikki Sutterby said she wasn't surprised as the government condoned their killing due to the kangaroo meat industry. "The kangaroo is the largest land-based wildlife slaughter in the world because of the commercial kangaroo industry pet meat which is for profit." *Morning Bulletin

The kangaroo think tank have a really good webpage about the health risks of eating kangaroo meat here http://thinkkangaroos.uts.edu.au/issues/hygiene

Children in Ballarat East have discovered the remains of a dismembered kangaroo. The four children were riding bikes in bushland in Richards Street when they made the discovery on Sunday morning. The children’s father Glen Strange said a mob of 15 kangaroos were often seen around the area – known to locals as Sandy Banks – and he was shocked to see one had been treated with such brutality. Photos obtained by The Courier show the kangaroo with its legs and tail severed. Mr Strange said it was unclear how to the animal died, but he believed the limbs and tail had been cut with a saw. “I just hope the poor animal was dead before it happened,” Mr Strange said. “Whoever did it needs to be brought to justice or needs some help.” He said his four children, who range between 10 and 15 years old, weren’t too badly affected by the discovery. “They’re okay about it, they’ve grown up with nature and understand these things. It’s a bit perplexing why anybody would mutilate the body like that,” he said. RSPCA Victoria chief inspector Greg Boland said it was not uncommon for foxes to create a misleading picture that limbs had been sawn off. “Across the state we do get the odd similar case and most of the time it’s usually foxes. Of course, I don’t know how the animal actually died, whether it was sick or attacked or what the situation is,” he said. Police are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to contact them on 5336 6000. *Courier

Climate Change

Pacific islands can expect more extremely hot and wet days, saltier oceans killing off coral reefs and rising sea levels, a new report on climate change reveals. Climate Change Minister Greg Combet released the report while attending the United Nations climate summit in Durban, South Africa. Regional warming is expected to be greatest near the equator, the report says. "Large increases in the incidence of extremely hot days and warm nights are also projected. "A widespread increase in the number of heavy and extreme rain days is projected." The report adds that conditions for coral reefs will become "increasingly marginal" due to further ocean acidification. It also warns Pacific islands of rising sea levels of around 18 centimetres by 2040 and 80 centimetres by 2100 in a worst-case scenario for emissions growth and ice cap melting, and around 30 centimetres by 2100 under the best case of emissions growth slowing.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/warning-on-climate-impact-on-pacific-20111207-1oiqu.html#ixzz1fyoHkiqy

A Defining Moment

Four deer were pulled from the icy waters of Stephens Passage, Alaska , by a group of locals on Tom Satre's 62-foot charter vessel. Four juvenile Sitka black-tailed deer swam directly toward the boat. Once the deer reached the boat, the four began to circle the boat, looking directly at the humans on board. Clearly, the bucks were distressed. With help, the typically skittish and absolutely wild animals came willingly onto the boat. Once onboard, they collapsed with exhaustion, shivering. All four deer were transported to Taku Harbour . Once the group reached the dock, the first buck that had been pulled from the water hopped onto the dock, looked back, then leapt into the Harbour, swam to shore, and disappeared into the forest. After a bit of prodding and assistance from the humans, two others followed suit, but one deer needed more help. She was wheeled down the jetty in wheelbarrow. They did not know how long the deer had been in the icy waters or if there had been others who did not survive. The good Samaritans (humans) describe their experience as "one of those defining moments in life." I'm sure it was for the deer, as well. *Network Item

Whaling

Byron locals and Australians generally are outraged that Japan used 28 million dollars from the Tsunami relief funds to go towards supporting the whaling fleet currently on its way to the antarctic to kill 900 whales. Byron whale activist Dean Jefferys who was involved in 2 local fundraisers that raised over $20000 for the tsunami relief fund said "I am outraged that money we raised in good faith to help the Japanese people recover from the devistating effects of the Tsunami would be used to help kill whales. I believe the people in the Tsunami effected areas would also be outraged that relief funds are being directed to supporting a dieing industry that the global community condemns instead of funding there recovery. This is a double betrayal to all those who gave money or time to the fund and to the Japanese people in need and I believe is the straw on the camels back that will be the down fall of corrupt elements the government controlled by the Japan Fisheries Agency and also the whaling industry. The Japan Fisheries Agency says the trip's use of $28 million from the earthquake recovery fund is legitimate, because one of the towns devastated by the March earthquake and tsunami was a whaling port.

To discuss this and other critical marine issues, whale activists, Howie Cooke, Madi Pip and Dean Jefferys will come together this week in Mullumimby and Byron to share stories, videos, information and music to support and celebrate the wonders of the ocean and its creatures. Highlights of the recent inspiring Byron presentation by the founder of Sea Shepherd, Paul Watson, will also be screened. Howie Cooke, recently returned from Transparent Seavoyage 2, down the coast of California with the Surfers for Cetaceans crew and will show photos and videos from the trip. The S4C crew sailed 5 double seater Hobie sailing kayak from the Gaviota coast north of Santa Barbara through to Mission Bay, San Diego meeting with coastal communities, hearing about local marine issues which were highlighted at events held in all four counties. Howie painted many whale murals on route and video clips show encounters with sea lions, dolphins and on one occasion, two Blue Whales. See http://transparentseavoyage.com. Howie will also show some clips and share some stories from his earlier trip to the Antarctic with Sea Shepherd.

Madi Pip will show some of her amazing footage swimming with tiger sharks and talk about the urgent action that is needed to protect sharks in Australia and worldwide. Dean Jefferys will show some footage of his sailing adventures in Migaloo 2 including the last two months in Hervey Bay with the whales and talk about his “2012 and Beyond” vision, sailing a fleet of boats along the east coast of OZ with the whales. Sea Shepherd stall will be there providing presents that help conserve and not cost the earth. Kevin James and Howie Cooke will sing some whale inspired songs. The events will be held at Byron Community Center Wednesday, 14th Dec at 5-30 pm and in Mullumbimby out the back of Santos, Thursday 15th Dec 7-30. $10 entry The Wednesday night event will be live streamed free on the internet at 5-30 pm on http://migaloo2.com/ To interview Howie Cooke 0422641664 and Dean Jefferys is 0467485903 or 02 66840246 reference see http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-12-07/japan-whaling-fleet-embarks/3716546 *Media Release

What Price Posterity ?

Expert opinions are like Biblical quotations, you can easily find one to contradict another. Mention conservation and opinions sprout like weeds in a veggie patch. So let’s apply common sense and the evidence of our own eyes instead. When land is developed for human use native bush and habitat are destroyed. Wildlife will be affected to a greater or lesser degree, this is a fact of life. To enjoy the convenience and comfort of the high tech existence we are used to we must accept such compromises.
However there are some places which we want to protect and preserve intact for posterity. The World Heritage Convention describes them as “Places important to and belonging to everyone” having “universal value that transcends the value they hold for a particular nation”.

Therefore the approach here must be very different. Expert opinion will vary, but there is also the wisdom of people living on the spot. These are descendants of white settlers, ‘incomers’ who enjoy a modern lifestyle yet are attuned and sensitive to the needs of their special environment. Also Aboriginal elders whose instinctive affinity with the natural world has evolved over thousands of years. They understand persecution and dispossession too. Ask them what works. When dealing with places which have looked after themselves pretty well for hundreds of thousands of years surely going Softly Softly is indicated? Minimum interference. Upset the balance of nature at your peril, remember rabbits and cane toads? Inhibiting predators and prey, chopping down habitat, imposing human demands, a recipe for disaster. Common sense.

Take World Heritage Listed Fraser Island with 700,000 years of recorded evolution. What goes on? 400,000 visitors and rising; all manner of group and individual outdoor pursuits, 8 campgrounds, 2 resort complexes and another planned, all with bars, restaurants, night clubs, every sports facility etc. “Eco friendly” maybe but still needing infrastructure and servicing. 80,000 hectares of destruction from an out of hand ‘controlled‘ burn. And all this won’t impact on the fragile environment? There’s more, the iconic dingoes facing extinction after 5,000 years, harried and abused, excluded from their hunting grounds and brutally cleared from the beaches. Meanwhile anyone can hire a 4WD and hammer off along the sand. The limit was reduced, repeat reduced to, not from, 80k because people were killing themselves! Recently a resident displayed 38 cardboard cutouts of dingoes, a telling symbol of the present and a warning for the future. Protecting the environment? Protecting the profit from the Tourist Dollar more likely. Do we want intact World Heritage Sites where it’s environment first and people second, or sterile but profitable Adventure Parks and Playgrounds? Can’t have both together. Common sense, but no doubt some expert will disagree. *Lin Sargent, letter to the Australian*

"Prescribed Burnoffs"

Former Federal police chief Mick Keelty will conduct his second WA fire inquiry in less than a year. Appointed yesterday to determine how a Department of Environment and Conservation controlled burn resulted in 40 homes and chalets being destroyed, Mr Keelty will meet those affected by the tragedy on Sunday. But the terms of reference Mr Keelty has been asked to work to exclude a separate DEC prescribed burn that wiped out almost 40,000ha of bush and threatened to destroy homes on Molloy Island and in Augusta. Colin Barnett said prescribed burning, for better or worse, was here to stay. "This is not a broad study or overview into the benefits or otherwise of prescribed burning," the Premier said. "Prescribed burning is absolutely essential to minimise the risk of catastrophic fire." Mr Keelty, who earlier this year came up with a damning assessment of the management of a fire in Perth Hills which destroyed 71 homes in February, has been asked to complete "short", "sharp" and "detailed" inquiry by the end of January.

He will examine: The causes of the November Margaret River fire, The basis for and circumstances leading up to the DEC prescribed burn BS520 within the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. The extent to which this prescribed burn was consistent with departmental policy and standard operating procedures.

Mr Barnett said Mr Keelty also needed to determine if the DEC had high enough regard for the risks associated with weather conditions over the period of the burn. But conservation and forest protection groups described the terms of reference as a "script for a cover-up". "Looking at the Margaret River fire in isolation is a mistake," WA Forest Alliance spokeswoman Jess Beckerling said. "In the days leading up to the disaster, DEC lit fires near Margaret River, Denmark, Manjimup and Walpole. "This split the State's fire-fighting resources with disastrous consequences and showed up the systemic failure to prepare appropriately for extreme weather conditions." Conservation Council WA chief Piers Verstegen said that Mr Barnett had missed an opportunity to stop "the reckless burning practices currently employed by the DEC". *TheWest

Koalas

A new research project Conserving Koala Country has been established by Earthwatch Australia to look into the deteriorating habitat and tree condition in the Otway Ranges, Victoria.
Dr Desley Whisson a Wildlife and Conservation Biologist from Deakin University says, “so far we’ve been tracking the movement of 15 koalas (8 females/7 males) at Cape Otway and observed a high density of koalas in the area of up to 16 koalas per hectare”. In many parts of Australia Koala’s are in decline and at risk of extinction due to disease, land clearing and drought, however the high density of Koalas is posing a potential issue in The Otways. Historically Koalas were hunted for their fur and were driven to near extinction. To secure the species in Victoria, koalas were relocated to islands. The resulting populations were then used to restock mainland habitat. This has lead to low genetic diversity of the species in Victoria and has resulted in some high density populations where there are preferred food trees. At Cape Otway, these high density populations are overbrowsing Manna Gum and many trees are dying.

“It’s not unusual to see multiple koalas in the one tree in this area, and this is very unusual behaviour for koalas. The manna gum is like chocolate for the koalas”, says Dr Whisson.
Although there are a range of different trees in the area including blue gums, the research has so far assessed over 304 trees in total and found significant damage to the manna gum, the preferred browsing tree for Koala’s in this area. During the recent research trip during mating season the research team made up of Earthwatch volunteers recorded vocalisation of the koalas using a songmeter; a device set to record bellows for 5 minutes every hour. Volunteers recorded the number of bellows and whether it’s a male or female.
“We found a high number of koalas with young so it looks like a successful breeding year. The koalas are occupying very small home ranges where trees are still in good condition. They obviously don’t need to move far to find food or mates. A 3 legged female adult koala was also found, something very unusual to see and particularly for her to have survived to adulthood, ” says Dr Whisson.

Volunteers also ventured out at night with a spotlight to search for possums that could also be causing defoliation of trees. They saw lots of koalas but only found possums in one blue gum site. Richard Gilmore Earthwatch Executive Director says “It’s great to be able to be able to support research aimed at protecting the habitat of the iconic koala, and at the same time involve the general public in such a hands-on and interesting way.” The next team of Earthwatch volunteers will be heading out to do further research on the 18 April.
For more information or to sign up for an Earthwatch expedition call 03 9682 6828, email earth@earthwatch.org.au or visit http://www.earthwatch.org/australia/exped/whisson_booking.html *Network Item

Xmas Shopping to Help Wildlife

Wildwood Wildlife Shelter have their amazing wildlife calendars on sale again! The shelter for injured and orphaned wildlife recieves no other funding, and rather than thinking of just purchasing a calendar, they would like purchasers to think of it as a 'donation' to wildlife. These rescued Wildlife Calendars are beautiful. You can order now from Pam Turner at Wildwood Wildlife Shelter, PO Box 64, Glenthomson, Victoria, 3293, or phone 03 55774343. They are $25 each, plus postage. Postage costs are 1 calendar $8, 2 to 3, $10, 4 to 6, $12, 10 calendars for $15.

A very nice Christmas present, the new book "Kangaroo Footprints". Fun puzzles and activities and fascinating facts about Australia’s remarkable kangaroos. 75 pages of information and activities for students age 7 to 12.Every double page has an information page and an activity page. All pages are photocopy masters for teachers to use with HSIE /SOSE units and include cross curriculum activities. Read about it here http://www.kangaroofootprints.com.au/kangaroo-book.htm

Koala Foundation Gift Shop http://www.savethekoalashop.com/_catalog/All_Koala_Gift_Shop_Product

Dont forget the Australia Zoo Gift Shop at http://www.australiazoo.com.au

or buy "Kangaroos, Faces in the Mob" now!

http://www.kangaroo-protection-coalition.com/kangaroos-facesinthemob.html

or "Kangaroos, Myths and Realities" from http://www.awpc.org.au

Bat Conservation and Rescue online shop here http://www.wundurra.com/userimages/procart19.htm

Here is another Wildlife Group's web page with GREAT Christmas Gifts. The aim of the business is to provide an income and a mechanism to support wildlife welfare and education.
http://www.everythingwildlife.com.au

And Jennifer Parkhurst has kindly designed another beautiful dingo Christmas card.(copywrite Jennifer Parkhurst) If you would like to order please e-mail me on mkrail@bigpond.net.au. Cards are $12 for 10 or $1.50 each.

There are now many conservation group websites carrying gifts that put the profits back into wildlife protection, just do a Google search "gifts for wildlife lovers"

2011-11-15T10:58:00.001-08:00

Editorial

The A.C.T. Government (arguably the most disfuntional government in Australia) has placed a heavy dependence on grazing cattle as part of its bushfire management strategy in Parks and Reserves around Canberra this year. A warning from the Emergency Services Agency has stated that additional hazard reduction measures are needed to protect Canberrans this summer. ESA Commissioner Mark Crosweller predicted one of the worst fire seasons in 25 years lay ahead of ACT residents because of high fuel levels caused by last year's wet summer. So the Government environmental agency TAMS is grazing cattle (presumably agisted, so the cattle owners pay for the privilage) and slashing to reduce fuel loads. During the last few years the ACT government has deliberately killed thousands of kangaroos in the Parks around Canberra....now now they have to introduce cattle to control grasses for fire prevention! * WPAA

Wildlife Calendars

Wildwood Wildlife Shelter have their amazing wildlife calendars on sale again! The shelter for injured and orphaned wildlife recieves no other funding, and rather than thinking of just purchasing a calendar, they would like purchasers to think of it as a 'donation' to wildlife. These rescued Wildlife Calendars are beautiful. You can order now from Pam Turner at Wildwood Wildlife Shelter, PO Box 64, Glenthomson, Victoria, 3293, or phone 03 55774343. They are $25 each, plus postage. Postage costs are 1 calendar $8, 2 to 3, $10, 4 to 6, $12, 10 calendars for $15.

Kangaroo Footprints

A very nice Christmas present, the new book Kangaroo Footprints. Fun puzzles and activities and fascinating facts about Australia’s remarkable kangaroos. 75 pages of information and activities for students age 7 to 12.Every double page has an information page and an activity page. All pages are photocopy masters for teachers to use with HSIE /SOSE units and include cross curriculum activities. Read about it here http://www.kangaroofootprints.com.au/kangaroo-book.htm

It’s Raining Kangaroos: the Ups and Downs of Kangaroo Management

Spokespeople for the Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia and some other pastoralist organisations, are warning that in the current land of “flooding rain”, landholders will be overwhelmed by burgeoning kangaroo numbers unless commercial offtake (or harvesting) is ramped up (with government support). Should landholders be worried? Should we be commercially killing more kangaroos? On the mainland, the commercial industry kills four species of large kangaroo – the red kangaroo, the eastern and western grey kangaroo and the common wallaroo. The offtake is from a mixed stock of four species of quite different biology, even though they are usually presented generically as “kangaroo” to consumers. In 2011, the combined commercial quota for killing kangaroos is 3,730,710. The 30-year average total population of the four species of kangaroos in the commercial zones is about 27 million. The quota varies between species (highest for red kangaroos), state management programs and harvest zones and this distils down to about 14% of the combined population of the four species. *The Conversationist Read more ... http://theconversation.edu.au/its-raining-kangaroos-the-ups-and-downs-of-kangaroo-management-3976

Hippos

A pet hippopotamus called Humphrey mauled to death his South African owner on Saturday. * WPAA

Camels

A Central Australian pastoralist says thousands of camels have been culled in an operation near Uluru over the last few weeks. The owner of Curtin Springs Station, 400 kilometres south-west of Alice Springs, says the property was used as a base to shoot more than 5,000 feral camels from helicopters. Lyndee Severin says with numbers on the rise, it's still not enough culling. "5,000 is nothing," she said. "It doesn't even deal with percentage on the natural increase. "So if they had come back and said they'd been able to put 500,000 on the ground, that would have made an impact." But a Central Australian grazier says the recent camel cull in the region is inhumane. More than 5,000 feral camels were shot by a government contractor near Uluru over the last few weeks. But Ian Conway, from Kings Creek Station, likens the culling of camels to the treatment of cattle in Indonesian abattoirs. "They're not deadly accurate, as they say, one shot one kill," he said. "When you see the way they die and so on, it's as bad as what the Four Corners program put to us just recently with the cattle in Indonesia so why should these people be allowed to go out and shoot these animals to rot on the ground?" *ABC

Jetskis

Could you please complete the Survey at www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au by the 20/11/11 regarding the banning of Jet Skis in the Pumicestone Passage, Queensland.
http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/sitePage.cfm?code=marine-zone-investigation

Coal Seam Gas

From Sydney’s water supply catchment to the rich agricultural lands of the Liverpool Plains and the Darling Downs, the coal seam gas industry is expanding at breakneck speed. People's health is under threat, our nation's farmland being eroded away and the country's precious aquifers permanently damaged. Locals are doing everything they can to spread the word about the dangers of coal seam gas (CSG) mining. Debbi, a GetUp member from Tara QLD, even drove 5 hours down to NSW to tell a community meeting what coal seam gas is doing to her kids' health. But the mining industry just launched an advertising blitz -- now the community campaign has to step up in response. Let's stand with them. Can you show your support by calling on the Health, Environment, Water and Agriculture Ministers to stop the coal seam gas industry until proper regulations are put in place?
Sign a Getup Petition here; http://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/coal-seam-gas/csg-ad-petition/dont-risk-coal-seam-gas?referring_service=facebook#.TrkXIwPfhRw.facebook

Spiders

Customs officials at Zurich airport found a Swiss man carrying hundreds of endangered spiders in his luggage. There were 261 live Mexican Redkneed Tarantulas in his luggage, and a later search of his home discovered 665 more Tarantulas and 72 Giant Flesh-eating Centipedes. Its believed he wanted to sell them as pets. *AAP

Possums

Nice little video here of a possum on the loose in Martin Place, Sydney http://au.news.yahoo.com/video/nsw/-/watch/27203845/possum-loose-in-martin-place?mid=525

Kangaroo Shot

Little John is a little fighter. The orphaned eight-month-old eastern grey kangaroo was found on a Pomona property in September with a pellet hole through its ear. Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre owner Gill Brownhill said the joey, named after the farmer who found him, was probably shot while still in his mother's pouch. "I believe the mum would have been shot because he was way too small to be out of the pouch - he was only just cutting fur," she said. "(The farmer) has quite a few acres and he hasn't found the mum but we assume she was shot and the joey has just copped one of the pellets." This comes amid a sickening spate of animal cruelty cases, including Mia the cat who was shot with a metre-long arrow at Maroochydore on Monday night and Fleet the koala found at Kippa-Ring with seven slug-gun pellets in his body. RSPCA spokesman Michael Beatty urged the public to speak up if they knew who was responsible. "Our main problem is that unfortunately animals can't talk," he said. "Unless you get someone who witnesses it first hand and is then prepared to come forward it is very difficult to catch them." *Courier Mail

Crocodiles

An Italian man is facing a year in jail after police discovered a rare crocodile living in his bath. The three-year-old Cuban crocodile - critically endangered in the wild - will one day reach nine foot long and said by experts to be the most intelligent and aggressive croc in the world. Owner Fabio Lazelli was caught out when his neighbours dialed 999 after a bust up at their apartment block in Cremona, Italy. "They demanded to be let into his flat and were astounded when they found a crocodile swimming around in the bathtub," said one resident. Lazelli - also facing a £70,000 fine - is understood to have smuggled the croc into the country as an egg, hatching it out at home. Wildlife experts have now moved the two feet long beast to the reptile house at the specialist Bio park in Rome. One said: "He's very lucky we got it when we did. These crocodiles are the most intelligent of their kind, fast, and aggressive. As it got older he would have been in real danger." *Orange.co.uk

Dugongs and Turtles

Nine months after floods and cyclones battered Queensland, dugongs and turtles are dying in record numbers along the coast. Seagrass beds which these animals feed on were under the water from the tip of the state to the New South Wales border. Many of the creatures have starved to death, with those weakened also falling victim to boat strikes and fishing nets. Contaminated water from dredging in Gladestone Harbor is also believed to be another threat. Despite nearly 1,000 turtles and 170 dugongs dying so far, (that we know of) the Queensland Government believes the animal populations will recover?????? They must live in a dream world. Dugong only have a reproduction rate of one calf every 6 to 8 years, and the calves often don't survive. Every dugong lost is one too many, and pushes the species closer and closer to certain extinction. Add in the illegal killing of dugong in Nth Queensland for illegal meat domestic sale, and sales to Indonesia and China, and the dugong haven't got a chance of survival. Just like the koalas and other species, the government agencies will carry on in wildlife denial until the animals are gone. * WPAA

Trophy Hunting

Some of the world's rarest animals are to be shot by trophy hunters to pay for the rest of the herd to be fed, the owner of a Territory safari park has said. The scimitar-horned oryx is extinct in the wild. There are 150 of them at the Mary River safari park on the outskirts of Kakadu. Owner Kevin Gleeson said a few of the oryx would have to be shot by trophy hunters to pay to feed the rest of the herd and dozens of other exotic animals. The antelope is prized by hunters because of the magnificent swept-back antlers. "We have to shoot a few to get in the dollars," Mr Gleeson said. "But we're not going to wipe them out - no way in the world. "You've got to put a price on an animal's head for someone to save it. It's sad but that's the way it is. "If you want them saved, are you going to pay for them to be fed?" Hunters can shoot many species of animal at the safari park, which is on Mary River station. Target species include several antelope - rusa, blackback, sambar, hog and chital - and buffalo, banteng and goats. The exotic animals were bought from a wildlife park in North Queensland, which received them from Tipperary station, 190km southwest of Darwin. Mr Gleeson said they were kept in a 4000ha fenced stretch of Mary River station. The safari park, which is closed for the wet season, attracts high-profile clients. * NT News

Climate Change

Cooling rooms - airconditioned public centres where heat-stressed people can take refuge - may become necessary by 2050, when deaths from extreme heat events are likely to double today's toll. The cooling room concept has been raised in a high-level report into Australia's preparations for a future, hotter era. It is one option for those whose lives may depend on respite from 45-degree temperatures. Heatwaves kill more Australians than any other natural disaster and that is likely to get far worse, particularly for Melbourne and Brisbane due to their particular climatic conditions, says the report produced by PricewaterhouseCoopers in collaboration with government and meteorology experts. By 2050, the number of heatwave days could more than triple in Melbourne, but changes would have a minimal impact on Sydney because of its lower maximum temperatures. The effect of extreme heat is likely to increase the death toll, particularly among elderly people, but also hit infrastructure, draining water and power supplies.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/weather/public-cool-rooms-suggested-for-future-heatwaves-20111110-1n9k9.html#ixzz1dKjNXnQB

Gillard Supports Russian Kangaroo Meat Imports

Trade ministers attending the APEC summit in Honolulu, Hawaii are talking up the prospect of a deal to advance a new free trade agreement. The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, known as the TPP, now includes Chile, New Zealand, Brunei and Singapore, but Australia, Japan and the United States are among other countries negotiating to join. The group's 21 trade ministers have held discussions specifically on the partnership, which is aimed at creating a free trade zone in the Asia Pacific. Australia's Trade Minister Craig Emerson says with the addition of Japan, the economies of the TPP partnership will be 40 per cent larger than the European Union. While Mr Emerson is positive about the idea, he will not set a time frame for its signing, saying "setting artificial deadlines is counter-productive." Prime Minister Julia Gillard and US President Barack Obama will meet with other interested countries tomorrow to discuss the agreement. Earlier Saturday, Ms Gillard wrapped up her one-on-one meetings with the heads of Russia and Singapore on the sidelines of the summit. During her meeting with Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, they discussed Russia's entry to the World Trade Organisation. Ms Gillard also raised the ban on Australian kangaroo exports to Russia. She told Mr Medvedev she hopes trade will resume soon. *ABC
Ed Comment; Gillard has also launched a push to reverse Labor's ban on sales of uranium to India, re-igniting debate over the controversial mining in the lead-up to the Qld state election. ALP heavywieghts believe the push will be carried, as the Labor Left doesnt have the numbers to prevent it. *

Kangaroo Industry Lies

Swelling kangaroo numbers are causing havoc across Western Queensland properties, but game meat industry officials say little can be done to stem the tide until the Russian export market is resumed. Aerial survey results released by the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) this week reveal kangaroo numbers across Queensland increased by more than 60 per cent in 2011, following above-average rainfall during the last two years. DERM estimates the red kangaroo population has increased 58pc to 5.8 million in 2011, compared with 3.6m last year. Eastern grey kangaroos have increased 62pc from 6.6m to 10.8m, and common wallaroo figures had risen by 97pc from 1.9m to 3.8m. Some landholders have already been forced to construct additional fencing infrastructure at great expense to prevent the onslaught of the animals, which can be responsible for up to 60pc of total grazing pressure.

Applications from landholders for damage mitigation permits have been low to date this year. DERM has announced the yearly harvest quota will almost double. The red kangaroo quota will increase in 2012 from the current 645,750 to one million. The quota for the eastern grey kangaroos will increase from 920,350 to 1.5m and the common wallaroo from 261,150 to 524,150. However, the challenge remains to find enough professional harvester to fulfil the quota. Hundreds left the industry after the collapse of the Russian export market in 2008, mostly to work in the resources sector. According to DERM, the commercial harvest figures have been well below the available quota for the past two to three years, with only 36pc of the total available quota met in 2010. Wool Producers Australia has written to the Federal government repeating the importance to western graziers that the kangaroo trade with Russia is urgently reopened. United Game Processors (UGP) was processing 10,000 kangaroos a week at its $12m Charleville facility before the closure of the Russian trade in 2008.

Ed Comment; Many wildlife groups have tried unsuccessfully to get some media reply on this subject. The media dont want to know the truth about kangaroos, which is not surprising as both Packer and Murdock own large grazing properties. As we all know, its physically impssible to have a 60% increase in kangaroo populations in one year. Each female produces only one baby kangaroo yearly, and that baby is dependent for 12 to18 months. It's physically impossible for kangaroo numbers to "soar" over one year, rain or not, and we have had several years of drought before this years early rain. Aerial counting only provides a very rough estimate of kangaroo numbers, and it depends on the areas flown, and the time of day, and vague computer modelling to obtain a final population estimate....and that's all it is...a very rough estimate.....more like a guess. Last year we had feedback from some kangaroo shooters that many of the counting flights that were booked and paid for, never actually left the ground.....the numbers were fudged. There's no reason to believe fudging hasn't happened again this year.....but again, we can't get anything in the media.*

Flying Foxes

Ninety-eight cute refugees arrived in Brisbane from Cairns - every one of them needing a bottle-feed and a cuddle. The vulnerable spectacled flying fox babies are all orphans, having lost their parents through starvation, scrub ticks or possibly predatory behaviour by humans. They came from the Tolga Bat Hospital on the Atherton Tableland where carers have been overwhelmed with orphans. Australian Bat Clinic and Wildlife Trauma Centre spokeswoman Trish Wembley said the bats would need to be housed at Advancetown on the Gold Coast for six to eight weeks. "Getting them back up north will be a different thing," she said. "They'll be a lot bigger then." The bats will be fed human baby formula every four hours. "We're always busy but the good thing about bat carers is that when a situation like this arises, everyone pulls together to help out. Even the public helps out, despite scares about Hendra (virus). "Bats are the giant bees that pollinate forests and it's extremely important that we do what we do."

RSPCA spokesman Michael Beatty said flying fox adults succumbed to tick paralysis and it was thought food sources were short after Cyclone Yasi destroyed forests in February. This forced them to forage closer to the ground where they came in range of deadly ticks. "We've arranged for the orphans to be flown down courtesy of Dogtainers and local wildlife carers will take over from there," Mr Beatty said. Brisbane Bat Care spokeswoman Louise Saunders said Biosecurity Queensland was investigating the seasonal deaths of flying foxes. There are fears the animals were being shot or electrocuted in the Cairns-Atherton Tableland area simply because of the large and regular numbers of orphans being found. "Something sinister is going on in relation to the high numbers of adults not returning to camps," she said. In 2008, about 50 orphaned flying foxes were brought south to be cared for after Cyclone Larry ripped through forests. The growth of the exotic wild tobacco, a shrubby plant that fruits low to the ground where the deadly paralysis ticks live, is also thought to entice bats away from their normal high-level tree foraging, allowing the ticks to strike. *Courier Mail * Ed Comment; At last, the Courier Mail does a positive bat story!

More Whales Stranded

A notorious Tasmanian whale trap claimed the lives of 16 sperm whales yesterday, leaving another four of the ocean giants struggling for survival overnight. The deaths occurred after 20 whales became stranded at Ocean Beach, near Strahan, on the West Coast, late in the morning. Only four survived despite the rescue efforts of West Coast Parks and Wildlife Service personnel. Late last night, another eight sperm whales were being monitored in nearby Macquarie Harbour. Four of them were stranded on sandbars. Marine experts consider Ocean Beach and Macquarie Harbour to be among Australia's main hot spots for whale strandings. PWS West Coast parks and reserves manager Chris Arthur said it was not known why so many strandings occurred at the locations. "We don't know why, but there are several locations in the world where whale strandings occur frequently and Ocean Beach is one of them," Mr Arthur told the Sunday Tasmanian.

Marine mammal specialists from the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment were sent to Ocean Beach to attempt a rescue mission yesterday afternoon, but they were delayed when the sea conditions were deemed too dangerous. "The water levels were much too high and the surf was incredibly rough, making it impossible to attempt any rescue," Mr Arthur said. He said the location of the stranded whales on Ocean Beach made it difficult for the rescuers to use vessels effectively. The rescue effort would rely on the work of more than 16 whale experts and land-based equipment. "The incredible size and weight of the sperm whales does make it difficult, but our major concern is the water conditions at this stage," Mr Arthur said. "Rescue operations are expected to last at least four or five days, but we will do our best to ensure these whales have the best chance at survival." Four of the eight sperm whales inside the harbour were stranded on the Frazer Flats Sandbar. Mr Arthur said PWS officers and locals in private boats were closely monitoring all eight whales. Boats not involved in the rescue operation were urged to stay clear of the channel between Hells Gates and Table Head. "These are big, strong and potentially dangerous animals of up to 18m in length and more than four tonnes in weight, and they should not be approached," Mr Arthur said. *Mercury

Rescuers using new techniques to aid stranded whales remain hopeful they can save sperm whales in Macquarie Harbour on Tasmania's west coast. Jet boats and a recently invented scoop net already have been used to save two whales and guide them to the open ocean. The rescue team is now waiting for a break in the weather to free another two whales ''parked'' on sandbanks in the harbour. ''Unfortunately the wind is blowing directly into the narrow harbour entrance, effectively blocking the whales' path to the open ocean,'' said wildlife incident controller, Chris Arthur. Sperm whales, normally deep ocean-dwellers that use sonar navigation, may fall victim to tricky beach topography and herd panic when they come inshore. Refining methods learned in a similar stranding in 2007, marine mammal specialists are using heavy duty waterjet-powered workboats from salmon and trout farms in the harbour to break the sand's suction on the whales. A specially developed net strung between two vessels is used to scoop up the whale, and slowly ease it across the bank. * The Age

Snakes

Large numbers of snakes are being found in suburban homes and gardens across Tasmania, and experts are predicting a bumper snake season. Reptile Rescue co-ordinator Chris Daly is already receiving five or six calls a day from people finding snakes around their homes. Numbers are expected to jump to as many as 20 calls a day as the weather heats up. It's not just rural regions where snakes are being found. Kingston, Glenorchy, and Hobart's Eastern Shore are all hot spots for snakes. The reptiles are showing up in suburban backyards and driveways, schools, golf clubs, sports ovals, community centres and RSLs and near busy shopping centres. Reptile Rescue volunteers who catch and relocate unwelcome snakes and lizards attended 1690 call-outs statewide last summer to remove reptiles. "Last year we were flat out," Mr Daly said. "But this year I would definitely say we'll beat those numbers again." He said the rise was partly due to the growing awareness about Reptile Rescue and strict laws that protect snakes and mean they cannot be killed.

But mostly the rise is due to an increase in houses being built in areas bordering bushland where snakes live. "It's not so much that they are intruding on our space, but we're intruding on theirs," Mr Daly said. "There are no blocks left in the heart of Hobart so people are going into the outskirts where there are more snakes." But in the past, snakes have also been found in Liverpool St in Hobart, and along Main Rd in Glenorchy. "On hot days some callouts come from people coming home from work, it's still daylight and they tend to find snakes cruising past their driveways," Mr Daly said. "People also find them when they are gardening, in storage areas at the back of sheds and in wood heaps." In new subdivisions, snakes living on vacant blocks flee to neighbouring yards when building work starts. In the summer breeding months as many as three or four males may be attracted to an area where a female snake lives. Homes near creeks are also hot spots for snakes as the main diet of copperhead snakes is frogs. About 95 per cent of snakes caught in the south are tiger snakes, the deadliest snake in Tasmania. In the north, copperheads are the most common.

Tips for keeping snakes away:
• Keep grass short. • Remove building materials around the yard, such as piles of timber, bricks or sheets of corrugated iron which are a haven for snakes. • Be aware that chicken sheds and aviaries attract mice, which attract snakes. • On bigger blocks, put margarine containers of water around the edge of your property to eliminate the need for snakes to come close to the house to drink. • Snakes generally won't bite unless they are trodden on or backed into a corner. • If you see one, leave it alone and call Reptile Rescue on 0407 565 181. *Mercury

Wildlife Bytes 18/10/11

2011-10-18T19:52:00.001-07:00

Vale Dr Alan Wilson

Last week we received the very sad news that Dr. Alan Wilton, Patron of the "Save the Fraser Island Dingoes" organisation, lost his battle with cancer. Associate Professor Alan Wilton was from the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences at The University of New South Wales. Alan was a prominent Australian geneticist, and was passionate about dingoes. He consulted with dingo conservation groups and government agencies about the hybridisation problem that may drive the dingo to extinction. He was awarded the Australian Science Communicators Unsung Hero of Science award in 2004 for his work in identifying genetic markers that can be used to discriminate between pure dingoes and hybrids and was Patron of the Bargo Dingo Sanctuary. Alan developed DNA testing as part of his canine disease research, which led to US and Australian patents. He provided genetic advice to dog breeders and developed DNA testing to work towards eliminating disease from breeds, particularly Border Collies. Alan, who was 56, was engaged to Dr Barbara Zangerl and they had planned to marry on Sunday 16 October 2011. *WPAA

Leading Article....Earthwatch Needs Help

Help volunteer and protect Melbourne Microbats & Manly's Long Nosed Bandicoots.

Families and volunteers are needed to help in a range of family and individual research teams. For those in Melbourne join an overnight expedition inside the Royal Botanical Gardens to help locate and record what number of Microbats are in the gardens and determine what impacts our urban landscape are having on these elusive bats. Family teams are also available for children ages 10+ to join their parents. Only $59 for children and $89 for adults with breakfast, snacks and accommodation all included. Dates start from November 4th through to March 3rd.

For those in Sydney spend either a day or a weekend out in North Head Sanctuary helping protect the Bandicoots from predators by luring traps to record them on camera. The weekend camping team is running on November 18th-20th and also gets to stay overnight inside the Sanctuary as well as getting up close to these rare animals on the twilight spotlight walks. Total cost is $49 for day teams and $195/$155 for the camping weekend. Dates run November and December only. To find out more information, available dates or to make a booking call Kirsty Richardson at Earthwatch on 03 9682 6828 or email krichardson@earthwatch.org.au More information can also be found on Earthwatch's website: http://www.earthwatch.org.au

Another Ghost Net Found

Crocodiles, sharks, turtles, dugongs and fish are among the victims of deadly ghost nets like this half-tonne killer found snagged on a reef at the Cobourg Peninsula. The 500kg loose fishing net was retrieved from a reef 50m off Smith Point by NT Parks and Wildlife rangers, last week. GhostNets Australia project officer Grace Heathcoat gave an update on the floating menace in Darwin at the Territory Natural Resource Management and Landcare forum, revealing 1042 nets had been found in Territory waters this year alone. Local fishermen are not believed to be at fault as 90 per cent of ghost nets come from international waters. "Ghost nets don't just kill marine creatures, if they settle on a coral reef they can smother the coral and can be a safety hazard for boats," she said.
Indigenous sea rangers, NT Fisheries and Parks and Wildlife rangers retrieve the nets from 1500km of coastline, with the average net size in a recent clean up being less than 50kg. *NT News

Birds

Scientists studying seabirds are pushing for the establishment of a feather bank. Until now, the only way to collect any information from seabirds like albatross or petrels has been attach satellite trackers to their legs when they come to shore to breed. However, the Australasian Seabird Group says wing feathers amass a large amount of data through absorbing isotopes from their environment. Group secretary Nick Carlile says as seabirds grow new feathers to replace those lost during moulting, the isotopes are trapped and can be analysed to reveal new information about their activities through the non-breeding period. "We can work out whether it's living in contaminated seas, we can work out whether it's feeding on something at the top of the foodchain or the bottom of the foodchain, we can even work out whether during that non-breeding season it's feeding on the same species of fish, perhaps but different populations." Interested people need to be registered by the Australasian Seabird Group to collect specimens as seabirds are protected species in all states. To register contact the Feather Bank representative for each state. *ABC

Turtles

Work is under way to develop a prototype highway to help turtles navigate man-made barriers in rivers, creeks and weirs. The $4 million project, funded by the Queensland government, aims to aid turtle migration. The Tartrus Weir, on the Mackenzie River north-west of Rockhampton, has been chosen as the site to develop the turtleway prototype, which will be followed by a two-year monitoring program. Bulk water supplier SunWater will lead the research, design and construction of the prototype with the help of the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management. "The research and development project will investigate the design, development and installation of passages to allow turtles to migrate safely over a range of structures," Environment Minister Vicky Darling said in a statement today. She said the project would particularly follow the movements of the threatened white-throated snapping turtle and the Fitzroy River turtle species found in the Mackenzie River system. *AAP

Mountain Possums

''I hope you're sitting down,'' the email sent to Marissa Parrott last week began. As the reproductive biologist at Zoos Victoria read on, she discovered why. The email contained the results of a much-anticipated paternity test on Healesville Sanctuary's precious population of mountain pygmy possums. The results showed that the tiny alpine possums, listed as endangered in Victoria and critically endangered internationally, were capable of doing what Dr Parrott had hoped for but had never seen any evidence of - producing a litter fathered by two males. ''We're all extremely excited,'' Dr Parrott said. ''It's a huge step forward in the conservation of the species.'' But there was more to come. The paternity tests conducted at Melbourne University also proved for the first time that hybrid males were fertile - providing a vital new path for boosting the species' genetic diversity. * Age
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/animals/hybrid-mountain-pygmies-hold-hope-of-a-bright-future-20111016-1lriq.html#ixzz1bAjEOwuO

Orangutans

A rare Sumatran orang-utan born at Perth Zoo will be released into a protected rainforest in Indonesia as part of an international program to save the species from extinction. The six-year-old male named Semeru will become the first zoo-born male orang-utan in the world to be released into the wild. It follows the success of Temara, a female Sumatran orang-utan also born in Perth Zoo and released into Bukit Tigapuluh National Park in Sumatra in November 2006. Semeru - chosen for release based on his temperament and age - will be flown to Indonesia on October 16 and spend two weeks in quarantine before he is released into the same park.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/rare-orangutan-to-be-released-into-wild-20111013-1lmod.html#ixzz1amy8Fyqm

Koala shot seven times

A sickening act of animal cruelty is believed responsible for a koala found overnight with seven slug gun pellets lodged in its body. The male koala, found at a remote location at Kippa-Ring on Brisbane's northside, had been callously shot in every limb sometime last week. The six-year-old will today be operated on at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, where staff have nicknamed him Fleet. Vet Dr Amber Gillett, who examined Fleet last night, placed him on intravenous antibiotics, strong pain relief and fluids. She said she was angry the koala had suffered such "immense cruelty". "Every limb has been shot," she said. "He's been shot from every side. "It's just an immense cruelty to picture someone standing there taking pot-shots as this animal as he tries to move away from them - it's just horrible. "Although they're only little slug pellets, if these people got close enough, they could do serious damage. "If one had gone through his eye it could have been a completely different story."

Fleet was believed to have been found by Department of Environment and Resource Management officers who were surveying bushland at Kippa-Ring yesterday afternoon. The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit retrieved the injured animal about 4pm and it was last night examined at the Wildlife Hospital in Beerwah. Dr Gillett said Fleet, who has large cuts on his face and foot, had been suffering with his wounds for up to a week. She said: "The wounds are infected and usually it would take at least four to five days for infection like this to set in, so I suspect the injury may have happened about a week ago. "The big laceration on his nose I suspect is a graze injury, so a pellet has taken away the tissue but hasn't lodged anywhere. He has an entry point on the top of his nose, behind the big laceration, so I suspect that's where the bullet in the sinus went in."

Dr Gillett said she would today remove the other pellets, which were not lodged too deeply. "Tomorrow (Friday) we'll assess him and see how he is," she said. "If he's stable and bright I'll attempt to remove the superficial pellets at the back of the ear and elbow. "The one in his skull will stay where it is forever, it's too deep to go poking round to try to remove it." Environment Minister Vicky Darling said she was sickened by the act. "I am absolutely appalled by this," she said. "I hope whoever is responsible for injuring this animal has the book thrown at them. "I would urge anyone who knows anything about it to contact police." Under the Nature Conservation Act, the maximum penalty for harming a koala is $300,000 or two years' imprisonment. Police have been called in to investigate. *Courier Mail

Dolphins

A unique pod of rare Australian dolphins could be wiped out by a coal port planned for an island just off the central Queensland coast, WWF Australia warns. Researchers believe the 70-strong snubfin dolphin population at the mouth of the Fitzroy River, 40km north of Gladstone, is genetically distinct from other Australian snubfins. The native snubfin, discovered in 2005, inhabits rivers and coasts of northern Australia and is believed to be rare.
The WWF says an Xstrata coal port planned for Balaclava Island on the mouth of the Fitzroy River could easily wipe out the local snubfin population over the next 10 to 20 years. "Even just the loss of just one dolphin per year is enough to trigger the extinction of that local population," WWF spokesman Richard Leck said.

The dolphins currently feed in the relatively pristine coastal mangroves of Balaclava Island, Mr Leck said. "The unfortunate situation is that the habitat they rely on is exactly the type of habitat that's likely to be destroyed or significantly damaged by the Balaclava Island development," he said. What's more, he expects the Australian snubfin dolphin to be declared a threatened species shortly. Xstrata's environmental impact statement for its Balaclava Island coal port is expected to be released early next year. Mr Leck said the port would almost certainly have an impact on local marine life. "When you're seeing how badly the health is in Gladstone Harbour at the moment the last thing we want to be doing is having that type of impact up and down the coastline," he said. "At some point you have to say right, we just can't keep industrialising the whole Great Barrier Reef coastline." * AAP

Climate Change

A marine research charity has confirmed a small whale spotted near Penzance was a dwarf sperm whale. The animal, little more than the size of a porpoise, swam into Mounts Bay, in west Cornwall, on Sunday. Dr Peter Evans, Director of Sea Watch, said the species had never previously been recorded off the UK coast. The confirmation means that 29 species of cetaceans have now been recorded in UK and Irish waters. Scientists know little about the whale. The whale was spotted on the beach and the sighting then reported to the coastguard and the Cornwall Wildlife Trust strandings officer, Jan Loveridge. A member of the public then managed to re-float the animal, which subsequently swam away. Dr Peter Evans said: "Pictures of the Penzance whale show it to be dwarf sperm whale, its fin being large and almost triangular. "This species has been recorded on only a handful of occasions in Europe, including Spain and France, and never in Britain or Ireland. "It is just one of the increasing number of records of warm water species to be turning up around the British Isles in recent years." To little is known about the dwarf sperm whale,other than it is listed as 'data deficient' on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Meanwhile, divers have recorded a species of prawn and fish off Devon and Cornwall for the first time, the Marine Conservation Society has said. The black faced blenny and the anemone prawn were found during the summer as divers surveyed the coastline. In 2011, the blenny was photographed off the Lizard, and the prawn was seen off Babbacombe, the society said. Both species have recently arrived in the UK and have spread along the south coast of England, the society added. Chris Wood, from the Marine Conservation Society, said "They seem to be spreading in suitable habitats along the coast." Both species are found in shallow seas around mainland Europe, but Mr Wood said he was unsure how they arrived off the English coast. "They clearly find the water warm enough to survive, which may not have been the case in the past." Both species were found during the summer months by volunteer divers The society said that the blenny and prawn were first seen in British waters in Dorset. The blenny was first discovered in 1977, and the prawn in 2007, it added. Volunteer divers from the Seasearch programme made the discoveries. The project is co-ordinated by the Marine Conservation Society. *BBC

Whaling

As the Steve Irwin approached the equator last week, word that Japan would be sending a strengthened whaling fleet to Antarctica next month reached the bridge of the old Aberdeen-built customs vessel. The crew of activists on board cheered, as their veteran leader, Captain Paul Watson, resigned himself to his eighth "whale war" among the icebergs and 100mph winds of the Southern ocean.
Captain Paul Watson gives the Guardian's environment editor John Vidal a tour of the Steve Irwin Link to this audio

Watson, on what is nearly his 350th voyage in nearly 40 years defending whales and other marine wildlife at the helm of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, is sending three ships to intercept, chase and harass the Japanese. He promises "aggressive non-violence", while the Japanese, still smarting from last year's humiliation when their fleet took only a fifth of its planned whale catch, say they will heighten security and take an armed government fisheries patrol vessel.
"We intend to carry out the [whale] research after enhancing measures to assure that the fleet is not obstructed," said fisheries minister, Michihiko Kano.

The two fleets expect to meet in the Antarctic whale sanctuary before Christmas and will shadow and confront each other for at least 12 weeks. Both have helicopters and water cannon. In addition, the Steve Irwin has iron spikes to prevent the Japanese from boarding, and Watson's crew has a store of vile-smelling butyric acid stink bombs to fling aboard any vessel that comes close. Both fleets are expected to wage a media and diplomatic battle, as well as engage in a dangerous physical tussle on the high seas.

But it was Australia, which fired the first diplomatic shots, this week condemning Japan and urging it not to send its fleet. "There is widespread concern in the international community at Japan's whaling programme and widespread calls for it to cease", said foreign minister, Kevin Rudd, this week. Australia last year took Japan to the international court of justice seeking an end to the harpooning which it conducts under a "scientific" loophole.
Read more http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/oct/18/whale-war-japan-antarctica?newsfeed=true

Ed Comment; and that's all the Australian Government will do....just a bit of bluster...the whalers must be laughing their heads off....

Loggiing

The massive log stockpiles at Bridgewater and Leslie Vale (South Tasmania) started to shrink yesterday as the first trucks rolled northward, thanks to a government freight subsidy. There are around 39,000 tonnes of logs in the two stockpiles and in forest landings in the state's South, some of it destined for China but the logs were left stranded by the ongoing impasse over the reopening of the Triabunna woodchip mill. Over coming weeks, the entire stockpile will head north by road for export via Bell Bay, with some of the stockpile going to China as Forestry Tasmania opens up a new market for peeler logs that can't be processed in Tasmania. The leftover logs represent a significant loss of income thanks to the impasse that has dogged the southern Tasmanian timber industry for months since millionaire environmentalists Jan Cameron and Graeme Wood bought Gunns' Triabunna mill.

Without the income from woodchip exports, the industry has lost a valuable source of additional income. One million dollars in government freight subsidies announced this week means around $6 million in income will flow to forest and haulage contractors and their employees up to Christmas. Forestry Tasmanian chief operating officer Mike Farrow says being able to shift the logs was a big boost for the industry. "You can see the extent of the problem we've got here so the announcement by the Government will certainly help," he said. "The Triabunna solution is something we're obviously going to need to look at in the longer term. Right now we're focusing on moving logs. "It will help with cashflows for harvesting contractors, it will help the transport contractors as well, it will deliver an immediate solution. *Mercury

Fraser Island Blasted

An international newspaper with an audience of millions has labelled Fraser Island "a certified no-go zone". Listing deadly dangers that would have Bear Grylls trembling with fear, Britain's Telegraph has claimed the iconic island is home to "one of the worlds most dangerous beaches". The newspapers website, one of the country's most popular with 1.7 million daily readers, fearfully features Fraser on its home page. Headed the "travel editors choice" the page has been tweeted, "liked", and shared by hundreds globally. Detailing six killer reasons to avoid the island, the site warns would-be travellers with this chilling yet amusing account: "The seas surrounding Fraser Island, to the south-east of Queensland, are a certified no-go zone. "That is unless you mind swimming with sharks, saltwater crocodiles and box jellyfish, while battling strong rip currents. "Head inland and you're likely to bump into some of the world's deadliest spiders, as well as dingoes, which are known to occasionally attack humans."

Ever proud of our World Heritage-listed Fraser Island, The Chronicle would like to allay fears any concerned Cornwallians, terrified Tottenhamites or looting Londoners may have. We welcome all international visitors with open arms, particularly pasty-white, long-suffering Poms. To ensure our forbears survive their stay we offer the following timely tips: If you leave snakes, spiders and dingoes alone, they will return the favour. The last crocodile to be seen on Fraser Island was of the plastic, blow-up variety. As for sharks, stingers and rips, swim in patrolled areas, under the watchful eye of a bronzed, chiselled guard and all will be fine. Those planning a trip to England and similarly concerned about personal safety may want to consider the following travel alert: "The land that makes up England, to the west of continental Europe, is a certified no-go zone. "That is unless you like crowded, dirty cities, drinking warm beer, or battling rioters on the High Street. "Head inland and you're likely to sample some of the world's most miserable food, weather that is even worse, and whinging and whining like you would not believe." *Fraser Cost Chronicle

Kangaroos

A South West (WA) woman who was mauled by a kangaroo has described her survival as a miracle. Janet Karson, of Deanmill near Manjimup, suffered multiple cuts to her neck, ears and back when she was attacked while walking her dogs in bush off Muir Highway near Kunandra Road on Saturday. She needed more than 20 stitches to her ears and was told that had she been in Perth, she might have undergone plastic surgery. "I decided to take my three dogs for a walk as it was a lovely day - at least it was to start with," Ms Karson said. "I went off the main track and suddenly this big kangaroo jumped out from nowhere and one of my dogs chased after it. "I could hear her barking and then it stopped so I thought she must be in trouble and I ran after her." Ms Karson said her blue heeler was being bear-hugged by the kangaroo when she arrived at the scene behind her other dogs. She went to rescue her pet and that's when the kangaroo attacked. "I used a stick to lever its claws off my dog and then it reared up in front of me - it was huge. All I can remember is its claws going to work on me and the smell of my own blood when my head fell on to its chest. "I thought, 'That's it, I'm finished'. It all happened so quickly, it was over in a few seconds. "Either the dogs fought it off or I was lucky, but it just hopped off. I honestly believe it's a miracle I'm alive." Ms Karson said that despite her horrific injuries, her first thought was for her animals so she staggered back to her vehicle and drove home to tend to them. It was not until a friend came to her house shortly afterwards that she agreed to go to hospital. "I don't have any hard feelings for the roo. Maybe it was a female protecting her joey," she said. *WA News

Gladstone Harbor Pollution

The mystery of the Gladstone fish disease outbreak continues, with scientists focusing on a parasitic flatworm and about 300 tonnes of barramundi that spilled into the Boyne River last summer from Awoonga Dam. Many of these fish have since become infested with the common saltwater parasite. The Gladstone Area Water Board estimated 30,000 barramundi of about a metre in length were swept over Awoonga's 25m wall from December to March after flood rains. This has seen an enormous spike in Gladstone's commercial barra catch, with fishermen selling 18 times the annual average take. Queensland Fisheries scientist John Robertson said yesterday the fish would have become stressed and susceptible to diseases and parasites after being hammered by the drop, having scales ripped off and shocked by rapid changes in conditions.

This was then exacerbated by crowded conditions in the Boyne River and a lack of food. Fishermen have had to dump up to 80 per cent of barramundi catches over past weeks because of disease and discolourations. They believe the disease problem is more likely to be related to a 46 million cubic metre harbour dredging program sullying the water. The Gladstone Ports Corporation argues previous, and far more significant, harbour dredging, has happened in past years without the impacts being blamed on the 1,316,234cu m dredged so far this year. Dr Robertson said red spot disease remained a factor and had been identified at nearby Port Alma, but he suspected parasite infestation might be severe.

Biosecurity Queensland was trying to determine the parasite's level of impact and if it occurred in other species. "We're not ruling anything out (including dredging impacts)," Dr Robertson said. "We think animals might be getting itchy with the parasite and trying to rub themselves, which opens up the skin (causing red rash-like marks and opening up a pathway for bacteria). Further testing will verify that." In Canberra yesterday, federal Environment Department assessment and compliance division acting secretary Mary Colreavy told a Senate hearing that dredging was not contributing to fish deaths. Queensland Nationals senator Ron Boswell repeatedly asked Ms Colreavy what her agency was doing to determine whether the two million cubic feet of dredging in the harbour was causing the problems.

She replied that State Government and other data had shown little change in water quality. "It's just miraculous we happen to dredge and the fish happen to die, and it all happens at the one time," Senator Boswell said. As of August 30, 185 tonnes of barramundi had been caught at Gladstone, a major increase on the harbour's annual catch of 9.8 tonnes. *Courier Mail

Ed Comment; We have been twice to Gladstone in the last couple of weeks, and its a dump! A huge area of vegetation on the lower end of Curtis Island, which has long been proposed as National Park, has been scoured and bulldozed away for the CSG processing plant to be built there. The air is bad, the harbor pollution is a disgrace, and noone believes the rubbish spouted by the Government agencies that everything in the Harbor is fine.There will be another coal loading Port built at Balclave Island, a Coal Terminal Project in Raglan Creek, and future Coal Ports on the Northern end of Curtis Island...which is another proposed National Park area again. It's just a nightmare of incredibly unsustainable development, in a very sensitive and valuable marine and terrestrial wildlife habitat area. And just in case thats not enough, the disgustingly dirty shale oil project that was sunk by Greenpeace and other local groups 10 years ago, is now back on the drawing board! Time to find another Planet perhaps......

Poisonous Cull Backfires

More than 2000 birds have died on Macquarie Island since the federal government began a scheme to cull rabbits, cats, rats and mice. The Federal Environment Department's heritage and wildlife division told a Senate estimates hearing today that 2190 birds had died since the eradication program began last year. Department officials said the birds had died after feeding off the corpses of poisoned animals and not from eating the pellets themselves. Tasmanian Liberal senator Eric Abetz asked if the 110 dead ducks had fed off corpses or whether it was more likely they had fed off the 305 tonnes of poison bait on the island, which lies between Tasmania and Antarctica in the Southern Ocean.

An assistant secretary for the division Theo Hooy agreed the ducks would not have fed off corpses. "I can't confirm whether or not that the ingestion by the ducks had been anticipated," he said. "I do know that there was concern about ingestion of bait by albatross chicks." However, Senator Abetz said no albatrosses were listed among the 2190 deaths. "This is a complete debacle which just goes from bad to worse," he said after the hearing. "The collateral damage seems worse than the problem the government was seeking to eradicate. "The real number of deaths was much higher because while 2190 bird carcasses had been discovered on Macquarie Island more had probably died at sea, Senator Abetz said.

Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings said the pest eradication effort was worthwhile. "Nobody wants to see wildlife hurt or damaged by programs," she told reporters in Hobart. "However, what is Eric Abetz’s alternative? Those same birds were being threatened by destruction of the natural habitat on Macquarie Island because of rabbits grazing." Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke said in a statement that the bird deaths were inevitable. "When you do baiting, the fact is you will lose some of the birds you are wanting to protect," he said. "But if you don't do baiting, feral animals like rabbits and rodents will keep wiping everything out."

On the plus side, rabbit numbers are believed to have dropped from a whopping 150,000 to less than 30 since the program was implemented. Mr Burke said the impact on fauna were continually monitored, adding he had moved to tighten the program's regulations in November. He said up to 24 bird species ultimately stood to benefit from the eradication program. *AAP

Wildlife Bytes 13/10/11

2011-10-12T13:55:00.000-07:00

Editorial

Shark nets will not be introduced in Western Australia despite yet another fatal attack at Perth's popular Cottesloe Beach that claimed the life of prominent businessman Bryn Martin. It was the sixth shark death on the west coast in 11 years. Police, lifeguards and search and rescue volunteers last night scaled down their search for the remains of the 64-year-old, whose bathers were found on the seabed with tears that experts believe were caused by a great white shark. In Queensland the Government has consistently refused to remove the shark nets, in spite of them also catching whales, dugongs, and turtles. They are also unsafe in that they provide large gaps for sharks to swim into beaches, and create an impression amongs some swimmers that the beaches are safe. They are not safe, sharks can turn up in any marine or estuary waters. The WA Government have investigated the nets and believe aerial patrols are more effective. Pity the Queensland government wasnt more sympathetic to the plight of other marine animals that are caught and die in the nets.

For our US readers.....Sequoias

The majestic sequoia trees in the state of California are in danger of logging. These beauties can date back as far as 3500 years, and unfortunately any tree located outside protected areas (such as the Sequoia National Park) are not regulated under U.S. government protection. Sequoias have very shallow root systems and depend on the smaller trees surrounding them for water retention and protection against high winds. Even if sequoias are spared from logging, the other trees will not be, and the sequoia the depend on their "tree friends" for life will therefore also be lost. If you are concerned about this logging threat and wish to voice your opinion, you can send a message to Agricultural Secretary Vilsack. To learn more about this and other environmental concerns, check out http://www.sierraclub.org *WarriorTimes

Wildlife Calendars

Wildwood Wildlife Shelter have their amazing wildlife calendars on sale again! The shelter for injured and orphaned wildlife recieves no other funding, and rather than thinking of just purchasing a calendar, they would like purchasers to think of it as a 'donation' to wildlife. These rescued Wildlife Calendars are beautiful. You can order now from Pam Turner at Wildwood Wildlife Shelter, PO Box 64, Glenthomson, Victoria, 3293, or phone 03 55774343. They are $25 each, plus postage. Postage costs are 1 calendar $8, 2 to 3, $10, 4 to 6, $12, 10 calendars for $15.

Climate Change

Soaring temperatures last century may have been hard work for many species across the planet but, by the end of this century, those temperatures, once considered extreme, will become the norm for many of the world's most delicate ecosystems. Research suggests that, over the coming decades, increased temperatures and rainfall will put increased stain on the survival of the Global 200 ecoregions, threatening both plant and animal life. The Global 200 is a set of ecoregions that the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has classified as having exceptional biodiversity. They contain a high concentration of the earth's species. They include the Amazon, Lord Howe Island's sub-tropical forests and the north-east Queensland Wet Tropics, (Queensland's tropical rainforests).
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/hot-to-be-the-new-normal-as-species-struggle-20111005-1l98h.html#ixzz1a2ECXsv6

Penguins

Fifteen dead penguin chicks have been found near the Kingscote breeding colony on Kangaroo Island. It is thought a dog or a cat mauled them. There was a similar attack in the same area just over a year ago. Martine Kinloch from the area's Natural Resources Management Board says its cameras have shown domestic and feral animals are often near the colony. "This is a particularly long run of it and very visible because the bodies are all being left sort of by the side of the main road," she said. "So they're very visible and ... they've all had their heads taken off." A census of penguin numbers on the island is about to start at Emu Bay. The Natural Resources Management Board says about 60 volunteers will count the little penguin burrows. Ms Kinloch says the census had been done only at Kingscote in the past, but a funding boost now allows a count at four locations on the island. "We take the geographical coordinates of each burrow, so we end up with a map and each of those burrows has some information about it, for example whether we found it occupied at the time we did the census, so we get an exact map of each colony and half a dozen colonies across the island that we haven't previously had," she said. She says last year's census found about 700 adult penguins at Kingscote, down from 860 back in 2007. "Could be nothing more than total population variability, or it could be factors to do with different conditions when you conduct the census," she said. "For example in years where you have a lot of tall grass it can be quite a lot harder to actually find penguin burrows or, you know, we could be seeing some sort of slow trend downward in their numbers." *ABC

Batty Boat Trips

The bat family has enjoyed a bad reputation of late, blamed for attacking a woman hanging out a towel, spreading a deadly virus and generally annoying their neighbours in parts of Brisbane. But the creatures' champions hope Brisbane's "Batty Boat Cruises" can help to turn things around. Joanne Towsey is part of Bat Conservation and Rescue Queensland which, in partnership with Wildlife Queensland, has organised cruises along the Brisbane River to educate the public about the animals. The hope is that passengers will disembark with a newfound love for bats. Ms Towsey is currently completing a PhD on urban flying foxes and hopes that her research will explain the habitats and eating habits of flying foxes in built-up areas. “It is very very rare for a flying fox to actually attack somebody, a very small proportion of them carry the Lyssavirus, which causes the rabies-like disease in people,” she said. Brisbane's Batty Boat Cruises will run on October 16, October 30, November 20 and December 4. On a classic timber cruiser, passengers are taken up the Brisbane River and arrive at Indooroopilly Island as thousands of flying-foxes spectacularly take to the skies. Bookings can be made at www.wildlife.org.au *Age
Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/batty-plan-to-counter-bad-reputation-20111004-1l70b.html#ixzz1a2F3pA00

Climate Change

The Antarctic ozone hole, yawning open longer than usual, is topping out this year as one of the larger holes ever recorded. Instead of following the usual pattern of hitting a maximum, then declining, the hole has stayed near its peak for weeks, even rising again last week, according to measurements made by NASA. The US space agency's OMI satellite captured a maximum of 26 million square kilometres on September 12, but showed it rising again in recent days as ozone-depleted air repeatedly brushed the far south of South America. Larger than in the previous two years, it was still short of the record 2006 hole measured by NASA at 27 million square kilometres - the size of North America. It was persisting under the influence of particularly strong prevailing winds in the upper atmosphere, the CSIRO's Paul Fraser said yesterday. Age
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/ozone-hole-grows-to-near-record-size-20111010-1lhmd.html#ixzz1aVWf6jbA

Dredging Concerns

A proposal to dredge central Central Queensland’s Fitzroy River (near Rockhampton) delta for a new coal export terminal is “way too risky“, according to a community group. The Keppel And Fitzroy Delta Alliance (KAFDA) says the dredging required would remove five million cubic metres of material so bulk carriers can access proposed wharfs on Balaclava Island near the Port of Rockhampton. The group fears the dredging could leave the delta in a similar state as Gladstone Harbour, where fish are diseased and fishermen have been left with weeping sores. Many in the Gladstone community blame dredging for the state of the fish. KAFDA says in light of this, they cannot see how dredging material from the mouth of the second biggest river catchment in Australia could be considered safe. *
Read more ... http://www.dredgingtoday.com/2011/10/11/australia-proposal-for-fitzroy-river-delta-dredging-causes-concern/

Flying Foxes

Some Queensland Councils have voted to call on the state to allow flying fox populations to be reduced and managed following a spate of Hendra virus outbreaks. Lockyer Valley Regional Council Mayor Cr Steve Jones told a meeting of councils on the Gold Coast this week that it was time something was done. "These bloody things are vermin and they are being put above people,'' Cr Jones said. "No one wants to wipe them out but keep the numbers down to proportions whereby the humans get a fair go.'' Cr Jones called on his fellow mayors and councillors at the Local Government Association of Queensland's annual conference to get behind those councils struggling with "nuisance" flying fox populations. "It's about time on this issue that we all stood firm,'' Cr Jones said. "It's about time people in Queensland grew up and made the message really clear and definite that these things need to be kept in perspective.'' The motion, which called for the state to "introduce controls to immediately reduce flying fox populations and adopt a system that allows for the maintenance of those populations at a sustainable level", was carried. *Courier Mail

Even Australia’s most iconic, charismatic species are in danger of extinction. Species such as the cassowary, Tasmanian devil and koala all enjoy significant community support and relatively generous funding and yet find themselves at risk. And if our most popular species are in danger of extinction, what will become of our unpopular species? For species that are feared, disliked or even hated, conservation presents further challenges. Negative community attitudes show up as opposition to conservation efforts and to legislated protection. Unpopular species may even be deliberately harassed, harmed or killed, or have their habitat destroyed. Flying foxes are often feared, despite their beauty. This is the case for flying foxes, particularly in rural NSW and Queensland, where tolerance for the animals has been traditionally low. * The Conversation, by Dominique Thiriet, Lecturer, School of Law at James Cook University. Read more ... http://theconversation.edu.au/conservation-shouldnt-be-a-popularity-contest-3529

Residents of one of Townsville's beachside suburbs fear they will be forced to leave their homes if a large colony of flying foxes is not moved on. About 30,000 little red flying foxes settled into trees at Mystic Sands about four weeks ago, creating noise, stench and health problems for about 40 residents living in waterfront properties. Townsville City Council says it will apply to the Queensland Government for a damage mitigation permit to move on the bats. But residents are fearful they will receive no guarantee the protected animals will leave. Resident Steve Wynne, who lives within 100m of the bats, said the colony had steadily increased its size over the past month.
Read more ... http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2011/10/13/274301_news.html

New Flying Fox Petition.............Please sign the petition: Help Stop Bats Dying in Oz
You can view this petition at: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/help-stop-bats-dying-in-oz/

Koalas

He's been christened Kenny but "Bear Grills" might be a more apt name for a Gold Coast koala that survived being hit by a car travelling at 100kmh on the M1. Like British adventurer and TV star Bear Grylls, the koala is an action type - it escaped with only minor injuries after being lodged in the car grill for a 3km journey down the motorway. Kenny's survival has amazed Currumbin Sanctuary Wildlife Hospital staff and Mark and Caroline Harris, who hit the koala in their Suzuki Swift on Tuesday night. They were driving from their Eagleby home, near Beenleigh, to the Gold Coast when they hit what they thought was a cat outside Coomera. Unable to stop on the highway, they pulled off at the next exit to discover a somewhat cranky Kenny stuck firmly to the front of their car. ''When we realised it was alive, we just went 'oh wow','' an emotional Mr Harris said. "We felt so blessed. We just said 'please God, let it live'.''

Mr Harris said it took two police officers about 25 minutes to free the koala, which was trapped by a piece of plastic grill stuck into its neck. The couple took Kenny to a local vet. He was then transported to the Currumbin Sanctuary Wildlife Hospital for specialist treatment. "It's a small miracle - he only has superficial injuries,'' senior vet Dr Michael Pyne said. "Most koalas don't survive being hit by cars so to see one that has survived being hit at 100kmh is quite amazing. Kenny would be buying a lottery ticket if he could.'' Dr Pyne said the wildlife hospital took in about 150 koalas a year, most of them victims of car strikes and dog attacks.
"We've had 70 admitted in the last 70 days,'' he said.

The badly burnt koala rescued from Stradbroke Island looks set to make a strong recovery. Despite initial fears the female adult would not survive the hospital dash due to her extensive burns and possible smoke inhalation, she remained alert throughout the journey. The eight-year-old, named Rian, is this afternoon being assessed by Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital staff, who had been anxiously awaiting her arrival. Australia Zoo rescue officer James Muscillo impressed onlookers at Amity Beach this morning after scaling a 20m tree to capture the distressed animal. "She was really badly burnt around her face, her eyes, her ears ... It was just really terrible injury," he said. "She doesn't look too good. "She's quite alert but the injuries are quite bad around her nose and her face." Island locals said the koala was possibly injured during a burn-off three weeks ago. "It's quite incredible that she's made it this far but koalas are quite tough animals and they'll keep eating even though they're in such a bad way," Mr Muscillo said. Rian is expected to remain at the hospital at Beerwah for a number of months before returning to Stradbroke Island. *News.com.au

Ed Comment; The firebugs in DERM are at it again. These fires do terrible damage to the environment........no Australian plant is fire-adapted. Every fire kills many softwood plants and after a series of fires, the forest changes to mainly hardwoods. If these firebugs have a burning passion for lighting fires, why light the fires in Spring when small animals are nesting and breeding? Why light them at all?

Frogs

Scientists have discovered two new species of frogs living in remote pockets of Cape York Peninsula. Queensland-based scientists Conrad Hoskin and Kieran Aland discovered the new species in isolated piles of boulders while on a research trip to the region last year. Dr Hoskin said the new species, the Kutini Boulder-frog (Cophixalus kulakula) and Golden-capped Boulder-frog (Cophixalus pakayakulangun), were not only new to science but also were previously unknown to the local Lockhart River Aboriginal community. The discovery doubles the number of known boulder-dwelling frog species in Australia - two other species can also be found at Cape York. However, Dr Hoskin said the new discoveries were not closely related to the other species and appear to have evolved entirely separately in their respective rock formations. "They've all basically evolved to their own boulder piles. It's really interesting," he said.

Dr Hoskin said that, as a result of their evolutionary histories, the species had developed some distinguishing features. "They have got these adaptations to living in the rocks, they've got these really long arms and big hands and big triangular finger disks," he said. "They look a bit different to a typical frog ... they are amazing." Dr Hoskin said the frogs retreated to the cool and damp recesses of the rock piles during Cape York's brutal dry season but came out in large numbers to catch food during the wet. He said he was excited to have discovered an entirely new species. "You just rock up, you see these things and you immediately know they are brand new, it's not often you get to discover a really distinctive new species, it's pretty exciting," he said. Dr Hoskin said he believed there were many species - including reptiles, insects and plants - waiting to be discovered in the isolated and environmentally pristine region. *Courier Mail

Snakes

Experts are urging Territorians to be wary of snakes around their homes after reports of bites jumped in the Top End. Reptile wrangler Chris Peberdy said snakes were searching for water at the end of the dry season.
He said it was common to find snakes in houses - and even in beds. "I've been finding snakes in (sliding door) runners, toilets, kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, all sorts of weird places," he said. "At this time of year, they are looking for water to drink, because a lot of dams are dry, so they come into homes to find water. "And females are looking for suitable areas to lay their eggs." A large number of Western Brown snakes have already been recorded across the Top End. Palmerston residents are living in the most at-risk area, followed by Karama - courtesy of the dump. To avoid snake bites, Territorians are urged to: WEAR covered footwear, gloves and long pants when in areas likely to be home to snakes. USE a torch when moving around at night. DO NOT try to catch or kill snakes. KEEP your yard free from rubbish piles. KEEP your property free from objects that snakes may hide in such as stacks of tin or wood piles. KEEP your grass cut short and do not allow vegetation to grow close to your house. If you are bitten: APPLY a firm broad pressure bandage to the bite site and extend to the rest of the limb. Don't remove clothing from limb, just bandage over the top. Wrap it as tight as for a sprained ankle. THE VICTIM should be kept very still and the limb should be immobilised by using a splint. REASSURE the casualty and call 000 for an ambulance. For snake removal in Darwin, call 1800 453 210, in Katherine call 0407 934 252 and in Alice Springs, call 0407 983 276.

A man accused of threatening police with a large snake during a bizarre stand-off was fined $700 yesterday. Shane David Hobbs, 29, threatened police with a 1.5-metre-long snake at the scene of a three-vehicle crash on Sugar Rd at Maroochydore in September. The heavyset New Zealander, who was not involved in the crash, walked straight into the scene with a Murray Darling carpet python draped across his shoulder. Hobbs pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court to assaulting police, obstructing police and being a public nuisance. He attempted to throw the 50mm-wide snake through the window of a police car and on to a male officer sitting in the vehicle. Witnesses said the barefoot man was abusive throughout the incident, shouting expletives at police officers before leaving on foot with the mellow snake still draped around his shoulders. Witnesses said that Hobbs, who told the court he was drunk, waved the snake in the faces of several onlookers. Hobbs had a permit for the reptile which is non-venomous. The pythons can grow to about 2.5 metres long. *Fraser Chronicle

A large female python which has eluded snake catchers at Yorkeys Knob for months has finally met her match. The 18.5kg snake, which had threatened to bring down the roof of the Hekili Outrigger Canoe Club, was captured on Tuesday by Cairns Snake Removals’ Dave Walton, The Cairns Post reports. He had the help of National Geographic’s Python Hunters from Florida, who have been in the Far North filming a documentary. Mr Walton has been trying for months to catch the 5m snake but she has proved elusive, even dragging Mr Walton around the boatshed roof she called home with up to five male pythons. Not even the charm of television’s Bondi Vet, Dr Chris Brown, could lure the python out when he came to Cairns in August looking for her. *Courier Mail

Fraser Island Fires

Raging Fraser Island bushfires started by a controlled burn gone wrong have infuriated and upset holiday-makers on the island. The fires ripped through dense bushland on Sunday afternoon, threatening Kingfisher Bay Resort and cutting access tracks. One witness described an area of burnt-out bushland south of the resort as like a nuclear winter. Geoff Newall made the long trip to the Island from his home in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, and had planned to camp on the island with family and friends but had his holiday cut abruptly short. Camping on the eastern side of the island, Mr Newall drove to Kingfisher Bay resort on Sunday for a whale-watching trip. Once at sea he said he looked back and could see smoke and fires building on the island. "I could not believe it," he said. "We had just been given flyers saying controlled burning was under way, but what we saw looked out of control. "After the whale-watch trip we tried to drive back to our camp on the ocean side.

"We were just out of the resort and the smoke was getting thicker and thicker. "We had to turn back and we're lucky we did. "We heard of other people with burnt paint and a melted snorkel, the fire was that intense. "We saw the upset passengers getting off the tour bus, one lady was shaking, she was absolutely terrified. "Her partner said they saw fire on both sides of the bus. "I'm so glad we turned back." Mr Newall said he was frustrated to be stuck on the western side of the island, away from his campsite. "Fair enough, we can't help it if there's a bushfire, but why did they light it in school holidays and when it was that windy?" he said. Another group, the Grassmayr and Dillaway families, also from Sydney, said they were upset not to have been informed of the fires prior to arriving on the island.

With a holiday house booked at Kingfisher Bay Resort, Stephen Grassmayr said it wasn't until he arrived on the island that he was told the houses had been evacuated. "We have two families here, with five kids," he said. "We've been looking forward to this for a year; why didn't they have signage over on the mainland or tell us the island was on fire?" Mr Grassmayr said. "We had the house booked for three days - when we got here reception told us the houses had been fully evacuated." Mr Grassmayr said the resort had made a full refund and had co-operated fully, however he said the ordeal had put a dampener on the holiday. He had also heard the fires started from a controlled burn and questioned why it was allowed to happen. Mr Grassmayr said after the 2½-day trip from Sydney the families would head to Hervey Bay and make plans for the rest of their holidays. "We'll make the most of it," he said. "But it has been very disappointing for us." *Fraser Coast Chronicle

Seagulls

Hobart City Council yesterday collected and destroyed hundreds of seagull eggs on the banks behind the Domain Slipyards in a bid to deter the protected bird from nesting there. Hobart City Council general manager Nick Heath yesterday said more than 5000 seagulls flock to the Domain slips everyday, causing environmental and health hazards for workers in the vicinity and cyclists using the nearby intercity cycleway. "It's become a very serious problem, but our aim isn't to cull the birds, but to encourage them to move to other parts of the [River] Derwent," Mr Heath said. "It is a very significant concentration and the disturbance it is having warrants action." The HCC general manager said slipyard workers complained that the pests had been depositing their droppings on workers on a frequent basis, as well as causing significant noise pollution. The war between council authorities and the pest birds has been ongoing for more than 10 years, with a minor cull by TasPorts helping to disperse the seagulls last year.

The tactic worked until recently, with seagulls returning to the site to lay their eggs. Mr Heath said permission to remove the eggs was obtained by the HCC from the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment and that removal of the eggs was deemed the most humane way of deterring the seagull population. "The silver gull is a protected species and we ensured that all the proper research and reports were completed before we carried out this action," he said. However, Against Animal Cruelty spokesman Chris Simcox told the Mercury earlier this week that the seagulls nesting options were few and that destruction of the eggs was inhumane. "What they did last year [seagull cull] was very disturbing, as is collecting and destroying the eggs," he said. "They have no regard for the unborn chicks." *Mercury

Kangaroos

The kangaroo industry has labelled animal-welfare groups "environmental vandals" over their efforts to harpoon trade with Russia. The Weekly Times reported last week that Federal Trade Minister Craig Emerson was working on a deal that would see trade re-opened - the kangaroo industry has halved since the vital Russian market ceased trade in 2009. But the Australian Alliance for Native Animal Survival has written to Russia's foreign minister asking him to reconsider taking kangaroo products. Simultaneously, Voiceless has written to Dr Emerson with claims kangaroo meat carries "worrying levels" of E coli and salmonella and that the industry slaughters a million joeys a year, many inhumanely. AANAS president Rob Craigie said it was a group of "First (indigenous) Peoples" from around the nation. "I would like to inform you that the Australian Government and the meat industry currently condone unethical, inhumane and unhygienic practices when harvesting and culling kangaroos," Mr Craigie said in the letter to Russia. "This practice is offensive to the First People and, with respect, we urge you not to support this industry." Australian Kangaroo Industry Association executive officer John Kelly called the animal welfare groups "environmental vandals", saying the kangaroo industry was an essential environmental management tool. *Weekly Times

Kangaroo Pet Food

For readers who would like to write a letter, below are some of the companies that use kangaroo meat in their pet food.
VIP- reception@vippetfoods.com.au Ph: 0755471700
Natures Gift- http://www.naturesgift.com.au/contact-us
Eukanauba- http://www.eukanuba.com.au/en-AU/email-expert.jspx
Woolworths- http://www.facebook.com/woolworths
http://www.woolworthslimited.com.au/phoenix.zhtml?c=144044&p=contact
Ecopet- http://www.ecopet.com.au/index2.html?contact.html~content
Snappy Tom- website not working?
To find out more about cruelty within the kangaroo industry,and what companies are kangaroo free go to the ASK website at: http://www.australiansocietyforkangaroos.com/help.html *Australian Society for Kangaroos

Meanwhile we have found a website calling itself "the ethical consumers guide" http://www.ethical.org.au/contact/ which is recomending pet food companies that use kangaroo as "sustainable and ethical". You can contact them here Co-ordinator: Nick Ray, email: info@ethical.org.au, phone: 0417 114 492 We wrote to them, and have received reply asking for more information. Please write too if you have time.

A grandfather needed more than 10 stitches and his wife medical treatment after a kangaroo attacked them in their backyard. The 155cm marsupial first charged at the woman while she stood on the porch of her Lake Innes home. The couple, who did not want to be named, said they were “shaken up” by the ordeal. The animal approached the Long Point Dr woman when she was telling her grandchildren to go inside the house on Thursday last week. “I shouted at it and tried to shoo it away with my hands, but it just kept coming right at me. I was terrified,” the woman said. “It was completely unprovoked. My grandson simply pointed from a distance at another kangaroo, who had a joey in her pouch, and then this great big one started coming towards me.” The kangaroo scratched her on the arms and face, coming at her five times. Her husband attempted to come to her aid by cracking a whip near the kangaroo, but it then turned on him.

The grandparents finally managed to get the kangaroo to leave them alone and both had to go to the Lake Cathie Medical Centre for treatment. The man received 10 stitches to his calf and several stitches on his arm. The woman was given a cream for her wounds. The pair, who have lived at the Long Point Dr property for three decades, said kangaroo attacked an exchange student who was staying with them several years ago. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Port Macquarie spokesman Lawrence Orel said the incident should be a warning to people. Kangaroos are wild animals and act out of instinct. He said the animals had been known to attack people, perhaps seeing them as a threat to their mob or as a “sparring” partner for young males to practise their fighting techniques. “Never feed kangaroos, because often people will give them the wrong thing, such as bread, which is bad for their health, and can lead to future conflict for people who don’t feed those animals,” Mr Orel said. *Port Macqarie News

The track at Mount Panorama will be a no-go zone for kangaroos this race weekend. Bathurst Regional Council’s commitment to driver safety for the V8 Supercar endurance event has seen it working towards implementing a specially-prepared flora and fauna management plan for the precinct. Although there has been no culling of kangaroos over the past two years, there has been major fencing installed at key locations around the circuit to reduce the risk of any of the marsupials making their way onto the track. Council’s general manager David Sherley said yesterday a major focus of the management plan for the Mount has been the fencing initiative. “We have been putting in permanent fencing as an ongoing measure,” he said yesterday. “And there will be some temporary fencing going in at strategic locations as well.

“Council is also continually monitoring kangaroo numbers in that area, especially now that we are down to the serious part of race week, with official practice starting today (Thursday). “Basically, we are being as vigilant as possible and are confident the measures we have put in place regarding kangaroos getting onto the track will be successful.” City engineer Doug Patterson said yesterday there were still a lot of kangaroos on both the inside and outside of the track. He confirmed that, apart from the fencing, staff have been employed with a dedicated role of patrolling inside the circuit to monitor any wildlife movement, in particular, kangaroos. “Their job will be to keep them away from the track and prevent any adverse impact on the operation of the event,” he said. “The risks have been assessed and we have taken what we believe are appropriate measures to mitigate problems the kangaroos may pose.”

Bathurst Regional Council last used culling methods to control the kangaroo problem before the Great Race in 2009. At the time Mr Sherley said a range of measures were implemented, including fencing and operating electronic “shoo roos”. Environmentalists had rallied against council when they heard of the measures used to control the kangaroos, but Mr Sherley said council’s methods were constantly evolving. “Council will always continue to review control strategies put in place to minimise the risk of the circuit not only for the race but for the 300,000 tourists who drive around the track each year,” Mr Sherley said. *Western Advocate

Footie stars’ big-money boot deals prop up a cruel trade in kangaroo skins, claim campaigners. They say footwear used by the likes of Michael Owen, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole come from a business which sees baby kangaroos decapitated. Nike, adidas, Umbro and Puma all use ultra-soft kangaroo skin in their top-of-the-range boots. And nearly four million of the creatures are shot for commercial purposes in Australia every year. Aussie government rules say the babies must be killed with a blunt instrument or decapitated, while adults are shot from the back of trucks. But animal rights group Viva! said the practice leads to unnecessary suffering since many animals are often only wounded by hunters, leaving them to die over days. Once shot the adults are partially butchered in the Outback and taken to chiller compartments before being used for boot leather.

Kangaroo skin is softer and more pliable than cow leather and also provides better weather-proofing. But all four of the big makers have synthetic alternatives that are just as good, opponents claim. “Stars of the pitch don’t hear the gunshots in the night nor witness youngsters ripped from their dying mother’s pouch, decapitated and thrown in the trash,” said Viva! campaigns manager Justin Kerswell. “This is the Premier League’s dirty little secret.” Phil Woolley, of the Australian Wildlife Protection Council, said: “When millions of kangaroos are slaughtered for sports footwear, this results in over a million babies dying horrible deaths as a waste product. “It has nothing to do with the welfare of the kangaroos. “The code of practice is nothing more than a smokescreen for the industry to hide behind.”

A Viva! campaign saw adidas star David Beckham abandon kangaroo boots in 2006 and followed a formal pledge from Nike to use more synthetic material. But sports retailers across the UK, including Sports Direct, are still stocking kangaroo leather boots, including Nike’s Tiempo, worn by Ashley Cole, Man United’s Javier Hernández and Joe Cole, now at French club Lille. Other footballers wearing the skins include Manchester City’s Joe Hart and Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson, who both use the Geometra shoe which Umbro boasts is made from “high grade K leather”. Manufacturers stand by their use of the product. Adidas told us: “This use of kangaroo leather is common practice in the footwear industry. “Adidas insists that our suppliers fully comply with the Australian government’s strict rules on culling. “We make a limited number of shoes using kangaroo leather, however it is not across the entire range and we ensure the leather does not originate from endangered species.”

Puma said it used “a limited amount of kangaroo leather” and followed the industry code of practice. Rivals Nike and Umbro – which is also owned by Nike – told us: “Nike has worked proactively on phasing out exotic skins from its product range over the past few years. “We are concerned about the humane treatment of animals and have been informed by the Australian government that suppliers must abide by their strict regulations for the humane treatment of animals.” *Daily (UK) Star

A Nichols Point woman had the shock of her life recently when she found a dead kangaroo in her pool. The woman, who did not want to be named, discovered the kangaroo after noticing flies around her house and an “awful” smell lingering around the pool area. “On Monday night I realised there was a body-like figure underneath our pool cover,” she said. “I opened it to find a large, wet kangaroo leg. “I was shocked as even though we’ve had many kangaroos near our house I never thought one could drown in our pool.” The woman said the roo must have jumped over the side fence, then the pool fence and finally onto the pool before it came to its untimely fate. “My husband has since disposed of it and the pool has been emptied and treated, ready for the summer season.” *Network Item

Kangaroo "Culling"

Ramifications of Indiscriminate shooting of Kangaroos destroys variability in the gene pool affecting the future survival of the mobs and in the short term, increases populations: The biggest problem which arises when Kangaroos are shot indiscriminately during ‘culling’ programs is that more breeding will possibly occur due to the large Alpha males being taken. Killing the alpha males creates an imbalance in the hierarchy which therefore affects the balance which in turn affects the behaviour of Kangaroos associated with the particular Mob.

When the Alpha male (Buck) is destroyed, the Juvenile or Bachelor males who usually patrol the outskirts will get a chance to harass the females( Does) as their protection has been taken ( ‘killed’ Alpha males) and therefore Juveniles will not be challenged. These smaller Bucks will mate many of the Does and often the Does are chased relentlessly by several young Bucks. This does not happen when the Alpha Buck is in charge of the Mob. Frequently Does are mated by several males and occasionally Does will die from exhaustion from trying to escape time after time. In the case of the Alpha male, he does not continually breed with all his Does, he is selective and moderates when breeding occurs.

In conclusion, indiscriminate shooting will exacerbate the so called reason for ‘Culling’, usual excuses being too many and over grazing an area of threatened vegetation. This will be due to a larger number of Does becoming pregnant due to the loss of their protector, the Alpha male. If unnecessary ‘culling’ persists (in our eyes there is never a reason to ‘Cull’) then a larger proportion of Kangaroos shot should be Juvenile males of weight range approx 40-50 Kilos, definitely never female kangaroos with baby kangaroo Joeys in- pouch young, those still dependent young-at foot, or Alpha males. * Australian Wildlife Protection Council Inc.

Turtles

About 600 turtles with pig-like snouts, believed to have been caught in the wild in Indonesia, have been returned home. The pig-nosed turtles are distinguishable for having a nose which looks like that of a pig with nostrils at the end of fleshy snout. Hong Kong conservationists seized nearly 800 of the endangered baby reptiles smuggled from Indonesia in January. Indonesian customs officials display crates of the pig-nosed turtles after they were returned from Hong Kong. It was Hong Kong's biggest haul in its battle against the illegal pet trade. The animals were believed to have been caught from the wild in Indonesia before being brought illegally to Hong Kong. The record seizure came to light as authorities prepared to release 600 of the surviving turtles back to their native habitat in Indonesia's remote Papua province. "It's the first of its kind [of seizure] in Hong Kong in terms of the number and the species," Alfred Wong, an endangered-species protection official from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, told reporters. "They are quite popular in the pet trade; that's why they are threatened by the international trade," he said as the baby turtles were being packed into boxes, to be flown to Indonesia on Wednesday.

The pig-nosed turtles were also threatened because the demand for their eggs and meat, but Mr Wong said they were mostly kept as pets in Hong Kong. Authorities carried out an investigation into how the creatures came to be in Hong Kong and had questioned suspects, but could not charge them because of insufficient evidence, he said. He declined to provide further details including how many suspects were involved or their nationality. The pig-nosed turtles (Carettochelys insculpta) are listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which imposes international trade restrictions to protect the species from over-exploitation. The turtles, which were only a few days old when they were rescued, had been kept since then at a privately run conservation farm for care and temporary holding. They are set to be released into a national park in Merauke, which is located in the south-eastern coast of Papua. * AFP

NZ Oil Spill Gets Worse

About 70 containers have fallen from a stricken ship off the New Zealand coast in wild weather overnight and the captain has been arrested and charged. He will appear in court this morning. A Martime New Zealand spokesman told the Bay of Plenty Times that news containers had fallen off Rena was confirmed to them this morning by crew on the naval ship Endeavour. "We know that about 70 containers have fallen off. These came off the rear starboard side, which means the containers on the port side of the ship are unstable. "Shipping is being re-routed around the area because of containers afloat in the water." The spokesman said they would be taking a flight as soon as possible to view the situation but stormy weather was getting in the way. He said it was unknown at this stage if any of the containers that went overboard contained the hazardous substance ferrosilicon. The shipwreck of the Rena has become New Zealand's worst maritime environmental disaster with the Government saying it will require a marathon effort to clean the oil off the Bay's beaches.
Up to 350 tonnes of oil spewed out when the Rena shifted its position on Astrolabe Reef in heavy seas early yesterday - five times larger than the total amount previously discharged since the container ship grounded last Wednesday. * Sunshine Coast Daily
Ed Comment; The stricken container ship Rena has ''significant structural failings'' after large cracks were spotted in the side of the vessel, and looks like breaking up.

Wildlife Bytes 5/10/11

2011-10-04T15:48:00.000-07:00

Kangaroo Meat in Pet Food

Wildlife groups are now campaigning to have appropriate labelling on pet food that contains kangaroo meat. For readers who have time to lobby their appropriate government department, a suggested letter content is below. The more letters the departments and the politicians get the better.

I object to the fact that kangaroo meat is not labeled on pet foods. I object to buying pet food with kangaroo meat as I am morally and ethically opposed to the mass utilization of our wildlife, the harassment and cruelty involved. Up to one million young and baby kangaroo are simply bashed to death or die slowly from this ugly trade. I do not want to support it in any way. However, currently it is not necessary to label the products as having this meat. I know that Purina are using it, and Nature's Best. I would like to see proper labeling on ALL pet meat so wildlife supporters can avoid these products. Thank you, *

White Whale Calf Sited

An all-white humpback whale calf has been spotted frolicking in the waters around the Whitsundays. The Townsville Bulletin reported that Wayne Fewings captured the white calf on camera while diving near the entrance to Cid Harbour last week. Mr Fewings saw the whale, believed to be about 4m in length and similar to the famous Migaloo, along with two predominantly black adult humpback whales while with his son's family in a 4.5m runabout boat. The calf raised its head out of the water and then dived before coming within four or five metres of the runabout. The last official sighting of Migaloo was by a cargo ship crew on August 10 about 10km north of Pipon Island in Far North Queensland, according to the White Whale Research Centre. *Courier Mail

Wildife Burning

Roos, birds and lizards have been left without food or homes as the fires ripped through the desert and mountains in the past six weeks - some of the blazes deliberately lit. Even captive animals are struggling to survive.
Wildcare carer Cynthia Lynch has been the go-to woman for people around Alice Springs whose pets have flu-like symptoms. The retired nurse has about five joeys on antibiotics for smoke-induced pneumonia. Ms Lynch said that, in 35 years, she had never seen the smoke so bad. "It is so thick it's infiltrating our houses," she said. "I've seen orphan joeys get pneumonia when they're left out in the cold but these ones are about eight months old. I keep the weaker ones inside at night." Ms Lynch started looking after joeys while she was still nursing. Her granddaughter, Honey, 5, is fond of helping her nurse the little roos. The Alice Springs Counter Disaster Committee was continuing to monitor several fires yesterday. Some were contained around Luritja Rd but the main threat was in the Henbury area. *NT News

Wasps

As the days grow warmer and spring gets into full swing, it's time for Australian paper wasps to go hunting. When you say 'wasp' many people might think of the aggressive introduced European wasp (Vespula germanica), which has spoilt many a Sunday picnic. Yet most of the wasps we see in Australian backyards are native wasps. Despite their jerky movements and ominous looking stingers, native paper wasps have little interest in people unless their nest is directly threatened. What they're really after are the fat juicy caterpillars that turn up in spring to graze happily on your garden. Caterpillars are ideal food for hungry baby wasps. Watch what a wasp does and you'll see it carefully inspecting each leaf for caterpillars, before grabbing its prize and flying off with it. *ABC
Read more .... http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2011/10/04/3327168.htm

New Marine Plants Found

WA scientists have discovered almost three-dozen new marine plant species in the South West of WA. Marine scientists from the WA Herbarium, responsible for the documentation of botanical species, and the Department of Environment and Conservation, made the series of discoveries in the Walpole and Nornalup Inlets Marine Park. The survey unearthed a new green algae and the first records of red algae species' in Australia Environment minister Bill Marmion said the findings added to our knowledge of the inlet's biodiversity and complex food webs. "By understanding the life-cycles of these new species, scientists and marine managers can more readily recognise 'invaders' that could become major pests," Mr Marmion said. "The survey helps to provide insight into how certain marine species are distributed and significantly builds on the existing knowledge of marine plants in the inlets." A total of 49 species were recorded during the survey, a significant jump from the 14 previously recorded. WA News

Climate Change

A new plan to curb global warming risks becoming a battleground between rich and poor nations and could struggle to get off the ground as negotiators battle over the fate of the ailing Kyoto climate pact. The 1997 Kyoto Protocol covers only emissions from rich nations that produce less than a third of mankind's carbon pollution and its first phase is due to expire end-2012. Poorer nations want it extended, while many rich countries say a broader pact is needed to include all big polluters. Australia and Norway have proposed negotiations on a new agreement, but say it is unrealistic to expect that to be ready by 2013. They have set a target date two years later, in 2015. "This is the only way ahead. There is no other way than failure," said a senior climate negotiator from a developed country on the Australia-Norway proposal, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the talks. Rueters Read more ... http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/10/02/idINIndia-59659120111002

Tasmanian Animal Welfare Review Possible

Liberal leader Will Hodgman has backed a call to review Tasmania's animal welfare laws. Mr Hodgman said yesterday he was happy to be part of an animal welfare round table. The Tasmanian Greens have flagged a round table to formulate possible amendments to Tasmania's Animal Welfare Act. Speaking at the start of RSPCA Awareness Week yesterday, Mr Hodgman said the work the RSPCA did was critical. He said it was important to examine the level of State Government support for the organisation and to ensure animal welfare law was strong. "The last thing we can tolerate is the abuse of something as victimless and defenceless as an animal," the state Opposition Leader said. "It is inconceivable some of the things people will do to defenceless animals - it is a terrible indictment on our society." *Mercury

Cheetahs

Cheetahs went extinct in India in 1950's - India wants to reintroduce them. An Indian government minister has stated that cheetahs may be imported to India in an attempt to repopulate the country with the only animal that has been declared extinct in India in the last 1,000 years. "We will have to get them from abroad to repopulate the species," said Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh when responding to a question. "We soon hope to do so," he added. The statement sparked a lively 70-minute debate in the Indian government with Ramesh detailing the steps being taken to conserve the tiger in 37 reserves across the country, 16 of which are in dire straights. "Our analysis shows that the situation in 16 reserves is truly alarming and they stand to lose all their tigers if the appropriate action is not undertaken to improve the situation," the minister said. "These 16 reserves are in the danger zone from where tigers have vanished or are on the brink of vanishing. Twelve reserves are in good condition, while the situation in the remaining nine is satisfactory but needs to improve," he added. "The main reasons for tiger decline include poaching, degradation of forest status outside tiger reserves and protected areas due to human pressure, livestock pressure and ecologically unsustainable land-use," Ramesh said. * Wildlife Extra

Fishing

Cod stocks in the Irish Sea and the west coast of Scotland have collapsed because of overfishing and politicians' refusal to fix low enough catch quotas, according to a leading fisheries scientist who advises the European commission on fish quotas. Dr Paul Connolly's comments followed the European commission's decision on Wednesday to recommend for the first time that all fishing cod in the two sea areas is stopped. The commission has previously stopped short of pushing for such draconian measures in such a wide area of sea because of the political difficulty of placing a ban on fishing such a key species. Connolly, who is the director of Fisheries Science Services at the Marine Institute in Galway, advises the commission on "total allowable catches" and in 2013 is due to take over as president of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES), the oldest marine scientific body. He said: "Continuous over-fishing has led to a collapse in cod in both these areas. The signs have been there for years and scientists have repeatedly warned quotas must be cut but fisheries ministers have time and time again ignored us. We do not know now whether the stocks will recover." *Guardian
Read more ... http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/sep/30/uk-cod-collapse-overfishing?intcmp=122

Murray River Rescue....or Not?

The national bid to save the River Murray appears to be in jeopardy with both green groups and irrigators attacking the revised plan. Ten environmental groups yesterday emerged from a briefing to condemn the plan, saying it would not restore enough water to save the system. That came as the South Australian Murray Irrigators group also attacked the revised plan, saying it had "barely changed from the original draft". The original draft guide to the plan, which proposed restoring up to 4000 gigalitres to the Murray-Darling, was released 12 months ago and them immediately withdrawn, after a backlash from irrigators fearful of losing water allocations. The Murray-Darling Basin Authority has since redrafted the plan, and is proposing to restore about 2800GL. The authority is currently briefing affected groups across the basin. "The most recent comprehensive science review conducted by CSIRO showed anything less than 4000GL will fail the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth," Professor Diane Bell of the River, Lakes and Coorong Action Group said yesterday. The 10 groups said it would be impossible for them to support the current approach of the authority. The authority would not comment yesterday. *Adelaide Now

Lost Penguin

Day-trippers enjoying the heatwave on a Hampshire beach (UK) were stunned to spot a lost penguin frolicking in the waves. It's believed it was a jackass penguin which normally makes its home in South Africa, 6,000 miles away, reports The Sun. Visitors to Southsea beach, near Portsmouth, filmed the penguin diving in and out of the waves. Joanne Gordon, 35, of Aldershot, said: "I couldn't believe it when I saw it swimming around away just six foot from me." Earlier, the bird is said to have been seen waddling around the harbour to the surprise of onlookers. *Orange.com.uk

Flying Foxes

New Farm resident Carolyn Martin is being treated for exposure to the deadly bat disease lyssavirus after being swooped on by flying foxes. Ms Martin, 30, said she was hanging a towel on her clothesline just before 11pm last Tuesday night when she believes she "startled" a group of three flying foxes. "I wouldn't describe it as an attack," Ms Martin said. "Three flying foxes sort of flew on to my balcony and had a collision and I happened to be in the middle of it. "I was in the wrong place at the wrong time." Ms Martin now faces a gruelling four-week round of injections to protect her against the potentially deadly bat-borne virus. The 30-year-old received nine "excruciating" injections the day after the bats scratched her left foot and spat on her face. She was now facing a series of five further injections. Queensland Health acting chief officer Professor Michael Clearly said the lyssavirus was related to rabies and caused serious illness in humans that was usually fatal. He said there had been 89 notifications of bites or scratches involving bats in Queensland this year, including 16 in Brisbane. "Anyone who has been potentially exposed to Australian bat lyssavirus, and has never received pre-exposure vaccination, will require an injection of rabies immunoglobulin and a series of five rabies vaccine injections over one month," Prof Clearly said. Queensland's chief veterinary officer, Rick Symons, said it was extremely rare for healthy bats to approach or attack humans and that aggression could be a sign a flying fox was infected. "Lyssavirus is within the bat population and, unlike Hendra virus, it affects the bats," Dr Symons said. "It does make them sick and it can kill them. Sometimes they can get aggressive. "If you can touch or go near a bat, it's likely they have lyssavirus." *Coureur Mail

Ed Comment; The headline read.... "New Farm resident Carolyn Martin attacked by three bats now faces injections over four weeks to protect from lyssavirus.." Bat attack indeed, the media have a lot to answer for.

Fruit grower Brian Terrey describes the swarm of flying foxes that descends on his orchard each year as ''lethal vermin''. With the commercial fruit picking season set to begin, Mr Terrey wants to keep his right to shoot the protected animals that feed on his 12,000 nectarine and peach trees at Grose Vale, on the north-west fringe. He is angry the NSW government is phasing out a licensing scheme that allows fruit growers to kill limited numbers of grey-headed flying foxes, even though they are listed as vulnerable to extinction. Instead, it is rolling out a $5 million subsidised netting program to protect fruit trees in the Sydney basin and the central coast. Growers in other areas cannot apply for the netting grants. And as picking season looms, deep divisions are emerging in the growing industry.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/pests-drive-farmers-batty-20111001-1l2lo.html#ixzz1ZnC8CgHp

Koalas

Koala numbers on Kangaroo Island have dropped to 13,000 from a peak of 27,000 in the past decade. Picture: Megan Slade. Source: Up to 40 per cent of Kangaroo Island's koalas have an AIDS-like virus that could devastate the population. It has the potential to impact on koalas in a similar way to the mouth cancer which is wiping out Tasmanian devils, experts say. The Environment Department revealed yesterday that koala numbers on the island had dropped from a peak of 27,000 to 13,000 over the past decade. Kangaroo Island was thought to be the only koala population without the retrovirus, but it has been detected in recent years, believed to be carried by insects, possibly mosquitos. The retrovirus is linked to koala cancers including lymphoma and leukemia. Last year, the first case of lymphoma in a Kangaroo Island koala was detected. A Senate inquiry examining the health of Australia's koala population has heard the retrovirus can lead to an AIDS-like disease destroying the immune system, and making the animals vulnerable to cancers and other diseases.

The virus is thought to be transmitted genetically from parent to offspring. Kangaroo Island's koala population has previously been robust and bred prolifically, prompting concerns they were demolishing the native habitat with their voracious appetites. The State Government introduced a sterilisation program to contain them in 1997. Almost 10,000 koalas were sterilised and 3800 moved off the island to the state's South-East. Now it is feared that the retrovirus will affect the island's koala population, as the disease spreads and new cancers emerge. Koala expert Dr Jon Hanger warned the inquiry that more money was needed for research to determine the impact of the virus. "The retrovirus has the potential to be one of the most significant factors in the severity and prevalence of serious disease in koalas and yet the funding allocated to better understanding it has been pitiful," he said. "It is our opinion that this virus may be as devastating to koalas as the Tasmanian devil facial tumour disease is to devils. In Environment Department spokesman said research was continuing to understand the prevalence of the disease on the island. "There is no evidence to suggest that the koala population on Kangaroo Island will become extinct from the retrovirus," he said. *News.com

Fraser Island

Which would you prefer - a fenced-off beach or an untouched, white sandy playground that was Fraser Island's Lake McKenzie before rangers began their foreshore rehabilitation? Conservationist John Sinclair says the beach has been ruined and turned into a garden. "I am absolutely rabid about this," Mr Sinclair said. "You have one of the best known beaches, with its stunning white sand used in promotional photos and the department tries to cover it up. "It's not just tree planting either. They've covered the sand with mesh and fenced it off. This is an abomination." Mr Sinclair, the Fraser Island Defenders Organisation spokesman, said he had written to the Environment Department about the issue and had not received a reply. "They can't admit they've made a mistake," he said. "I asked for a statement of reason under the Judicial Review Act and they won't even acknowledge my letter." The work was defended by Great Sandy regional manager Ross Belcher, who said it was done to protect the beach from high visitor numbers. "This work is no garden," he said. "The lake's been getting a hammering from growing tourist numbers. We get upwards of 300,000 a year to the island and I reckon most of them visit McKenzie. It's a first-rate job."

Mr Sinclair said the development, which included fences, retaining walls and plantings of local species, had to go. Mr Belcher said considerable damage had been done in past years and the revegetation would not be removed. "I appreciate John's point of view but this is to protect foreshore vegetation and make sure damage is not occurring," he said. "We want also to improve the visual amenity. It provides swimming areas that are screened from other parts of the beach." Mr Sinclair said there was no excuse for Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service staff to interfere with nature in the middle of the state's most prominent national park. In 1993, Mr Sinclair, a former Australian of the Year, removed 113 casuarina trees planted by the Beach Protection Authority to stabilise a sand blow - a hill of naturally moving sand. Yesterday, he said he would consider dismantling the McKenzie structure. "I'd have to think about it though, it's such a substantial fence I'd probably get a hernia." *Courier Mail

DERM Firebugs Burn Fraser Island

Guests at Fraser Island's Kingfisher Bay Resort have been moved to alternative rooms, as a large bushfire continues to burn just 800m away. The fire broke out about 6.40pm last night, with some ash and smoke from the fire affecting the resort. An evacuation plan has been put in place for guests and staff at the Kingfisher Bay Resort on Kingfisher Bay Drive, but has not yet been activated, a Department of Community Safety spokeswoman said. It is understood 50 of the 500 people staying at the resort have been relocated to different rooms as a precaution. A spokeswoman for the Kingfisher Bay Resort said the resort was not experiencing any difficulties due to the fire. She said the 50 people relocated had been staying in both the staff and backpackers accommodation and had been relocated to the main part of the resort. She said some tours had been redirected but that the resort was otherwise operating as normal. She confirmed one resort guest was treated for smoke inhalation by paramedics. A resort staff member said they did not believe the resort was under threat.

Kingfisher Bay Resort group general manager David Hay said the fire was not visible from the resort because it was over a ridge. "We had a fire burning to the south of us for about a week that was a national parks burn-off and some very windy south-westerly winds in the last few days," he said. "That changed the fire into a much bigger fire, it jumped a few breaks and a few roads and got the point where it was within a kilometre of the resort. "As a precaution, we moved some people from one part of the resort, which is more tree-covered and closer to the boundary, down to the main complex just for safety but we've had no incursions from the fire into the resort grounds. " The Department of Community Safety said water-bombing of the fire, burning near Kingfisher Bay Drive and Corn Wells Break Road, had ceased. Eighteen firefighters on the ground were this afternoon conducting backburning in the hopes of extinguishing the fire in the next few hours. A dozer is being used to strengthen containment lines around the Kingfisher Bay Resort. *Courier Mail

Kangaroos

The death of a road-user will be the only way marsupial problems around Tower Hill will be fixed, Moyne mayor Jim Doukas said. However, the government department responsible for the wildlife has ruled out relocating or culling kangaroos. The warning followed another accident between a car and kangaroos this week. DSE regional director Laurie Dwyer Dwyer said the DSE had received a letter from Killarney farmer Brian Mugavin on Thursday and was still in the process of working through issues raised. Mr Mugavin raised the issue with the Moyne Shire Council and the government this week after his son's ute was damaged by kangaroos. Mr Mugavin also claims someone will be killed before something is done about the Tower Hill Game Reserve's roos and wallabies. His 18-year-old son Leigh was involved in a collision on Wednesday night with a kangaroo that damaged the driver's side panels . Brian's wife Sally collided with a kangaroo a couple of months ago , result ing in a $7000 damage bill. That incurred a $500 insurance excess and the latest prang is likely to attract an insurance excess of more than $1200.

Leigh hit two kangaroos while trying to swerve to miss a mob along Lakeview Road. He said he saw one kangaroo, swerved and slowed down to about 50km/h when two more jumped into the side of his ute. "I just heard two bangs ," he said. " Someone could swerve into Tower Hill or hit another car head-on." Brian said he was angry and he had heard about a number of recent accidents. He has contacted the Warrnambool Parks Victoria office, spoken to a regional manager, the VicRoads office, Moyne mayor Jim Doukas, a number of local residents, member for South West Coast Denis Napthine, Wildlife Victoria, the Moyne Shire Council ranger and police . "Everyone is sorry but no one can do anything," he said. "If I had a cow out on the road which caused this sort of damage I would be in awful trouble," he said. Mr Dwyer said most wildlife incidents involving cars on roads were the responsibility of VicRoads or councils. "On rare occasions there is a processes we can go through of relocation or culling but we do not think that is an option here at the moment," he said.

Brian said he was contacted by a Parks Victoria officer on Thursday night but compensation was ruled out. Cr Doukas said the issue refused to go away and Parks Victoria and DSE either had to relocate kangaroos, cull them or put in place effective fencing. "They thought they had fixed this issue by closing a gate," Cr Doukas said. "It had quietened down but now it's back bigger than ever. "There are sometimes hundreds of kangaroos in paddocks around Tower Hill . "It's been going for 12 months and there's been dozens and dozens of accidents. "It seems that someone is going to have to be seriously injured or killed before something is done ." *Warnambool Standard

Gladsone Harbor Dredging

Controversial dredging operations in Gladstone Harbour resumed yesterday after being suspended last week to allow murky water conditions to improve. But Greens environment spokeswoman Larissa Waters said the suspension should stand until tests revealed what was behind diseases and deaths of marine species in the harbour area. The Gladstone Ports Corporation voluntarily stopped dredging in part of the harbour last Thursday because extremely low tides and high winds had increased turbidity levels. A newly-created bund wall, aimed at containing dredge spoil, also was leaking although authorities expected it to seal. "The leaking, new bund wall is worsening high turbidity in Gladstone Harbour, and we know that red spot in fish is linked to poor water quality and high levels of sediment," Ms Waters said. "Why should dredging be allowed to continue when the entire fishing industry of Gladstone is left in limbo? "Dredging operations simply must be stopped until authorities get to the bottom of this. "I urge Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke and Queensland Environment Minister Vicky Darling to suspend all Gladstone dredging operations immediately."

Fisheries Minister Craig Wallace said last week dredging would not stop because Health Department and independent tests showed no link between port work and diseased fish. Two weeks ago, the Government banned fishing in an area of about 500sq km - centred on Gladstone's harbour - while scientists try to resolve issues that have shut down part of the region's $40 million commercial fishing industry. Tests have found fish are infected with red spot disease, and a parasite that causes milky eye in barramundi. Red spot also broke out in Moreton Bay after the Brisbane floods in January. Gladstone has also recorded more than 100 turtle and dugong deaths this year - raising concerns of links between dredging and stressed animals. The Queensland Seafood Industry Association also has called for a halt to dredging. "If leaking through the bund wall in the reclamation area at Fisherman's Landing is causing unacceptable levels of turbidity, then what is the dumping of the same dredge spoil material off the front of Facing Island doing?" QSIA president Michael Gardner said. "Surely, that will be causing serious turbidity problems also." The QSIA has written to Ms Darling asking that no further dredge spoil be dumped at the Fisherman's Landing site until the bund wall was sealed. *Courier Mail

Queensland Fisheries Minister Craig Wallace has denied claims he was aware of a health scare at Gladstone months before he took action. A fishing ban was imposed at Gladstone harbour on September 16 after sick fish were found with sores and cloudy eyes. The government has appointed a scientific panel to investigate the cause, with initial tests identifying two conditions, red-spot disease and a parasite. Further tests are under way. Fishing groups say it's a human health risk, with several commercial fishermen developing rashes and nausea after handling the sick fish. Opposition fisheries spokesman Mark Robinson accuses Mr Wallace of not responding to the health scare immediately. "Gladstone fishermen claim the government received reports of sick fish at least three months ago, so the minister has some explaining to do," Dr Robinson said.
Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/queensland-government-sat-on-sick-fish-report-opposition-20111004-1l6f2.html#ixzz1ZnDHTnpH

Queensland fishermen have been taken to hospital with recurring weeping sores resembling spider bites after handling sick fish and working in water at Gladstone's harbour. A fishing ban was imposed at Gladstone harbour on September 16 after sick fish were found with sores and cloudy eyes. Up to 20 fishermen have issued statements to Queensland Health detailing painful boils that cover their legs and arms, medical doctor and Queensland Seafood Industry Association president Michael Gardner said yesterday. The cardio surgeon says he had examined and taken photos of several fishermen with the sores. "I'm seeing a cluster of people working in the harbour who have been exposed to the water or have handled the fish, breaking out in multiple lesions on their limbs," Dr Gardner said. "I'm a medical practitioner and I can say this is more than a coincidence and it's not an isolated event." Dr Gardner said at least four people had to be admitted to hospital. "They are very painful sores," he said. "Some of (the fishermen) couldn't work for several weeks. Some of them developed septicemia and had to be hospitalised."

Gladstone Fish Market owner Ted Whittingham said he knows that one fisherman was taken to hospital for five days and had to be put on an intravenous drip and pumped with antibiotics. "There have been numerous fishermen contracting this and it seems to be from handling fish and using the harbour water," Mr Whittingham said. "A lot of the reef fishermen who use the water to wash their boats, and where they've got a cut or scratch, burst out in these lesions. "They're like big spider bites and they come up within 24 hours." Queensland Health says its officers had interviewed several fishermen but found no health cluster to be concerned about. "(The fishermen) have described a range of conditions, including infected fish spike injuries and wounds and other skin problems," a statement from the department yesterday said. "All the conditions described have multiple causes."

Dr Gardner is calling for the department to investigate it further. "There is a relationship. The symptoms are the same, but just what it is I don't know," he said. "The story is the same. The sores appeared after people handled fish or came into contact with the water." Dr Gardner said it's unusual for a small fishing community to have at least 20 people infected with the same illness. A state government report into the water quality at Gladstone Port, however, did not find any problems, the Department of Environment and Resource Management's director of water quality Dr Julia Playford told the Nine Network. "It (the report) takes into account the time before the fish became diseased and after the fish became diseased and it shows no significant change," she said. * AAP

Ed Comment; Gladstone Harbor has long been a cesspit, 20 years ago we were shown fish caught in the Harbor with huge sores on their bodies. The government did nothing about it then....except allow the building of more chemical factories to service the coal mining Industry. It's not likely to do anything about the pollution now. Gladsone Harbor also host large numbers of foreign shellfish and exotic sea creatures bought in on the hulls and ballast water of the huge coal ships. Nowdays they offload the ballst water offshore....but its too late...the exotics are there already. I was in Gladstone last week, and its very busy, dirty place, with mining and CSG vehicles everywhere. It is also reputed to have the highest incidents of asthma and similar breathing illnesses of any town in Australia.*

Whaling...Japan gives $27.7 to support whalers!

Radical anti-whaling operation Sea Shepherd is promising dramatic attacks against Japanese whalers in coming months, with volunteers warning they are prepared to die for the cause. The group has announced "Operation Divine Wind" against the Japanese whalers, who plan to begin their annual hunt in the Southern Ocean in December. The name translates to the Japanese word kamikaze, the name given to World War II pilots sent on suicide missions. In launching the mission at the weekend, Sea Shepherd leader Paul Watson promised on the group's Facebook page a "very dramatic and adventurous three months beginning in December". "I am confident that we will be able to stop them once again," he wrote in a statement "liked" by more than 2000 Sea Shepherd Facebook fans. The Sea Shepherd has become increasingly successful in recent years at disrupting the Japanese fleet, last year taking it further when New Zealand activist Peter Bethune illegally boarded a whaling ship and was briefly jailed.

Angered by the campaign, which reduced the catch, the Japanese government has injected $27.7 million into the program to improve the safety for its crew. Undeterred, Sea Shepherd announced it would send 100 volunteers to the Southern Ocean and was prepared to lose lives if necessary. "They will have to kill us to prevent us from intervening once again," Mr Watson said. "Are the Japanese people ready to take human lives in defence of this horrifically cruel and illegal slaughter of endangered and protected species of whales? "If so, my answer to the Japanese government is hoka hey - it's a good day to die." He also accused Japan of continuing its whale program solely to save face against activist opposition. "It now seems they are simply obsessed with killing whales not for need, and not for profit, but because they believe they have the right to do what they wish and kill whatever they wish in an established international whale sanctuary, just for the sake of defending their misplaced honour." He claimed the program was a "smack in the face" to foreign nations that donated funds in the wake of Japan's killer tsunami. Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research has yet to comment on the claims. *AAP

Ed Comment; Meanwhile the federal government has condemned a decision by Japan to continue hunting whales in the Southern Ocean, saying Australia remains opposed to the so-called scientific whaling program. At the same time, the government doesnt seem to have done much to stop it.

New Shark Sanctuary

The Marshall Islands government has created the world's largest shark sanctuary, covering nearly two million sq km (750,000 sq miles) of ocean. The Pacific republic will ban trade in shark products and commercial shark fishing throughout its waters. Tourism, including diving, is a staple of the Marshall Islands archipelago, which is home to just 68,000 people. Sharks and their near relatives such as rays are seriously threatened by issues such as habitat loss and fishing. About a third of ocean-going sharks are on the internationally-recognised Red List of Threatened Species. "In passing this [shark protection] bill, there is no greater statement we can make about the importance of sharks to our culture, environment and economy," said Senator Tony deBrum, who co-sponsored the bill through the Marshallese parliament. "Ours may be a small island nation, but our waters are now the biggest place sharks are protected."

To put the sanctuary in context, it covers roughly the same area as Indonesia, Mexico or Saudi Arabia, and is about eight times bigger than the UK. The move will extend the area of ocean in which sharks are protected from about 2.7 million sq km to 4.6 million sq km (1.0 to 1.8 million sq miles). The Marshall Islands government has created the world's largest shark sanctuary, covering nearly two million sq km (750,000 sq miles) of ocean. The Pacific republic will ban trade in shark products and commercial shark fishing throughout its waters. Tourism, including diving, is a staple of the Marshall Islands archipelago, which is home to just 68,000 people. Sharks and their near relatives such as rays are seriously threatened by issues such as habitat loss and fishing. *BBC

Wildlife Bytes 28/9/11

2011-09-27T19:30:00.000-07:00

Editorial; An eight-year old girl in Los Angeles has won our WPAA Wildlife Warrior of the Month award. Katie Donaldson asked her friends who were attending her eighth birthday party not to bring presents, but to make a donation to help kangaroos. She sent us the $125 AUD dollars she raised, asking that we use it to help the kangaroos. Thank you very much Katie, and we have sent you a nice birthday present, and the kangaroos thank you too.

Unique Fraser Island Painting for Sale

Wild Beauty of Fraser Island" was specially commissioned by Vegan Warriors and has had visitors to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital in awe, where it has been on display for the past few months. Profts from the sale will go towards Vegan Warriors and the Wildlife Hospital. Vegan Warriors continually campaign against the horrific treatment of dingoes on Fraser Island, land clearing, rodeos, circuses, factory farming and bobby calf starvation. The Hospital takes in and rehabilitates over 8,600 native animals each year, victims of landclearing and disease. Wild Beauty of Fraser Island by Leigh Hutfield is 1.83 metres x 61cm of Acrylic and muslin on canvas. The expanse of golden white sand which strengths the entire length of the east side of Fraser Island – more commonly known as 75 mile Beach; is the scene that is set for my latest painting……Incorporating the dignified yet beautiful Dingo’s that roam this captivating island. The painting is currently for sale on EBay Item No. 280734892834 * For the Animals

Pet Wildlife

Florida has more invasive amphibians and reptiles than anywhere else in the world, and the pet trade is the No. 1 cause, researchers said in a report released Thursday. State officials, meanwhile, confirmed the presence of another type of invasive species -- the giant African land snail -- in South Florida, where it may pose a threat to human health as well as agriculture and even buildings. The 20-year amphibian and reptile study led by University of Florida researcher Kenneth Krysko was published in the journal Zootaxa. It urges the passage of stronger laws to prevent the release of exotic species. "No other area in the world has a problem like we do, and today's laws simply cannot be enforced to stop current trends," Krysko said in a statement. He is herpetology collection manager for the Florida Museum of Natural History on the Gainesville campus. The study says the pet industry was most likely responsible for the introduction of 84 percent of 137 nonnative reptile and amphibian species introduced from 1863 through 2010. That includes 25 percent linked to one importer, Strictly Reptiles of Hollywood. * Keysnet.com
Read more http://www.keysnet.com/2011/09/20/379641/florida-capital-of-invasive-species.html

Kangaroos

There are many things you might expect to find if you visited a military base; soldiers, armoured vehicles or even weapons may be high on the list. However, at Defence Establishment Orchard Hills you’d also find more than 1000 kangaroos on site, perhaps a slightly more surprising discovery. “At the last census in November 2010, the kangaroo population at Orchard Hills totalled approximately 1100 animals,” a Defence Department spokeswoman said. “The majority of the kangaroos are in a number of sectioned areas and are considered to be in manageable populations. Development in the vicinity of the Defence Establishment Orchard Hills has not had a noticeable impact on these numbers.” She said a compromise had been reached to enable the work of the base to go ahead without too much interruption. “Defence Establishment Orchard Hills actively manages a sustainable kangaroo population in accordance with the Defence Kangaroo Management Plan, which identifies a number of management options to minimise the impact on operations. “Personnel located at Defence Establishment Orchard Hills are aware of the kangaroo population and advise management of any potential impact or disruption to operations.” *Penrith Press

Purina Pet Foods Boycotted

Wildlife groups are asking pet owners to boycott Purina Pet Foods. Purina (owned by Nestle, we understand) have been running a national advertising campaign stating proudly that they use kangaroo meat in their tinned dog food. Dozens of people have contacted them by phone and email, pleading with them to stop using kangaroo meat. They have all been laughed off. So the wildlife groups have decided to mount a campaign asking pet owners to boycott Purina foods, and not only boycott them, but telling Purina why....by phone or email. Purina contact details are below......

Please contact PetCare Advice Centre on 1800 738 238, or email them at https://www.purina.com.au/Ask-Purina.aspx If you get a poor response, please email them back, dont let them get away with the lies they tell.

Meanwhile, what the Wildlife groups are now doing is determining all pet food brands in Australia that contain kangaroo meat because many do not specify the meat source This may first require a campaign for accurate labelling of meat type in all tinned pet food.. Then we can raise community awareness about issues surrounding the kangaroo industry in association with the pet foods that use its products. More details about the Purina campaign can be found here http://www.kangaroo-protection-coalition.com/boycott-purina.html

Seals to be Killed

Two of Canada's leading marine biologists and a conservation group say a five-year proposal to slaughter 140,000 grey seals in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence is being driven by politics, not science. "I don't support it," said Hal Whitehead, a professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax who specializes in the study of whales. "From what I've seen of the rationale, it doesn't make much sense to me." Earlier this month, a federal advisory panel urged Fisheries Minister Keith Ashfield to approve the cull, which would result in the killing of 70 per cent of the grey seals that feed in an area that stretches from Quebec's Gaspe Peninsula to the east side of Cape Breton. The Fisheries Resource Conservation Council, made up of scientists and fishing industry representatives appointed by the minister, said the proposed cull is an experiment that will test indirect scientific evidence suggesting grey seals are impeding the recovery of cod stocks. Wayne Stobo, a retired researcher with the federal Fisheries Department, said his extensive fieldwork with grey seals has led him to the conclusion that the proposed cull is worth a try. While he doesn't disagree with the professors' arguments, he insisted that experiments don't need control groups to be valid. "The nature of an experiment is that you try something and see what the result is," he said, adding that scientists didn't need a control group to conclude that the collapse of the cod stocks in the early 1990s was largely due to overfishing. * CTV News
Read more ... http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/SciTech/20110925/seal-cull-proposed-criticism-110925/

Exotic Carp

The east coast floods last summer flushed much needed water through the Murray Darling River system. But with higher water levels the carp are breeding like rabbits, according to locals. The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries says in the latest breeding season carp numbers have increased more than 4,000 per cent in the lower Darling River below Menindee. *WPAA

Frogs

Two new studies have revealed how some frogs can survive the chytrid fungal disease that is currently devastating amphibian populations worldwide. Known as chytridiomycosis, the disease is caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), and is more prevalent in some frog populations than others. To understand why, Dr Kelly Zamudio and PhD candidate Anna Savage, Cornell University in New York examined lowland leopard frogs. They looked for a genetic difference within a key part of the immune system, known as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Their results appear this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. MHC proteins act as signposts, alerting the immune system to the presence of a pathogen, which then triggers an immune response to clear the infection. Similar to a lock and key, MHC proteins can only recognise certain pathogens. *ABC Read more ... http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2011/09/27/3326532.htm

Dugong Hunting

More traditional owners' groups in north Queensland have agreed to stop hunting dugongs and turtles to let the two species recover from the effects of disastrous floods. Queensland Environment Minister Vicki Darling today said the Girrigun Aboriginal Corporation, which covers two clan groups in the Townsville region, had agreed to suspend hunting of both species indefinitely. The clans are entitled to hunt both species under the Native Title Act but agreed to stop after widespread flooding across Queensland last summer damaged seagrass beds - the major food source for both animals - along the coastline. The agreement comes two weeks after traditional owners' groups from Bundaberg to Gladstone agreed to self-imposed bans on hunting both species. "I think this move speaks volumes about the capacity of local traditional owners' groups to make their own informed decisions about cultural practices that have existed for thousands of years," Ms Darling said in a statement today. "I congratulate the clans of Girrigun for this decision because it acknowledges that, while there are severe limitations in addressing the food supply crisis hitting turtles and dugongs, we can address the impacts humans are having on the population and hunting is one of them." *AAP

Ed comment; But what about the other hunters who dont or wont abide by clan rule? What about some hard Legislation to stop the hunting altogether?

Elephants

Wildlife rangers have begun relocating 50 rampaging elephants back to the renowned Maasai Mara game reserve to stem rising human deaths and property destruction in outlying villages. On Thursday, the first four of the elephants, due to be relocated over the next 10 days, were shot with tranquilliser darts from a helicopter near Narok, about 150 kilometres south of the capital, Nairobi, a notorious zone for human-wildlife conflict.
Once the giant animals lost consciousness, conservationists carefully winched them up by crane onto trucks for the journey to the Maasai Mara, from where they had been cut off by widening settlement, increasing farming and deforestation. "The greatest challenge to Kenyan wildlife conservation today is Kenya's population growth," said the Kenya Wildlife Service director, Julius Kipng'etich. Workers splashed the elephants with water to cool them before giving another injection to wake them up, ready for their 150-kilometre truck journey to the Maasai Mara. If the operation is a success for the first 50 animals, wildlife service plans to move 200 of them. * AFP

Seabirds

Report says some albatross, petrel and shearwater species nearing extinction as fleets failing to implement simple measures. Up to 320,000 seabirds a year are being killed worldwide each year by being caught up in fishing lines, according to a study being presented to the World Conference on Marine Biodiversity on Tuesday. Some species and populations of albatross, petrels and shearwaters are being pushed to the edge of extinction because many fishing fleets are not taking simple measures to prevent birds chasing bait, experts will warn. Some fleets have drastically cut the carnage though methods such as bird-scaring lines and weighting of hooks. But others are failing to monitor the problem or implement steps that could reduce the problem to "negligible proportions", according to authors of a study that is attempting to set a global baseline against which progress could be measured. * Guardian Read more ... http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/sep/26/fishing-boats-killing-seabirds

Kangaroos and Bushfires

Bushfires in Central Australia are being blamed for causing native animals to come down with pneumonia. As two bushfires burn out of control north of Alice Springs, sending smoke across the town, wildlife carers have said native animals are being affected. "This is something we haven't seen before," said Cynthia Lynch from Alice Springs Wildcare Inc. She said there has been more bushfires this year than in the past and the smoke was far more noticeable and had been harming native animals. Ms Lynch said she had seen about half a dozen young red kangaroos affected by pneumonia, a disease she had never before witnessed in them. "They are very wheezy and you can hear their chests without a stethoscope," Ms Lynch said. She said all the joeys that were affected over the past six weeks had been hand-raised and were in captivity. It was difficult to know whether those in the wild were unaffected by the condition because they could better escape the smoke, or if wild kangaroos had pneumonia that was undiagnosed, she said. Her comments came as Bushfires NT director Steve Sutton warned two fires were burning out of control north of Alice Springs. Mr Sutton said one fire was burning about 70km north of Alice Springs at Yambah and another was 30km from the town, at Bond Springs. "Currently a lot of smoke is blowing into Alice Springs," Mr Sutton said. *Weekly Times

Whales

The annual Humpback whale migration begins in May as the mammals make their way up the West Australian coast from the food-rich Southern Ocean to breeding grounds in warm northern waters. But, experts say an increasing number are not surviving the journey. Of the 14 Humpback whales to die along WA's coast already this season, most have been young. Recently, a dead calf washed up at Gnarloo on the southern end of the Ningaloo Marine Park. The Department of Environment and Conservation's senior wildlife officer Doug Cochrane says the calf at Gnarloo, and others like it, are showing signs of malnutrition. "They are skinny and sickly, they don't have a lot of blubber and it looked like most of them hadn't had a chance to feed from their mothers," he said. Mr Cochrane says there has been a marked increase in sick and dying Humpback whales in recent years. "There's definitely a lot more than say, 10 years ago." Mr Cochrane says conversely, the reason for the increase in deaths could also simply be because of a growing population. "The population is the healthiest recovering Humpback population globally," he said. "So, the same as with all other populations of whatever they be, mammals, birds, or even humans, when you have an increase in population, you also have an increase in losses or deaths." *ABC Read more ... http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-26/humpback-whale-stranding-feature/2943026

Tasmania is set to become a whale-watching mecca over the next few weeks as the world's biggest marine mammals move down the coast and stop here on their way to Antarctica to feed. This week whales have been spotted at Taroona, Binalong Bay and Wineglass Bay and a southern right whale mother and calf have been spotted by eco-tourism operators near Tasman Arch. Tasman Island Adventure Cruises Skipper Craig Parsey said his team recorded 150 whale sightings last year and it looked like 2011 could be an even better whale watching season. "Already we have been told that good numbers of humpback whales are heading down the coast," Mr Parsey said. "With the abundance of krill around the Tasman Peninsula, we are expecting some exciting interactions." He said thousands of dusky dolphins also had been seen playing in local waters. The dusky dolphin was known for its remarkable acrobatics but had commonly been caught in gill nets in the past. *Mercury
Read more ... http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2011/09/28/264801_tasmania-news.html

A record number of whales migrating down the coast has thrilled Hervey Bay whale watch pioneer Brian Perry - but it has him concerned as well. With an increased number of whales passing through, the risk of hitting one of the ocean giants is increasing as well and he is urging caution to all heading out into the waters of Hervey Bay, especially when there is fog or in the night. "Unfortunately accidents can happen," he said. More than 16,000 whales are making their way up the coast of Australia and there have been several collisions between whales and boats so far this year. Mr Perry said there were several hundred whales passing through Hervey Bay at the moment, some of the best numbers seen in years. When Brian and his wife Jill first started their business in 1987, the first of its kind in Australia, they saw about 100 whales in one whole season. Now he said it wasn't unusual to see about 100 whales in a day. Mr Perry said it was heartening to see whale numbers improving. "It's one of the best seasons we've had in 25 years," he said. With people coming from around Australia and the world to visit Hervey Bay this whale watching season, Mr Perry said it was fantastic to see the reactions of people who hadn't had the chance to see whales up close and personal before. A rare sighting of a southern right whale and its calf also excited visitors. It stayed in the area for two or three weeks, which Mr Perry said was "very unusual". *Fraser Coast Chronicle

Red Spot Disease in Fishes

An endemic disease found in fish samples taken to discover what was killing fish in The Narrows and Gladstone Harbour has not been found in Rockhampton waters. Red spot, a disease found in fish all over Australian coastal waters and in Asia, was evident in test samples taken during the current ban on fishing in Gladstone. A spokeswoman for Biosecurity Queensland said the disease was typically caused by a fungus, Aphanomyces invadans, and occurred in fish when they were under stress. The red spot disease, Epzootic ulcerative syndrome, develops as red spots that develop into ulcers, which can cause death in fish. It has been found in estuarine fish including bream, mullet, whiting, eels and catfish. The disease has also been found in freshwater fish farms as well as inland freshwater rivers. While research has found links between highly acidic waters and the red spot disease, no such connection has been made in investigations to the latest outbreak to date. Government investigations have also not found any particular environmental "stressor" in the Gladstone Harbour area that may have caused the recent outbreak. Authorities were still investigating an unknown parasite found in fish samples last week that may have also been contributing to fish deaths in the area.
The government spokeswoman said: "These initial test results identified two conditions, red-spot disease and a parasite. More research is needed into the parasite, which affects the eye of the fish. "Additional testing is being conducted on newly received samples of other fish species, prawns and mud crabs but results are not expected for several weeks. "As further testing and research is still under way, it is too early to determine what is causing the conditions affecting some locally-caught fish." *Bulletin

The State Government has refused to stop Gladstone's massive dredging program while scientists work out what has caused disease in its fish. Yesterday, Greens environment spokeswoman Larissa Waters called for a dredging ban, saying it was wrong that a major environmental crisis was occurring while 46 million cubic metres of dredging works for the liquefied natural gas industry continued unabated. Fisheries Minister Craig Wallace said he would not stop the work because Health Department and independent tests showed no link between dredging and the diseased fish. Mr Wallace - who was in Gladstone for crisis talks with fishermen and the city's port authority - said a taskforce looking into the issue would be headed by Australian Institute of Marine Science chief Ian Poiner. The Government last week banned fishing for about 500sq km - centred on Gladstone's harbour - while scientists try to resolve issues that have shut down part of the region's $40 million commercial fishing industry. Tests have found fish are infected with red spot disease and a parasite that causes milky eye in barramundi. Red spot also broke out in Moreton Bay after the January floods.

Gladstone also has recorded more than 100 turtle and dugong deaths this year, raising concerns of links between the dredging in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and stressed animals. Senator Waters said that, in August, she had asked Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke to suspend dredging but nothing had happened. "What will it take for the Government to place the long-term health of our precious marine ecosystems and coastal communities ahead of short-term private LNG profits?" she asked. "Dredging is blanketing seagrass beds with sediment and exacerbating poor water quality, making fish susceptible to disease. It's also possible dredging is stirring up organic toxins and heavy metals . . . Everyone is responding to this crisis except for the industry which may be contributing to it . . . and the Government which is allowing them to operate with impunity." Mr Burke said 52 conditions had been imposed on dredging in Gladstone harbour and the department had been monitoring these criteria. *Courier Mail

Barrier Reef Contaminated

A commonly used farm chemical has been found in a Great Barrier Reef catchment at levels an alarming 50 times higher than those considered safe. Diuron is found in more than 100 products and is primarily used in sugar cane, cotton and weed spraying and in anti-fouling paints. A newly released State Environment Department study found the highest readings in Barratta Creek, a popular fishing location about 50km south of Townsville in north Queensland. Penalties for oil spills are increasing, see page 10 of today's print edition of The Courier-Mail. Farm chemicals metolachlor and atrazine were also found at 11 sites, all of which flow into Great Barrier Reef waters. It's the third environmental contamination incident in days, with a major study last week finding poisonous industrial pollutants such as DDT, dioxins and PCBs in birds' eggs in Brisbane and fishing being banned at Gladstone due to diseased fish. WWF-Australia seized on the diuron research, saying it was evidence the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority was too slow to act.
Spokesman Nick Heath said while the APVMA had been investigating diuron for nine years, eight of the sites investigated were being contaminated at toxic levels.

"This paper (Environment Department) is the smoking gun," he said. "Here we have clear evidence that at least three chemicals which are approved for sale, one of which is known to cause cancer, are present in the Great Barrier Reef environment and in our internationally recognised wetlands, at unacceptably toxic levels." The study found that diuron, which is poisonous to some marine plants and animals, accounted for 97 per cent of the toxicity in Barratta Creek, between Mackay and Townsville. APVMA spokeswoman Felicity McDonald said it had been proposed in July to suspend most diuron uses, but manufacturers and growers had to be given an opportunity to respond and the Environment Department paper would be taken into account. Ms McDonald said atrazine was detected marginally above recommended levels at only one site and the APVMA was confident it could be used safely. "At present, we hold no concerns about the continued use of metolachlor, provided it is used in accordance with conditions outlined on product labels," she said. "Claims that diuron, atrazine and metolachlor are carcinogenic are incorrect and alarmist." Mr Heath said he accepted the APVMA would probably ban diuron, but he was disappointed about further delays. *Courier Mail

Senate Inquiry Backs Away From Koala Protection

Speed limits should be lowered, wild dog controls tightened and research funding boosted to stop the decline of koala numbers, a Senate committee has recommended. But it has stopped short of suggesting the marsupial be added to the threatened species list, saying it is not qualified to pass judgment. Following a 10-month investigation, the Senate's environment committee today delivered 19 recommendations to halt what it says is a nationwide decline in koala numbers. They include getting the government to boost funding for research and koala monitoring, implementing an independent review and acting on the potential threats of wild dogs and koala-unfriendly roads. The committee said there was no question koala numbers were falling but the issue was much more complex than that fact alone. For instance, in some areas in Queensland the koala population is in sharp decline, but in other parts of Australia their numbers have to be managed because of over-population.

Koalas faced a range of threats, from dogs, cars and diseases to issues affecting their habitats, such as climate change. The Senate's investigation is not the first time the koala has come under scrutiny, with the government's chief advisory body on threatened species having considered it no fewer than three times since 1996. From the information it received, the committee said there was a clear need for early conservation work. Environment Minister Tony Burke is considering whether to list the koala as a nationally threatened species and said he welcomed the new information. He noted the government had already spent at least $6.3 million on koala conservation efforts during the past 15 years. "Koalas are an iconic Australian animal. They hold a special place in the hearts of Australians," he said. *AAP

Kangaroo Fence

A higher kangaroo-proof fence will be built around the Hanging Rock racetrack to keep the animals from interrupting future race meetings. This year's traditional Australia Day meeting was cancelled due to kangaroos jumping over fencing and entering the track. Stewards halted racing twice during the event but cancelled the remainder of the card after they declared it too dangerous to continue. A working group then started work on finding a solution whereby kangaroos could still utilise the Hanging Rock Reserve but would be kept off the track. The group approved a final kangaroo management plan, which includes building permanent fences about 1.9 metres high around the track. They replace the existing fences, which are more than 20 years old, and are about 1.5 metres in height, with some parts already 1.8 metres. The fences will also feature a gate to allow wildlife to return to the racecourse after meetings.

Kyneton and Hanging Rock Racing Club general manager Mark Graham described the outcome as a win for racing and the area's kangaroo population. He said racing and wildlife would continue to share the racecourse. "We have successfully shared the racecourse with the local kangaroo population for the past 125 years, apart from a couple of safety issues arising in the past couple of years. 'We were very keen to achieve an outcome which allowed this to continue while ensuring racing can be conducted safely. "The club appreciates the efforts of the working group to find a balanced outcome and for the funding assistance provided by the state government via the Department of Sustainability and Environment, Macedon Ranges Council, Racing Victoria and Country Racing Victoria." The Australia Day event at Hanging Rock is the only race meet held at the picturesque location each year. Northern Victoria MP Donna Petrovich, a member of the working group, said they had found a "timely, practical, cost-effective solution" to the problem. "Hanging Rock races are an important part of the Macedon Ranges from a social, economic and historical perspective. "It was a very positive experience... dedicated to finding a workable outcome for all parties which will enhance and preserve the history of racing at Hanging Rock and also protect the natural environment of this beautiful place and its native wildlife." *Macedon Ranges Weekly

Spiders

Spiders known for a flesh-eating venom may hold the key to a cure for chronic pain, new research shows. Scientists believe some spiders and their highly toxic venom have emerged as the latest, albeit unlikely, ally in the fight against human illness, inflammation and even erectile dysfunction. They are also investigating spider venom for its potential as a potent bio-insecticide to protect valuable food crops. Scientists at the University of Queensland have been working to harvest venom from some of Australia's deadliest creatures - including spiders, snakes, scorpions and box jellyfish - for bio-medical research. Dr Mehdi Mobli, of UQ's Institute for Molecular Bioscience, will today present his latest findings at ComBio 2011 in Cairns, the nation's peak annual conference for biochemists and molecular biologists. "From the unlikely source of spider venoms, we are working on finding new ways of protecting our food source and crops as well as new therapeutics against pain," Dr Mobli told The Courier-Mail. His research involves the American hobo spider, a distant cousin of the Australian funnelweb, often blamed for a bite that turns necrotic and eats away human cells, tissue and flesh. "Spiders have evolved a biochemically complex venom that is designed to rapidly subdue prey," Dr Mobli said. His research found the potent insecticidal neurotoxin, linked to an ancestral gene, had evolved over 200 million years. "Because it targets the nervous system, it may have benefits for treating nervous system disorders like chronic pain," he said.

He said an Access Economic Report (2007) estimated the economic impact of persistent pain in Australia at about $34 billion a year. "We think primarily it may be useful as a commercial insecticide, where we put this gene into plants so they can protect themselves against pests," Dr Mobli said. "The American hobo spider is the first toxin in spiders that we have been able to track down the ancestral gene. "In this case, it turned out to be a hormone involved in - amongst other things - moulting. "The spiders seem to have recruited this hormone, and then massively changed it to make it exceptionally insecticidal (so it no longer functions as a hormone)." Huge advances in technology in recent years have allowed unprecedented access to molecular diversity of animal venoms - developing a pipeline in venom-based drug discovery. "We have been able to insert a gene encoding this toxin into bacteria, so that we can produce large quantities of the toxin in the bacteria. "We are able to produce large amounts of this toxin for insecticidal testing." *CM

Fishing

Scientists believe they have identified the tipping point of overfishing that could save the world's coral reefs. They identified the stages or "thresholds" a coral reef eco-system goes through before collapse. And they found how many fish it takes to make a healthy or dying reef. "Hard coral cover is the last line of defence before a reef collapses," said Townsville-based Nick Graham, of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. "But it starts dying when the nuts and bolts go. You see patches of weeds replacing coral, you see more sea urchins devouring the coral, you see a general decline in the species richness on the reef, and you see less coral cover." Dr Graham was part of an international team that surveyed 300 reefs in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa. They found that in well-protected areas there were typically 1000kg-1500kg of fish a hectare of coral reef.

As this is reduced below 1000kg, early warning signs such as increased seaweed growth and urchin activity began to show, Dr Graham said. "It shows us multiple tipping points," he said. "There is more than one line between life and death for a reef." When fish stocks dropped below 300kg/ha, the reef was in real trouble, Dr Graham said. The loss of hard corals, which had been thought of as a warning sign, was actually the last stage in the collapse of a reef, the study found. The researchers found between 300kg-600kg of fish a hectare was the "maximum sustainable yield". As debate rages over the impact of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef, Dr Graham said measuring the amount of fish was a tangible variable. "It is easier to comprehend than some variable like the amount of phosphorous in the water," he said. "Fishermen and scientists have long wondered how many fish can be taken off a reef before it collapses. This sets a target. "The consequences of overfishing can be severe to the ecosystem, and may take decades to recover, but hundreds of millions of people depend on reefs for food and livelihoods, so banning fishing altogether isn't a reality in many nations." The report, "Critical thresholds and tangible targets for ecosystem-based management of coral reef fisheries", has been published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA (PNAS). *Courier Mail

Wildlfie Bytes 16/9/11

2011-09-15T14:51:00.001-07:00

Kangaroo Chiller Boxes

Mark Pearson from AL NSW and myself landed in Broken Hill Friday night around 10 pm. Early next day saw us driving around Broken Hill looking for kangaroo chiller boxes. We wanted new contamination evidence to be presented at a meeting with one of the major supermarkets. Here we located four chiller box sites, all were closed and not working, with a total of 8 boxes. One site had two large chillers, the other sites had three. While looking at the 3 box site a vehicle pulled up and the driver demanded to know who we were and what we were doing. The police were on their way he said, and we would be charged with trespass.

After some argie bargie, he admitted that the chillers were owned by Macro meats, and he was the manager. When we questioned him why they were empty, he said the kangaroo Industry was about to get very busy, and they were just waiting. (Presumably for the Russian market to restart.) It appears the Federal government are now trying to blackmail Russia into starting imports of kangaroo meat again. Russia has asked Australia to grant it 'market economy status' before it joins the WTO, which the Australian government has said it will consider if Russia opens up its markets to kangaroo meat!

After that episode we headed to Wilcannia, a dead town with two empty chiller boxes found, then to White Cliffs, then to Wanaaring, Hungerford, through the dingo fence (which should be pulled down) and to Cunnamulla. We found three chiller sites in Cunnamulla, one with six chiller boxes, and one with two larger boxes, both brand new and "state of the art", and another site with two boxes. Of all of them, only one box was working. We headed off to get some food, but before we got out of the vehicle, a truck loaded with dead wild pigs went past. We followed it, but there was some other traffic, and in the dark we lost it. It didn’t go to the chiller boxes like we thought it would have. So we went back to the cafe, ordered some food, then went across the road to the pub for a drink. We were told by the only other drinker in the bar that he had just come back from a weekend’s pig shooting, brought the pigs to Cunnamulla Chillers only to find that chillers were closed. So his son had taken the 30 pigs out into the scrub to dump them on the side of the road!

Goats are the big money earners at the moment, followed by pigs, and kangaroos are not worth shooting we were told. Goats are attracted to a penned area by saltlicks, then trapped, and transported by truck to an abattoirs.

I have to say that generally the wildlife was plentiful. The vegetation has had quite bit of rain, and looks superb. Lovely country. We saw lots of emus, including a flock of 100 or so, very good to see. We also saw a large flock of Major Mitchell parrots, probably around 60 birds, but only a couple by themselves. We saw some kangaroo and emu road kill around Eulo and Cunnamulla, but not as much as we expected to see, and not much on the dirt roads. We only saw a few wedgetail eagles, one high up, and one feeding on road kill, and one being harassed by 50 or so crows. A few letterwinged kites and small raptors were seen. Not many kangaroos seen, but zillions of goats. Very little mobile phone coverage except at major towns.

From Cunnamulla we headed West towards Thargominda, Nocundra and towards Tibbooburra. We found two empty chillers at Thargominda, long unused, and nothing at Nocundra. The drive South through extensive natural native grasslands was stunning. For a hundred kilometers or more, native grasses spread as far as the eye could see, on both sides of the road, with vegetation and trees along the creek lines. We never saw much wildlife here, except for lizards on the road, and a couple of lonely wedgetails up high, looking for those lizards. No kangaroos, emus, or roadkill. After we drove through the dingo fence at Warri Gate into Sturt National Park, we started to see kangaroos, including quite a bit of roadkill. Which suggests to me that the kangaroos on the extensive grasslands that were being grazed by cattle and sheep, had been shot out. In the '70's, Dr John Auty produced a paper showing his model found that prior to white settlement, Australia's natural grasslands could support up to 400 million kangaroos. After driving through some of Queensland’s and NSW's natural grasslands, and seeing them myself, I think his model was a bit conservative.

Unfortunately, like the indigenous people before them, the kangaroos have been removed to facilitate the beef and sheep grazing Industry. We were amazed at the Sturt National Park though, another extensive area of native grasses. We drove the 60 or so kilometres through the Park towards Tibbooburra as the sun was about to set, and the colours were nothing short of spectacular. Here at Tibbooburra (of all places) we found five chiller boxes, two had not been used for yonks, and one was running with something in it. There was a pool of blood outside where someone had washed their vehicle. In 2008 when activists inspected these chillers, they were packed with kangaroos, all tagged with the date they were shot, and some at the back of the chiller had been there for 13 days.

We drove over 2000 kilometres in 5 days, through some of the most spectacular dry landscapes in the country, perhaps in the World. Out of around 22 chiller boxes, we only found 3 working and, they may have held wild pigs. We didn’t enter any of the boxes for that reason, and we didn’t want to raise any alarm bells within the Industry, although they do know we are watching them very closely.

Maintenance of most of the chillers we inspected was poor, with gaps in the doors, broken seals and rusty hinges, etc. Still, there has been significant investment within the Industry, new chillers, some upgrading of old chillers, and we saw one brand new shooter’s vehicle. Both the State and Federal government have created an illusion that the Russian market will soon reopen, and the Chinese market is imminent, so they are really responsible when the Industry dies properly, and these investments are lost.

We know where the chillers are now, and in the remote chance that the Russian markets open up, we can monitor them very closely. As Mark said to me, we are cataloguing a dead Industry, but one that still twitches now and again! * Pat O'Brien

Seals

A NZ teenager who beat seals to death using a galvanised pole near Kaikoura has been jailed for two years. Jason Trevor Godsiff, 19, of Renwick, previously admitted wilfully ill-treating the protected seals at Ohau Point, north of Kaikoura. He appeared before Judge Ian Mill in the Blenheim District Court today. A charge of possession of an offensive weapon was dropped. Godsiff's co-accused, Jamaal Peter Roy Large, 36, from the Wairau Valley, has denied the charges. More than 20 fur seals were beaten to death late last year in what the Conservation Department described as a "callous and cowardly" attack. Some were just a few days old. The dead seals included 13 females and two bulls. Seals in the area had injuries that suggested they had also been hit. *Press.co.nz

Bilbys

You have to take your hat off to one of Australia's most embattled icons. Yesterday was National Bilby Day, an occasion used to promote the cause of the plucky little marsupial. Officially listed as threatened, there are only 400 of the big-eared animals left in the wild in Queensland. There is also a population in the Northern Territory, but it has disappeared from every other Australian state. On the Gold Coast, theme park Dreamworld is taking part in a unique breeding program aimed at bolstering the shy animal's numbers. More than 20 bilbies have been born at Dreamworld, with 13 released into a predator-proof park in southwest Queensland. Dreamworld's general manager of life sciences Al Mucci said: "The ones that have been released out west are not only surviving, but they are thriving. *Courier Mail

Abalone

Abalone fishers face new restrictions this season after a rare marine heatwave devastated stocks north of Perth. Fisheries Minister Norman Moore has ordered a total ban on abalone fishing north of Moore River this year. Abalone fishers near Perth will be allowed to fish between 7am and 8am, one Sunday a month from November to March. The season south of Busselton jetty starts on October 1. South West bioregions manager Kevin Donohue said sea temperatures in some spots north of Perth were 3C higher than average. Fisheries has flagged prohibitions next year to allow stocks to recover. *West.com.au

Fraser Island Dingoes

With Fraser Island dingoes rearing their pups during September, visitors and residents are urged to take extra caution and stay in fenced campsites. Environment Minister Vicky Darling said the September whelping season was an important time for dingoes as their pups were weaned and left their dens to learn how to hunt, find water and socialise. "More dingoes may be seen at this time, they may be more determined and aggressive in their search for food and adults will aggressively defend their young," Ms Darling said. "Learning to hunt is a vital part of the pups' rearing and it is important to conserve the natural behaviour of dingoes by not interfering with them during this crucial stage of their lives." Ms Darling said an overlap between the dingo whelping season and the holiday camping period could lead to an increase in human-dingo encounters. "Families with children are strongly urged to camp in fenced campgrounds at Central Station, Dundubara, Lake Boomanjin, Dilli Village and Waddy Point. "Parents should ensure children are supervised at all times and should never allow them to walk alone as attacks could happen very quickly." Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers will be on duty across the island during the holiday period, ensuring visitors are aware of these important safety messages. They will visit camp grounds and tourist spots each day to talk to visitors about dingo safety. To report a dingo incident contact a ranger as soon as you can, or phone 4121 1609 or email dingo.ranger@ derm.qld.gov.au. *Fraser Coast Chronicle

Cuttlefish

Research into giant cuttlefish in South Australia's upper Spencer Gulf will receive $105,000 in federal and state funding. SA Fisheries Minister Michael O'Brien says a monitoring and evaluation program will look at population biomass, water quality and habitat. There has been some recent concern that fewer cuttlefish are in the upper Gulf. Concern also has been expressed about the possible effects of discharge if a desalination plant is built in the area. *ABC

Dolphins

Dolphin colonies in Victoria's Port Phillip and the Gippsland Lakes have been formally recognised as a new species. The dolphins, named Tursiops australis, have a combined population of about 150 and were originally thought to be one of the two existing bottlenose dolphin species. Monash University PhD researcher Kate Charlton-Robb discovered they were unique by comparing skulls, DNA and physical traits with specimens dating back to the early 1900s. The new species will commonly be known as the burrunan dolphin, an Aboriginal name meaning large sea fish of the porpoise kind. The findings, published in the latest PLoS ONE journal, show that the dolphins of the southern Australian coast differ greatly from other dolphin species. "This is an incredibly fascinating discovery as there have only been three new dolphin species formally described and recognised since the late 1800s," Ms Charlton-Robb said. "What makes this even more exciting is this dolphin species has been living right under our noses, with only two known resident populations living in Port Phillip Bay and the Gippsland Lakes in Victoria." Ms Charlton-Robb said more research was needed to determine whether there were other populations of the burrunan dolphin in Australia. * AAP

Koalas

They spend their days looking half asleep while gorging on gum leaves. But the seemingly lazy ways of Australia's iconic koalas need to be preserved under federal laws, the Australian Greens say. Greens senator Larissa Waters will push for the marsupials to be listed as a nationally-threatened species in the Senate on Wednesday. "The koala is not listed as nationally threatened because there are clumps where there are quite a lot of them," she told reporters in Canberra. "But there are areas where there are very few." Such areas include Queensland's "koala coast", which encompasses the bayside portions of the Redland, Brisbane and Logan local government areas. With fewer than 5000 koalas left in south-east Queensland, Senator Waters believes koalas along the koala coast may become extinct during the next 10 years. "I don't know what they will call it if there are no koalas left," she said. If the koala were listed as a nationally threatened species (under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act), it would be an offence to injure the creature. "It also means that any development that is going to have a significant impact on koalas needs to get federal approval," Senator Waters said. "So it basically brings in an extra layer of protection, that might mean a development has to be stopped, or there can be conditions." Such conditions might include the retention of important habitat trees. Loss of habitat was one of the greatest pressures driving species to extinction, Senator Waters said. "If we're going to stop the decline on biodiversity we should put the brakes on development in the only areas (that) threatened species still exist." *News.com.au

Wildlife Care

The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital has entered to win $5,000 to purchase essential orthopaedic equipment through the Sunsuper DREAMS grant. The DREAM with the highest vote wins so PLEASE cast your vote to help them win this funding. Many of us have had injured wildlife in care that have been saved and returned to the wild because of the special orthopaedic surgery that the wildlife vets at the Hospital have been able to perform. This equipment is very special. To vote go to:- http://sunsuperdreams.com.au/dream/view/help-give-our-native-wildlife-a-fighting-chance You will then receive an email where your vote will be authenticated.
PLEASE pass this onto your friends and family to vote! * Wildcare Australia Inc.

Flying Foxes

Hendra virus is one of a number of recently emerged viruses which has spilled over from its usual wild-animal-hosts to domestic animals, and then to us. Hendra’s repeated appearance this year has caught public attention. Sadly much of that attention has not focused on the rarity of the disease or that transmission to humans occurs from exposure to sick horses. Instead, it has focused strongly on control of the reservoir host of the virus: flying foxes. Flying foxes are large bats found in forests along the whole of the east coast of Australia. They are important pollinators, and disperse the seed of native trees and shrubs. In many environments, they are better at these tasks than birds, insects or the wind. In the wet tropics of northern Queensland, flying foxes help maintain the world heritage values of the tropical rainforest. *The Conversationalist
Read more http://theconversation.edu.au/culling-bats-isnt-the-way-to-control-hendra-virus-3253

Forests

New research shows Australia has lost 99per cent of its old-growth mountain ash forests, with ''catastrophic implications'' for bushfire control, water harvesting and wildlife conservation, a leading scientist says. Australian National University ecologist Professor David Lindenmayer has called for an urgent review of all federal and state regional forestry agreements, blasting the joint agreements as an outdated and ''lazy system, designed to gag forestry debate with red tape''. The Australian Forest Products Association and Australian Greens have backed his call for a review, but Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke has defended the 20-year agreements, which set sustainable logging limits for native forests in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia. Mr Burke said an assessment last year by the former Bureau of Resources Sciences found that 73per cent of all old-growth forests in areas covered by the agreements were in protected areas. A spokeswoman for the Federal Forestry Minister Joe Ludwig said the agreements ''were already regularly reviewed.''
*canberra Times Read more http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/national/national/general/oldforest-loss-catastrophic-study/2289773.aspx

Wildlife Poaching

Thai authorities have seized nearly 3,000 rare animals in the biggest wildlife trafficking bust reported in the Southeast Asian country this year.Thai customs officials say they stopped a truck on Tuesday night in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan. Inside the vehicle, they found more than 2,700 monitor lizards, more than 700 rare terrapins, 44 civets and 20 snakes. The animals are protected by a convention on international trade in endangered species, called CITES, of which Thailand is a signatory. Chris Shepherd, the deputy Southeast Asian director from the animal welfare organisation Traffic says it's not a rare occurrence. *ABC

Toxic Birds

The hooting, squawking ibis that haunt rubbish bins and landfill sites are one of the best barometers of pollution, a detailed study of the toxic chemicals carried in their eggs has shown. Researchers from the University of NSW tested ibis eggs in 11 locations across eastern Australia and found that eggs in city-based nests carried seven to nine times as many artificial chemicals as those of country-dwelling birds. Traces of the synthetic pesticide dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane, or DDT, were found in some eggs, indicating that the substance is still working its way through the food chain after being banned in Australia in 1987. A new batch of feathered sentinels ... Camila Ridoutt and Professor Richard Kingsford with ibis chicks at Centennial Park. Photo: Kate Geraghty 'The eggs get contaminated through the ibis parents' diets,'' said the study's author, Camila Ridoutt. ''The white ibis will be foraging in landfill sites, typically in urban areas, where they pick up a lot of pollutant levels from electrical products and old cooling agents that are left in the tip. Inland, their diets are more natural and they're feeding on worms and yabbies, so their pollution levels are typically lower.''

Ms Ridoutt gathered single eggs from clutches in Australian white ibis nests, froze them, and analysed the contents at the dioxin analysis unit of the National Measurement Institute. The Sydney samples, taken from Lake Gillawarna west of Bankstown, the Royal Botanic Gardens and Lake Annan in Camden, carried much higher readings for dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs - toxic compounds used in paint, adhesives and fire retardants - than eggs in country areas. However, chemical levels in cities were generally lower than levels revealed by similar tests in the United States and China. The director of the Australian Wetlands and Rivers Centre, Professor Richard Kingsford, said the presence of chemicals in bird eggs was a problem, because they would accumulate in species higher up the food chain, such as sea eagles, which eat ibises.

The presence of the bird all over eastern Australia meant it could play a ''canary in the coalmine'' role in detecting contamination. 'This is a species that occurs in all our capital cities, and so it's really a sort of sentinel on the background pollution that we're getting in our environment in our cities,'' Professor Kingsford said. ''But also we find the same species inland, so it's a great opportunity to standardise the species and look at city populations and compare those to inland populations. ''We did find one egg that had high levels inland, and that was in the Macquarie Marshes, which is of some concern. We did have a pesticide death in ibis populations in the mid 1990s, but we're really not sure what caused this.'' *Age

Fire Ants

The sky is an unlikely place to fight ground-based fire ants yet the Biosecurity Queensland are using helicopters to destroy the tiny pests. The chopper plan, which uses thermal imaging to detect hot ant nests, is aimed at wiping out the invaders. Biosecurity Queensland boffins have been working on the idea since 2009, which will be rolled out in rural and semi-rural areas such as south and west of Ipswich. Last year fire ants were found near Grandchester, about 80km west of where the first outbreak occurred at the Port of Brisbane in 2001. It puts them on the fringe of prime food production and grazing country, where they might get a chance to establish before being discovered. So far $215 million has been poured into eradicating the pests, small change compared with their estimated $43 billion impact on the economy. Agriculture Minister Tim Mulherin said the new helicopter-mounted cameras use thermal, near-infrared and high-definition imaging to detect ants' nests from about 150m. "Their nests are significantly hotter than the surrounding area, so they can be seen quite clearly with this new thermal technology," Mr Mulherin said.

"The (US) cameras arrived in Brisbane yesterday and were mounted on to a helicopter straight away." One chopper could check 750ha a day, much more than the department's foot-sloggers. Mr Mulherin said data was downloaded to a computer and ground crews despatched on a confirm-and-destroy mission. Test flights would be conducted over the next few weeks around Ipswich, an infested area. Results were expected next month. Biosecurity Queensland acting fire ant control centre director Craig Jennings said nests were still being found, mostly in an arc from the Redlands to the Lockyer Valley. Mr Jennings said an aerial baiting program would soon begin too. "They tend to move more in spring, especially after rain when there's a light breeze and humidity," he said. "Now's the time we will see them around, so we really need people to keep an eye out. "I firmly believe we can still eradicate them." About 560ha, particularly to the south and west of Brisbane, are infested with fire ants, and a total of 118,000ha in buffer zones - where plant and soil movements are restricted - surround these hot spots. *Courier Mail

Wildlfie Bytes 9/9/11

2011-09-08T13:33:00.001-07:00

Editorial; No Wildlife Bytes next week as we will be away.

Magpie to be Shot by Police

Police have been directed to shoot a magpie responsible for an attack on a schoolgirl. The magpie struck the girl on her head last week when she was in a nature corridor at Tweed Heads about 100km south of Brisbane. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Services confirmed they gave the direction to police on Friday - a decision that satisifed the girl's father. Murwillumbah-based ranger Lance Tarvey said the father provided the department with enough evidence to warrant the magpie being destroyed. "The bird actually struck his daughter, but most birds don't actually strike. We try and work our way through and with most birds you can manage. There's many more aggressive magpies that we deal with that don't get to this point,'' he said. Magpies are protected, meaning it is illegal to kill them unless condoned by authorities. *SMH
Ed comment; Another native animal bites the dust, because its easier to kill them than live with them. And Micheal Beatty from the QRSPCA supported the kill, saying "sometimes these things are necessary......" However, public outrage has caused the Police to say they are not about shooting magpies, and Qld DERM have placed signs in the Park saying "beware of swooping birds". So far the magpie is safe.

Crocodiles

A giant saltwater crocodile weighing more than a tonne has been captured in a remote southern Philippine village following a series of attacks on humans and animals, officials said. Measuring 6.4m (21ft) and weighing 1,075kg (2,370lb), it is the biggest to be caught alive in the Philippines in recent years. It may also be the biggest specimen ever captured, officials said. Saltwater crocodiles can live for more than 100 years and grow to 23ft (7m). Josefina de Leon, wildlife division chief of the environment ministry's protected areas and wildlife bureau, said it was likely to be the biggest crocodile ever captured. "Based on existing records, the largest that had been captured previously was 5.48m (18ft) long," she told AFP. "This is the biggest animal that I've handled in 20 years of trapping." The hunt for the crocodile in the village of Bunawan began in mid-August and it took dozens of local men to secure its capture on Saturday. But crocodile hunter Rollie Sumiller, who led the hunt, said this reptile may not be the killer they have been looking for after at least one attack on a human was reported in the area. "We're not really sure if this is the man-eater, because there have been other sightings of other crocodiles in the area," he told AFP. The captured croc will now become the main attraction at a planned nature park in the area.
Saltwater crocodiles; Also known as the estuarine crocodile, it is the world's largest living croc It is capable of killing any animal or human that strays into its territory. Body length: usually 4.2m-4.8m (13.8ft-15.8ft), although specimens of over 7m (23ft) have been recorded. Weight: Male generally 408-520kg (900lb-1,140lb), but have been known to exceed 1,000kg (2,204lb). Life expectancy: They can live for more than 100 years. *BBC News

Become a Wildlife Warrior

By making a one-off donation or joining our monthly giving program you can become part of a global wildlife force that is working hard to preserve our natural environment. Monthly Giving Program; Sign up to become a regular giver for wildlife conservation! Donations start from as little as $2.50 a week and can go to helping our native wildlife at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. Nearly 100 wildlife emergency calls are received every day at the Hospital, Up to 30 different species are admitted to the hospital every day, Currently around 80 koalas undergoing treatment, Approximately 70% of patients are victims of car accidents or domestic pet attacks, The cost to treat one animal ranges from $100 to thousands of dollars To sign up or find out more please visit http://www.wildlifewarriors.org.au

Africa in Queensland

Crikey! It's as wild as life gets at Australia Zoo's new open-range exhibit - Africa! Opening these school holidays (17 September) you can see the only African multi species exhibit in Queensland. Step on board the FREE* African Safari Shuttle and explore the wide open plains of the African savannah and see exotic animals such as Giraffe, Rhino and Zebra interacting together - and marvel at our gorgeous Cheetah as they walk by. Taking visitors on a journey to the African Savannah, we will showcase the only active breeding group of Rhinos in Queensland - our first Rhino calf, Savannah, was born at Australia Zoo in April. Cheeky Savannah is no doubt the star attraction of Africa as she loves to run, jump and play with some of our other adult Southern White Rhinos and is well known for frolicking with her mum and running at top speed around the new exhibit!
Africa is right here in your own back yard. So come on - go WILD with us! Check out http://www.australiazoo.com.au/africa

Fraser Island

Jennifer Parkhurst has put together the following youtube presentations which we are sure you will find very informative.

Dingo slideshow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTs_R5AdenA

Video made by Max: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_v9v0O2lNI

Marine debris: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYKogBBukfk&feature=related

Marine debris: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9i9vAZnHo8&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Kangaroo Trade

Federal Trade Minister Craig Emerson says a deal to reopen the kangaroo meat trade to Russia is on the table. Russia banned kangaroo meat imports in mid-2009, saying it was concerned about contamination. During the Cairns Group meeting in Canada this week, Dr Emerson will meet the Russian Agriculture minister to discuss issues including the roo meat trade and Russia's impending membership of the World Trade Organisation. Dr Emerson says Russia has asked Australia to grant it 'market economy status' before it joins the WTO, which Australia will consider if Russia opens up its markets to kangaroo meat. "I have had discussions with the minister from Russia, we'll have further discussions this week," Dr Emerson said. "We've kind of agreed in principle and we've just got to make sure that we keep driving that through together." The Cairns Group includes 19 agricultural exporting countries committed to free trade, including Brazil, Malaysia, Chile, Argentina and Australia. *ABC

Rhinos

A South African game reserve has developed a treatment for rhino horns that is safe for the animals but causes convulsions and headaches to people who consume them, a wildlife group says. The potion is a mixture of drugs used to kill parasites on the rhinos, and includes a dye that turns even finely ground horns neon pink when seen by airport scanners, Rhino and Lion Reserve spokeswoman Lorinda Hern told national news agency SAPA. "The chemicals have the dual threat of keeping away both natural and human parasites ... and last for three to four years," she said. The treatment has been tested on rhinos at the park outside Johannesburg, she said. "A permanent solution would be to eliminate the demand for rhino horn altogether," Ms Hern said. Since the beginning of the year 279 rhinos had been killed for their horns at parks across the country, according to the national parks agency. Last month, the ministry of environmental affairs said it was investigating dehorning rhinos and stopping legal trophy hunts to fight poaching, which has seen the army being deployed to the Kruger National Park. Poaching has soared from just 13 cases in 2007, an increase powered by demand for rhino horns in Asian traditional medicine. "Education would go a long way towards teaching consumers that rhino horn contains no nutritional or medicinal value," she said. * AFP

Threatened Species

Stronger measures to protect endangered flora and fauna were called for yesterday on the anniversary of the demise of one of Tasmania's most recognisable species. It was National Threatened Species Day, first held in 1996 to commemorate the death of the last known thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger. Thylacines were hunted to extinction in the 1930s by farmers and bounty hunters but it was in captivity that the last known specimen died 75 years ago yesterday. The tiger, known commonly as Benjamin, died at Hobart's old Beaumaris Zoo. The anniversary of Benjamin's death prompted warnings from experts and advocates about how Tasmania dealt with threatened species. And it was on the site of Beaumaris Zoo where Benjamin died that hundreds of Tasmanians gathered yesterday to commemorate the extinct species. Naturalist and author John Dengate said more than 54 native Australian species had been wiped off the map, with more than 500 still endangered today. "Orange-bellied parrots are Tasmania's most endangered species and there are fewer than 200 left," he said. Landsdowne Crescent Primary School student Lousie Gillies, 11, said Tasmanians needed to meet the responsibility head on. She read a passionate poem she wrote about the demise of the thylacine, which she had researched heavily in school and in her own time. "We have already lost enough of our wildlife and it is so important that Tasmanians accept the responsibility of protecting all our surviving species," she said. Hobart City Council Alderman Jeff Briscoe, who organised yesterday's event, said the Beaumaris Zoo site was perfect for an education and protection centre, which could be called Thylacine Park. *Mercury

Unsustainable Fishing

A team of leading marine scientists from around the world is recommending an end to most commercial fishing in the deep sea, the Earth's largest ecosystem. Instead, they recommend fishing in more productive waters nearer to consumers. In a comprehensive analysis published online this week in the journal Marine Policy, marine ecologists, fisheries biologists, economists, mathematicians and international policy experts show that, with rare exceptions, deep-sea fisheries are unsustainable. The "Sustainability of deep-sea fisheries" study, funded mainly by the Lenfest Ocean Program, comes just before the UN decides whether to continue allowing deep-sea fishing in international waters, which the UN calls "high seas." *Read more; http://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=69583010174

Flyinf Foxes

The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) says tree branches in Gayndah's CBD, south-west of Bundaberg in the state's south, will start being lopped to try to move a large colony of flying foxes. Clive Cook from the Conservation Strategy Plan says they will start work with the North Burnett Regional Council from today to remove thousands of bats from the township. He says numbers have halved with many bats flying north for the summer. "If they've moved out of the tree and there's no flying foxes present, there's no reason why lopping or trimming of the trees couldn't take place," he said. "We are working with council to determine which trees they can get a start on." *ABC

Aboriginal Elders to Challenge Kangaroo Meat Industry

Last month, an alliance of Aboriginal elders announced their intention to bring a constitutional law challenge against Australia’s kangaroo industry. The announcement follows efforts by the Federal Government to export kangaroo meat to China and Russia. If eating kangaroos is good for Australia, why oppose it? The Australian Alliance for Native Animals Survival (AAFNAS) has written letters to the Chinese and Russian governments expressing their strong opposition to the proposed export of kangaroo meat to those countries. So why would Aboriginal elders oppose the kangaroo industry and the export of kangaroo meat? After all, Aboriginal Australians have been eating kangaroos for thousands of years. Moreover, the introduction of cattle and sheep for meat has caused irreparable damage to the Australian landscape. Wouldn’t it would be a good thing if we all started eating kangaroos? The AAFNAS sees things differently.

Uncle Eric Craigie, president of the AAFNAS, was quoted in the Fairfax media saying: “We have harvested animals but we have only ever taken what we needed. We are not into mass slaughter.” Uncle Eric – whose personal totem is the kangaroo – has pointed out that until now Aboriginal people have always focused on land rights. But Aboriginal people “have never ever spoken up for the animals in this country”. AAFNAS is changing that. It has established itself as “a group of First Peoples with representatives from all over Australia”. AAFNAS is “an independent community-based educational association that … advocates for animals and cares for country”. Too many, and too much cruelty. So what’s the big deal over the kangaroo industry?

The industry represents the largest commercial slaughter of land-based wildlife in the world, with around 3 million adult kangaroos and 855,000 joeys killed every year. By contrast, Aboriginal people only killed kangaroos on a subsistence basis for their family and tribe. The kangaroos are wild (not farmed) and are hunted at night by professional, licensed shooters in remote parts of Australia’s rangelands. The industry is regulated by a National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos (Commercial Purposes) – known as the “Code”. Yet there is virtually no monitoring of killing in the field. Given the field conditions of the killing – it happens in extremely remote locations – it would be virtually impossible to do so. The Code itself legalises cruelty to kangaroos, particularly with regard to joeys. The Code treats them as a waste product of the industry. If a female kangaroo is killed, the shooter is required to kill any dependent young. This may include pouch young and young “at foot”. Both are dependent on their mother for survival.

The Code’s recommended method for killing furred pouch young is euthanasia by a single “forceful blow to the base of the skull sufficient to destroy the functional capacity of the brain”. Shooters are legally able to crush the heads of joeys with a steel water pipe or even the towbar of a vehicle. Such practices would be considered clear breaches of anti-cruelty laws if committed against a range of other animals. The Australian Wildlife Protection Council has compared the cruelty suffered by these joeys to that experienced by Canadian harp seals and by whales. Australia has condemned the cruelty inflicted upon whales by the whaling industry, yet has failed to critically examine the cruelty inflicted by its own kangaroo industry.

Concerns about cleanliness In spite of this cruelty, Australia is trying to export kangaroo meat into Russia and China, lured by the attraction of growing markets and, of course, profits. Russia previously bought 70% of all kangaroo meat exported from Australia yet suspended imports in August 2009. Russia cited dangerous levels of salmonella and E. coli in kangaroo meat. Former NSW chief food inspector, Desmond Sibraa, blamed a lack of industry care in adhering to Australian standards: “There is a big difference between animals slaughtered in an abattoir with an inspector present, and a kangaroo shot in the bush with dust and blowflies.” The industry itself has shrunk considerably over the past few years. In 2005, the kangaroo industry estimated its worth to the Australian economy at $200 million, providing approximately 4000 jobs. However, recent, low revenues of $50 million for 2008/2009 (for meat, pet food and skins) suggest that this estimate is currently over-valued. It is not yet clear on what grounds the AAFNAS will challenge the kangaroo industry. However they are likely to draw upon the fact that Australian governments have failed to consult Aboriginal people about what happens to kangaroos. * Keely Boom, The Conversation