Wildlife Bytes 18/8/09

Wildlife Mini-Bytes.....

Climate Change

If anyone ever thought that our polticians were capable of good governance, the latest debacle over Climate Change response should be a real wakeup call. It took 30 years of lobbying before politicians would even talk about Climate Change, now it looks like it may another 30 years before any positive changes will be made to realistically reduce the release of Greenhouse Gases. As always with environmental issues, "economics" again has got in the way of developing a good response. With Climate Change we only get one chance to fix things, and it must now be obvious to everyone that our Governments are not up to the challenge. * WPAA

Wildfires Threaten Orangutans

Raging fires have broken out in the peat-swamp forests of Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo, threatening the largest population of orangutans in the world. The fires were started by people but have spread uncontrollably due to the extreme drought that Borneo is currently experiencing as a result of El Niño conditions. Read more...http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0816-moses_borneo.html

Sharks

It is difficult to believe in this day in age, with all that we know about sharks' plummeting populations, their critical role in ocean ecosystems and the minimal risk they pose to humans, that the archaic and destructive practice of installing shark nets for "bather protection" still exists. But in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, a province ironically known around the world as one of the few places left where sharks and the ecosystems they keep healthy still thrive, untold numbers of harmless sharks, turtles, dolphins, and rays meet an untimely and senseless death each year by entanglement in the approximately 28 kilometres of ‘shark' nets that are installed just off the beaches. *Wildlife Extra, read more....http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/shark-nets.html

Kangaroo Kill

The Albury RSPCA says the people responsible for killing a kangaroo could face harsh fines or prison if caught. An Ettamogah resident this week found the kangaroo dead in a dam with three metal arrows in its body. The RSPCA's district inspector, Lionel Smith, believes the animal was deliberately targeted and left to die. He says it is illegal to kill kangaroos without a permit. "It's just a cruelty factor, with culling kangaroos you usually have a marksman with a high-powered rifle, they have to be humanely destroyed," he said. "In this instance this roo could have had an arrow in it and travelled hundreds of metres before getting to the dam, it could have had three arrows in it and then gone to the dam for refuge and died in the dam, so it would have been a very painful death." *ABC

Kangaroos Eating out Poor Farmers Again

While it is okay for Parks Victoria to have healthy populations of kangaroos in their parks and reserves, it is extremely disappointing to see hundreds of kangaroos feeding every evening in drought-stricken farmers' paddocks. Many of these farmers have been forced to sell most of their own stock and are buying expensive hay and grain to feed the few animals they have left while Parks Victoria's kangaroos are eating the farmers' grass. These kangaroos that have left the bushlands to seek feed are a danger on the roads to both motorists and the kangaroos themselves, and you must wonder how long before they cause a serious accident. If Parks Victoria can not control their kangaroo population then perhaps it is time Parks Victoria seriously considered supplying supplementary feed to the kangaroos in their parks and reserves instead of hand passing their problem to neighbouring farmers. *G. Barwick, a letter to Country News

Exxon Again

Exxon Mobil Corp. pleaded guilty in federal court in Denver to killing at least 85 protected waterfowl, hawks and owls in five states over the past five years, the Department of Justice announced today. The birds died from exposure to natural gas well reserve pits and waste water storage facilities at Exxon Mobil drilling and production facilities in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming between 2004 and 2009. Under the plea agreement reached yesterday with DOJ, the company will pay $600,000, as well as make changes to prevent related deaths in the future. Exxon told the court it has already spent $2.5 million on the effort. *New York Times

Big Fish

A popular Darwin lake has been closed after a monster fish attacked a woman bather. Territorians love it when the fish are biting, but not like this. Darwin City Council has flown into action after the saucy snapper's attack, and is closing Lake Alexander for two days, starting tomorrow, while workers try to find and remove the large fish - and a few of its mates. A delinquent cod with a big mouth is believed to be the most likely offender. DCC chief executive Brendan Dowd said the woman got the fishy fright last month as she stood in the shallows of the popular lake. ''It had her toes and the front of her foot in its mouth - so it was a big fish,'' he said. 'The lady looked down, (got a) shock, and jumped.''Mr Dowd said the woman reported the incident to council about 10 days afterwards. 'She said she had minor lacerations, scratches and a bit of bruising.'' As a result, the council decided to remove some of the larger fish as a safety precaution, Mr Dowd said. 'Our thinking is if it has the capacity to put a woman's foot in its mouth, let's take the larger fish out and relocate them into the ocean.'' Council workers will be using long-lines and nets to catch them, and Mr Dowd is confident they will collar the criminal cod. Council intends to distribute photos of the felonious fish, once he's caught, to prove the nibbler has been nabbed. *NT News

Ed Comment; Moral of this story is that one should never go into the water in the NT....this time it was only a fish....

Shooting and Hunting

Documents obtained by the Sydney Morning Herald under Freedom of Information shows that the NSW Game Council issued 9000 hunting licences across the state between 2006 and 2007 and that 6000 feral animals were shot (0.5 pest animals per hunter per year). At the same time, one three-day cull by the Department of Environment and Climate Change resulted in 3000 feral pigs being culled, illustrating how much more effective departmental teams were than the Game Council in ridding the state of feral animals.Read More..... http://theland.farmonline.com.au/news/state/agribusiness-and-general/general/rees-stuck-as-shooters-refuse-to-give-an-inch/1597322.aspx?storypage=0

Camels

The Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) says responsible and humane control of feral camels in outback Australia is vital because they are posing a major threat to rare and endangered wildlife. The CRC is involved with planning the cull - which has recently won Federal Government funding. Managing director Jan Ferguson says there are more than a million camels in desert regions. She says the control effort is still in the very early planning stages, so it is too early to know how it will be done. "Australia has long accepted that we've got a problem with rabbits because they are in everybody's country - camels tend to be isolated in the bush, so they're not so visible," she said. "All of those things will be dealt with as the process moves forward. "No-one is going to be inhumanely shoot animals - the whole issue of whether they are 'shot to waste' - all of those things need to be worked through." *ABC

Weasels

A Chinese man says his family are being harassed by a vengeful weasel after he caught its mate. Zhang, 28, of Wuchang, eastern China's Hubei province, says the weasel continuously leaves dead mice in his home and poos on his table. He says it all started when he was awoken one night by weasels in his home, reports the Wuhan Evening Post. "They had eaten most of the meat I had hung on the wall so I took a stick to beat them. The female was caught in a mouse trap, while the male escaped up the chimney." Zhang's wife released the female in the mountains the following morning and it was never seen again. "What I didn't expect is that from the very next night, the escaped male weasel came back to harass us," added Zhang. "It excretes on tables, and even throws dead mice corpses into our home. The scariest thing was when it jumped onto our bed, screaming. It seems to be protesting at me for catching his wife." *Network

Wildlife Trafficking

Authorities taking part in a major wildlife smuggling investigation have seized two boa constrictors from a house in Perth's northern suburbs. The snakes were found at a house in Quinns Rocks along with two native bearded dragons and two geckos. David Mell from the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) says boa constrictors pose a serious threat to local fauna and would be as big a pest as cane toads if they became established in Australia. "They have a very wide environment and climatic tolerance plus they have the potential to carry disease, which could be transferable to our native pythons," he said. Mr Mell says a decision is yet to be made about what to do with the snakes. "Our first option is to endeavour to place them in a secure facility, but if that's not possible they may have to be euthanised because of the risk that they represent," he said. He says keeping boa constrictors is a serious offence. "Charges are expected both from customs, under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, which carries very significant penalties - fines of up to $110,000 or 10 years in jail," he said. *ABC

Kenya Lions

The Kenya Wildlife Service announced Monday that Kenya's lion population has dropped an average of 100 lions a year since 2002, which could mean the big cats might become extinct in two decades. The organization's spokesman Paul Udoto told AFP that cattle herders who kill lions in retaliation for attacks on their stock have been blamed for a big chunk of the decline. Udoto said that habitat destruction, disease and the rising human population has also played a role in dropping the lion population from 2,749 seven years ago to the current figure of 2,000. *Reorbit.com


Flying Foxes

Scientists are still stumped about how flying foxes transmit the deadly Hendra virus to horses. Pathologist Deborah Middleton, the lead Hendra researcher at the CSIRO's Australian Animal Health Laboratory in Geelong, said that despite 15 years of study, there were aspects of the virus that still baffled scientists. The first known outbreak of the disease was in 1994, in the Brisbane suburb of Hendra, when horse trainer Vic Rail and 14 horses died. All six of the world's known human cases of the Hendra virus have occurred in Queensland; three of those were fatal. Dr Middleton said researchers did not know exactly how the virus was passed from flying foxes to horses and then from horses to humans. "We suspect that it's in the (flying fox) urine, but we're not absolutely certain," she said. "I think that may well remain a puzzle for quite some time yet because we know so little about bats and how they handle disease. "We do know that the most likely route of transmission from horses (to humans and other horses) is nasal secretions. That seems to be where the virus is shed for a reasonably long period of time before it dies from the disease." However, Dr Middleton said that in a dying horse with Hendra, every secretion -- including saliva, urine, faeces and blood -- was potentially infectious. *Australian

NSW report finds shooting flying foxes "unacceptable" In a victory for environmental groups, the NSW Environment Minister Carmel Tebbutt today released a report which found shooting flying foxes foxes to protect fruit crops is "unacceptable." The report found that any culling contributed to the decline of a the grey headed flying fox, a species listed under state and federal law as vulnerable to extinction and recommended the practice stop immediately. "The animal welfare issues that result from shooting as a method ofmitigating crop damage caused by flying foxes are unacceptable ethically and legally," stated the independent report by the NSW Flying-fox Licensing Review Panel. The report concluded that shooting was ineffective when the flying foxes were in large numbers and that netting of crops was a viable alternative.

A complete ban on the shooting of flying foxes was introduced in Queensland last year after a similar report there found the practice was inhumane and ineffective at preventing damage to crops. Nick Edards, a spokesman from the anti culling group Bat Advocacy said shooting the animals was cruel and inhumane. "There are no Standard Operating Procedures that can make shooting humane; shooting will always take place at night, in a tree-filled environment that creates very limited lines of sight for the shooter," Mr Edards said. "This means that there will be animals that are not killed outright and that will die as a result of their wounds, infection or starvation over the following days".

The NSW report increases the pressure of the Minster to intervene and end the practice. "The Government will now commission a detailed economic analysis examiningsome of the options outlined in the report," Ms Tebbutt said. "We need to make sure we have the best possible arrangements in place that take into account community concerns and the protected status of flying foxes, while at the same time not imposing unreasonable hardship on farmers," Ms Tebbutt said. The Department of Environment released the report today as the deadline for a decision on a Freedom of Information request by a coalition of environment groups expired and in the face of growing pressure to end the practice which is banned elsewhere in Australia.

Environment groups have campaigned for years to put an end to the practice of shooting flying foxes and welcomed the reports findings. Mr Edards said the Minister and Department of Environment had no choice but to put an end to the shooting of flying foxes. "Shooting takes place during the birthing season," he said. "The young, known as pups, are left in the camp while the mothers are foraging. If a mother is shot and cannot get back to her offspring, the pup will starve to death. "Under any other circumstances, causing an animal to starve to death would be an act of cruelty punishable under law." The main species of flying foxes currently being culled annually in NSW, the grey headed flying fox is listed as vulnerable to extinction under state and federal threatened species legislation.

The NSW Farmers association and Primary industries minister Ian McDonald have lobbied to allow culling to continue to protect fruit crops damaged by the flying foxes. Environmental groups have advocated subsidised netting. Ms Tebbut said a consultant will be chosen shortly to begin research into the economic implications of a ban on shooting the animals, which is expected to be delivered by the end of the year. "Currently, the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water can issue a limited number of licences to farmers who can demonstrate damage to their property,' Ms Tebbutt said. "This final report from the independent review panel will provide input intothe development of a new policy for the management flying foxes. In the interim, licensing arrangements will be maintained and the Government will put in place upgraded protocols to improve animal welfare." *Network Item

Ed. Comment; Not surprisingly, after a hendra virus scare in Central Queensland last week, GrowCom yesterday again criticised the Queensland government's "sudden" ban last year on issuing any more permits to shoot flyings foxes. Meanwhile a poll on the Courier Mail asking wether flying foxes should be "culled", showed as of Sunday night 366 votes: 11%, voted yes for culling, 89%, voted no culling. Only around 450 people responded to the survey.......possibly their entire readership base, :o) In a survey of 5 people in the Sunshine Coast Daily last week, 3 supported a "cull" to protect people from Hendra virus.

State Government scientists have discovered that the deadly Hendra virus is different from region to region in Queensland, with fears that it could mutate into an even more dangerous form. Primary Industries Minister Tim Mulherin said researchers had been collecting bat urine for testing following an outbreak of Hendra virus at a horse stud east of Rockhampton last week. Authorities had confirmed that a second horse that died at the property a week ago had the virus. One horse remains sick and will undergo further testing. Queensland Health said that 18 people who had been exposed to the virus received preliminary clearance on Friday after the first round of tests. But a second round of testing was needed before they could be given the all clear. The incubation period was one to two weeks. Four of the 18 were in hospital undergoing experimental drug treatment.

Mr Mulherin said yesterday that DPI scientists were trying to discover as much about the virus as quickly as possible. "Over the last few years scientists have noticed a variation in the genetic make-up of Hendra," he said. "One theory was that the virus was mutating – possibly into a form which could spread more easily, making it more dangerous. "But now our scientists believe the virus isn't mutating, but rather it varies slightly according to location and bat movements." Mr Mulherin said the virus in north Queensland was different to the virus in southeast Queensland. "We expect to find that the virus in central Queensland is slightly different again," he said.

Researchers went to a flying fox colony at Yeppoon early Friday and Saturday to collect genetic material from bat urine. "They've been placing plastic sheets beneath the colony at first light to collect bat urine, which is then tested for Hendra. "We know that 50 to 60 per cent of flying foxes have Hendra antibodies – meaning at some stage of their lives they've had the virus," Mr Mulherin said. Biosecurity Queensland principal veterinary epidemiologist Hume Field warned that habitat destruction and climate change could result in more incidents of Hendra virus. "It's believed that horses catch the virus by eating pasture or feed contaminated with bat urine or other infected bodily fluids," Dr Hume said. "We know that stressed flying foxes are more likely to have Hendra." Courier Mail


Wild Dogs

A new direction for wild dog coordination. A Wild Dog Advisory Committee is being established to bring together the key stakeholders and oversee the implementation of the wild dog strategy in Queensland. Taking a lead in Queensland livestock predator management is newly appointed wild dog coordinator John Cuskelly. This is an action arising from the independent wild dog management review undertaken by former AgForce president Peter Kenny and instigated by Premier Anna Bligh. "This is not going to be an easy, but through good communication and working with industry and local producers improved outcomes will be delivered," said the Premier.Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland Tim Mulherin said Mr Cuskelly brings a wealth of personal and professional experience to the wild dog committee. "For more than 20 years, he worked for Queensland Primary Industries and Fish eries as a biosecurity inspector in Gympie, Toowoomba and as a principal inspector in Longreach," the Minister said. "He has also worked throughout Queensland and the Northern Territory in various roles, including biosecurity, education and grazing. "His most recent position was as the Australian Agricultural College Corporation's (AACC) commercial training co-ordinator in Dalby. "Mr Cuskelly will work with the committee to coordinate the statewide effort on wild dog control with land owners, natural resource management groups and local governments." Mr Cuskelly said managing the wild dog issue requires a strong commitment from local government, industry, landholders and the community. "I'll work with landholders, local government and stakeholder groups to implement a strategic plan in dealing with the wild dog problem," he said. "Wild dogs don't just affect individual properties, they affect communities across Qu eensland. "I'll ensure landholders have access to the latest research and control methods and that rural communities understand the best outcomes will be delivered by a coordinated approach."

Mr Mulherin said Biosecurity Queensland already spends $1.75 million a year on the wild dog control, including management of the Wild Dog Barrier Fence and research into wild dogs. "Our researchers tracked almost 50 wild dogs, using sophisticated GPS satellite technology, for up to 10 months to gain new insights into how far they disperse from where they were born," he said. "Wild dogs can travel extraordinary distances in a short period of time, up to 1300km within weeks. "The research suggested the timing and frequency of baiting needed to be reviewed. "The most obvious problem for primary producers is how to protect livestock from wild dogs when they travel hundreds of kilometres. "Wild dogs are likely to be several pr operties away before stock losses are noticed and control methods can begin." The Minister said landowners have long been advised to coordinate their baiting efforts during the mating period from April to June, when wild dogs appear more active and are more visible. "However, research indicates they travel just as far during other times of the year," he said. "Baiting may be more effective when the juvenile dogs begin to leave their pack in search of their own territory, from November to May. "QPIF researchers also believe follow-up baiting programs a couple of weeks apart during summer may be more beneficial than baiting once or twice each year. "Research like this is critical to improving methods of wild dog control." *DPI Media Release

Ed Comment; They wont stop with the poison until every dingo is dead!


New Laws

Mining and development groups have condemned proposed fines of up to $1.1 million for destroying indigenous heritage in NSW, saying the new laws are unfair, will hold up development and could mean innocent company directors would be prosecuted. Planned changes to the National Parks and Wildlife Act would make it an offence for anyone unknowingly to harm indigenous objects or sites without a permit, unless they can show they have exercised ''due diligence'' to ensure harm is unlikely. Maximum penalties would rise to $110,000 or six months' jail for individuals and $220,000 for corporations that unknowingly harm objects - and more for those who knowingly do so. Indigenous and environmental groups have applauded the increased penalties and the introduction of ''strict liability'' for destroying artefacts and sites, but said a long list of loopholes would make the new laws toothless. Miners and developers disagree. The NSW Minerals Council says there is no justification for the higher penalties and no evidence that the existing laws are not working.

In a submission, it argues for only ''significant'' objects to be protected and for mining companies to be allowed to negotiate with local Aboriginal groups with minimal government interference. The Urban Taskforce, which represents developers, says the laws ''turn the normal principles of land use law on their head'' and are ''unprecedented both in NSW and in comparable jurisdictions''. It argues that the laws will ''unnecessarily and inappropriately increase the risk of engaging in greenfield land development'' and wants only objects with ''particular significance'' that are more than 100 years old to be protected. The Urban Development Institute of Australia, which also represents developers, says the due diligence defence should apply to company directors, who are exposed to prosecution in the proposed laws. The institute wants a single process to produce a permit to harm heritage that is transferable with the land - and it wants permits that apply to entire precincts. Indigenous and environmental groups have called for a complete overhaul of laws in a separate bill that distinguishes them from flora and fauna legislation. *SMH


Wildlife Trade

Selangau, in central Sarawak, has been des-cribed as a “one-stop centre” for those looking to buy wildlife. Located about an hour’s drive from Sibu, this bazaar-town has restaurants serving up dishes containing boar, venison, flying bats and monitor lizards, amongst other delicacies. Together with Serikin on the Sarawak-West Kalimantan border town, these two areas are hotspots for the illegal wildlife trade. “Illegal trading of wildlife is also going on in other places,” said Sarawak Forestry Corpo-ration chief wildlife warden Wilfred Landong. The state authorities have listed 21 species of mammals, 26 species of birds and five species of reptiles as protected animals. Another 40 are listed as protected mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and invertebrates, Landong said during a presentation of the corporation’s honorary wildlife ranger programme held at the Kuching Hilton yesterday. Some 330 newly-appointed honorary wildlife rangers, most of them community leaders and timber camp managers, attended the event.

The rangers are to report to wildlife offices or the police on any contravention of the Wildlife Ordinance. They would also educate the locals on wildlife conservation. Landong said besides stepping up enforcement activities to curb illegal wildlife trade, the corporation also carried out public outreach campaign on the importance of wildlife conservation. The corporation had initiated a pilot wildlife eco-tourism project that enabled tourists to cruise along the Bako River near here to view crocodiles at night. Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, who officiated the event, said the wildlife population has dropped because the people have taken them for granted. “Despite its importance, our insensitive actions are eroding this wildlife population at a dangerous rate,” he added. Jabu said to overcome the current destructive trends of wildlife and the over-use of biodiversity, it was important to educate the public on conservation. *StarOnline


Fraser Island

The State Government will close 18km of beach to 4WDs on the southern end of Fraser Island to protect migratory shorebirds 18 years after it was first recommended. But there's a catch – it does not know when the ban will be implemented. Sustainability Minister Kate Jones said yesterday the closure on the 124km-long island was to allow the shorebirds to roost unhindered by traffic. "Independent consultants have advised us that it will cost about $2 million to upgrade the (inland) road and about $1.3 million per annum in maintenance," Ms Jones said. Currently we don't have the ability to do that but it remains our intention, given the beach is a key area for birds." Former environment ministers Lindy Nelson-Carr and Desley Boyle had planned to ban 4WDs from the foreshore. Apart from birds it was meant to be a safe area for families. Camp grounds had already been built when then member for Hervey Bay Andrew McNamara became sustainability minister in 2007. He reneged on the deal to stem electoral damage from 4WD owners who campaigned for all beaches to remain open to vehicles. He lost the seat regardless.

If the beach was closed, it would mean people alighting from barges on the southern tip of the island would travel the first 18km by road before accessing the beach. Birds Queensland president and Fraser Island World Heritage Area Community Advisory Committee member Mike West urged Ms Jones to pressure Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett to help with funding to ensure the road was upgraded as soon as possible. "This is a great thing she's done but it's time the Feds honoured their obligations under international treaties to protect migratory shorebirds," Mr West said. "The southern beach is really the only spot where these birds gather in large numbers. "This road used to be bitumen, so it's not like this is something new and the beach has got a lot of erosion, so it's becoming dangerous anyway." Ms Jones could give no firm date when the ban would start but it appears to be late next year at the earliest as she must seek funds in coming budgets. She said about $600,000 had already been spent maintaining the old road. *Courier Mail


Endangered Species Written Off! The Federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, has warned that money to save endangered wildlife is limited and some species may have to be abandoned when funding decisions are made. In one of the strongest speeches of his ministerial career he told an international conference of ecologists in Brisbane that the Government will shift its focus to protecting ''ecosystems'', rather than putting money into individual projects for endangered animals. Mr Garrett's speech follows a report by the Department of Climate Change that found global warming would severely threaten many native species. Mr Garrett said the current system of funding on an animal-by-animal basis was the equivalent of paramedics waiting at the bottom of a hill performing ''triage'' on those who fall down. 'Australia has 1750 species now on the threatened list,'' he said. ''And while … we will have to act in an urgent way from time to time to prevent their extinction, it won't always be effective to keep tackling them one by one.''

Mr Garrett has already signalled his intentions with substantial budget injections to the national reserves system and new marine conservation zones. At present Australia registers species on endangered lists based on the advice of the Threatened Species Scientific Committee. The minister then decides whether he will fund a ''recovery program'' for that species based on its chance of success. Mr Garrett discussed his recent decision to fund a recovery program for an endangered bat on Christmas Island and whether he could afford to spend the money given the animal's low chance of recovery. He asked the scientists to help policy makers and the community ''understand what is required in terms of public policy, resources and priorities''. He said his new approach was one of a ''clear-sighted pragmatist''. Mr Garrett also pre-empted claims of future budget constraints on environmental spending by saying the financial crisis was the best time to address such issues because he was ''sufficiently aware that our wellbeing is inextricably linked to the health of our natural ecosystems''.

Averil Bones, policy director for the WWF, said moving to a broader protection program would require more money in next year's budget. She said Australia could not protect only existing ecosystems as most were under severe threat, and the environment had to be restored through revegetation programs and species protection. Phil Gibbons, a senior fellow at the ANU's Fenner School of Environment and Society, said focusing on ecosystems was the most cost-effective approach to saving animals. But he said Mr Garrett had recently spent large amounts on programs for politically popular animals, including $10 million to help save the Tasmanian devil. Mr Gibbons added that Mr Garrett and the Rudd Government had not yet been prepared to have a debate about ''the links between economic growth and the damage we are doing to our natural ecosystems''. SMH


Kangaroos Shot

Two disturbing acts of animal cruelty in Wellington shire are the focus of police investigations, with several kangaroos run down and shot at Darriman and a deer injured at Loch Sport. Police have charged three men and interviewed a teenager after four kangaroos were injured at Jack Smith Lake Game Reserve on Thursday night. The men were arrested on Friday morning at about 11am after they were found with a stolen tractor in the reserve on Middle Rd. A 21-year-old man from Athlone has been charged with theft of a motor vehicle, criminal damage, possessing a firearm while unlicensed and cruelty to animals offences. He has been bailed to appear at the Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court on September 15. A 20-year-old Drouin South man is expected to be charged on summons for permitting an unlicensed person to posses a firearm, hunting in a game reserve out of season and hunting protected animals. An 18-year-old Warrigal man is expected to be charged on summons for cruelty to animals.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment is assisting police with their investigations. Police allege the men were running over kangaroos in their ute at the reserve between 9pm and 11pm on Thursday. It is also alleged the men were shooting at mobs of kangaroos but police are unsure if any were injured. Police said the ute the men were travelling in became bogged in the mud while they were out on the reserve and they allegedly stole a tractor from a nearby property. Further charges are pending for other wildlife offences. The Darriman kangaroo attacks follow on from an incident in Loch Sport almost two months ago where hoons killed two kangaroos while ripping up the fairways of the Loch Sport Golf Course.

Meanwhile police and DSE are worried about the welfare of a deer seen wandering around Loch Sport in recent weeks with an arrow sticking out of its neck. Police are investigating a possible case of illegal hunting of deer using a bow and arrow close to the town. The deer has been sighted several times and police and DSE wildlife officers are trying to find the hog deer to determine if it can be treated or if it needs to be put down. It is believed the deer has had the arrow stuck in its neck for more than two weeks. The last sighting of the deer was on Thursday afternoon on Loch Sport Rd 500m out of town. Anyone who has seen the deer is asked to contact Sale police on 51435000. *Gippsland Times


Help Save Wildlife Help two birds with one book – Bag a bargain and help save our wildlife!In this current economic climate, we are all looking for ways to save money, and for us, fundraising to save wildlife. We would like to offer you a deal that can help two birds with one book! For just $60, you will get the best discount booklet out: ‘The Entertainment Book’ where you can save on dining, movie tickets, doughnuts, sporting events and travel… and $12 from every book goes directly to saving our wildlife!

To order: Call 07 5436 2026, Email info@wildlifewarriors.org.au , pop into the Wildlife Warrior office at Australia Zoo for a sneak peak …we send you the book and your donation will help save innocent lives. You can also share the cost with family/friends/workmates and share the love! Pass this offer on to anyone who loves a bargain! This offer CLOSES 30 AUGUST so get in quick! Thank you for helping save our wildlife! *Network Item


Thinking about Wildlife? Who’s going to watch over our wildlife when you no longer share their World? Well, we are! The Wildlife Protection Association of Australia Inc. will continue to forcefully lobby governments to do better with wildlife management, and by taking them to Court if necessary. We are currently working on developing eLearning projects, so students can become aware of the importance of our wildlife living in a safe and secure natural environment. After you have looked after your family and friends in your Will, think about wildlife. A bequest to the Wildlife Protection Association of Australia Inc. will ensure that we can continue to take a leading role in protecting and conserving our precious wildlife. None of the donations we receive are diverted to "administration". Every dollar we get through bequests or donations for wildlife hits the ground running! Talk to your solicitor, or if writing your own Will, add the words "I bequeath to The Wildlife Protection Association of Australia Inc. for the purpose of protecting wildlife in Australia (a specified sum), or (specified items including land or vehicle), or (the residue of my estate) or (percentage of my estate) free of all duties, and the receipt of the President, Secretary or other authorised WPAA officer for the time being shall be a complete and sufficient discharge for the executor(s)." You can also phone me for a confidential chat, as to how a bequest can help us work to protect our wildlife, when you are no longer able to. * Pat O’Brien, WPAA 07 54941890