Tassie Possums......Back to the Future

The Tasmanian possum video footage was acquired by Animal Liberation back in 2002. The ABC were then to show the footage on National Television, but Lenah Valley Meats abbatoirs owner John Kelly took the ABC to Court, and they were stopped from showing the footage until much later. In a long and convoluted Hearing, ABC were allowed to show the footage, but Animal Liberation were not. So anyone can put the Possum footage on a website, except Animal Liberation....who said the Law is an ass? Some explanation of the Hearing can be found below.

http://www.aar.com.au/pubs/cmt/fomedapr02.htm http://www.presscouncil.org.au/pcsite/fop/cpu.html#lenah

But meanwhile Bob Brown has it on his Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=384709179279&ref=mf

And the Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania now have a Facebook Page on the possum issue. Only a few hours old and already well over one hundred members. If they can get a good number joining the group, they can use that to advantage in the media, so please join the group and invite all your friends to join. All the links are there to the government documents, the footage is embedded, and there is a link to their website which has background information and suggestions for the submissions: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Let-them-live-protect-the-Tasmanian-Brushtail-Possum/109025862470908?ref=nf

You can also go direct to: http://www.aact.org.au/possum.htm for all the details and some suggested points for you to include in your letter to the Fed...here is the address again...The Director, Wildlife Trade Assessments, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, GPO Box 787, Canberra ACT 2601 or can be emailed to: wta@environment.gov.au Please remember to get your letter/submission to the Feds by this Friday, the 23rd of April.

You can also post your opinion about this with the Mercury. http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/04/09/138715_tasmania-news.html

Here are some ideas to write to other Tasmanian Industries, and ask them to put pressure on the Tasmanian Government.

1. Write to Tourism Tasmania to say that this proposal has greatly disgusted you and as a result, as long as this proposal remains any sort of possibility, you will not be travelling to Tasmania for holiday purposes. Or however, you feel you wish to express this in your own words if it is a true feeling for you. By making other industries aware that the proposal could negatively reflect on them, they are more likely to oppose it. Tourism TasmaniaGPO Box 399Hobart Tas 7001 or reception@tourism.tas.gov.au 2.. Write to the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers' AssociationTFGA HousePO Box 193Cnr Cimitiere & Charles StreetLaunceston TAS 7250(they have an email form you can fill in at www.tfga.com.au) And tell them that this proposal and the support it has received from Tasmanian Farmers has so dismayed you that you will not be buying any Tasmanian Agricultural Products as long as this proposal remains a possibility. While you understand that brushtail possums may be perceived as pests by farmers, you do not believe the Tasmanian agricultural industry is showing enough innovation or motivation to research and implement more humane wildlife control methods. Only do this if you believe in this. Remember, farmers largely support the proposal so this organisation will most likely not react positively, but they need to be made aware of how they are being perceived and the consequences. Personally, I havent bought any Tasmanian produce for years. 3. If you are a wine drinker, you could write to http://www.winetasmania.com.au along the lines that you are so disgusted by the proposal that you will not be purchasing any Tasmanian agricultural products as long as this proposal remains a possibility, including Tasmanian wines. The industry may not be directly supporting the proposal but they do have a lot of clout and will oppose the proposal if they feel their own image may be impacted. They are trying to portray Tasmania as sophisticated, not a bunch of hicks.

Please remember to get your letter/submission to the Feds by this Friday, the 23rd of April.

Tasmanian Wallabies

A Launceston company has secured a contract and a Federal Government licence to export thousands of wallaby skins from Tasmania. Lenah Game and Gourmet has a three-year licence to export 30,000 wallaby skins each year, and the company has also received a licence to export five tonnes of possum meat this year. Owner John Kelly says the skin licence does not permit more wallabies to be harvested in Tasmania, but it will add value to wallabies which are already being processed for meat. Wallaby skins which till now have been wasted in landfill will go to the fur trade in Europe, and John Kelly says almost every skin from Tasmanian wallabies processed for meat will be transformed into fur. "Winter skins go to full-blown fur coat-type applications but wallaby skins get used for trim, so cuff and collar fur trim on fur coats, that sort of thing. A summer skin would go to a product called shearling, which means the fur is shaved back to a uniform short length." *ABC

Ed Comment; While he may have permits, or may not, we understand that very few wallaby skins were exported from the now defunct and illadvised King and Flinders Island wallaby management plan. Only a few samples were sent overseas, and none were actually sold, even though the Tasmanian and Federal Government spent many thousands of dollars fighting our Appeal against the Plan in the AAT. So how are they going to find markets for 30,000 wallaby skins if they couldnt find markets for the King and Flinders Island skins? With dog and cat fur used on garment trim banned by the Howard Government a few years ago, they hope that wallaby fur will replace it. In reality, imitation fur is now used by most manufacturers. It will be hard for them to find a manufacturer who will use real fur for garment trim, even in Asia, because of the extra cost and controversy involved.


Fraser Island Dingoes

An autopsy has revealed a dingo pup that died on Fraser Island, off south-east Queensland, was hit by a car and did not starve. The post-mortem examination report shows the 10-month-old male pup weighed 15 kilograms and was not emaciated. The dingo suffered multiple injuries, including a skull fracture. Queensland Sustainability Minister Kate Jones the autopsy disproves claims by the Opposition Liberal National Party (LNP) that the pup was malnourished. Ms Jones also says the dingo was overweight for its age. "LNP calls to allow humans to feed dingoes and visitors to feed dingoes will only lead to more dingo-human interaction, which will lead to dingo attacks," she said. "Since our dingo management strategy has been in place, no-one has died from dingo attacks on the island." *ABC

Ed Comment; We would have thought that a small dingo hit by a vehicle would have obvious signs of injury.....I guess it depends on who does the autopsy. Meanwhile a Rally is to be held in Brisbane for the Fraser Island dingoes on 15th of May....more details later.

Koalas

The RSPCA has advised it will within days return koalas and other animals seized on from Gunnedah's Waterways Wildlife Park. Gunnedah lawyer Peter Long, who represented the park’s owners on a pro bono basis, said the RSPCA had advised him in writing it would not be charging his clients, Nancy and Colin Small, with any offence and that the animals would be returned this Thursday. "Nancy and Colin Small have maintained from the outset that they did nothing wrong and that the RSPCA had no right to seize the animals," Mr Long said. "For more than two months, we have been calling on the RSPCA to return the animals and issue the Smalls with a public apology. "It is unfortunate that it has taken so long for this wrong to be righted but the Smalls are extremely pleased that they have finally been vindicated and will get their animals back and be able to get on with their lives."

In early February three RSPCA inspectors, a national parks ranger, two veterinarians and a film crew arrived at the park and left six hours later with eight koalas and some lizards. A week later, more than 300 people attended a rally in Gunnedah to protest against the removal of the koalas. Four thousand people subsequently signed a petition supporting the Smalls and seeking a parliamentary enquiry. Former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson has called for a federal inquiry in the absence of the NSW Parliament conducting one and described the behaviour of the RSPCA as "heavy-handed". * FarmOnline

Ed Comment; there has been community speculation that the koalas were only removed to make a RSPCA TV program.


Marsupial Training Course

Gladstone & District Wildlife Carers are holding a Marsupial Training Course Presented by Lynda Staker, Macropod Specialist and Author of The Complete Guide to The Care Of Macropods Date: Friday April 30th – Monday 3rd May. Venue: Boyne Island Environmental Education Centre – 61 Malpas Ave, Boyne Island. Cost: $30 GDWCA members $60 public Enquiries and Bookings 0427 106 803


Flying Foxes

Efforts to relocate a colony of flying foxes from North Eton appear to be working, with numbers decreasing from 4800 to less than 600. Operation outfox the bats began on Monday, not a day too soon for North Eton residents, who were frustrated the flying foxes had been allowed to rule the roost for seven years. Mackay regional councillor Paul Steindl says the dwindling numbers indicate the relocation process is working. "The count was around 2000 to 2500 bats yesterday and between 500 and 600 today," Cr Steindl said. "Given on Monday we had 4800, it's a good indication they are moving on." The State Government granted a damage mitigation permit to Mackay Regional Council at the end of last year but the relocation was conditional on the dependent young maturing first. Tree branches have been trimmed and fog, loud noise, floodlights and a tea tree and eucalyptus wetting agent have been used to deter the flying foxes from roosting in the area. *Daily Mercury

An influx of flying foxes in backyards over the past two months has stunned Melbourne residents. The species' numbers in the metropolitan area have surged by about 20,000 after recent floods in northern NSW and Queensland destroyed food sources and forced the bats to migrate south. Department of Sustainability and Environment wildlife management project leader Ian Temby said more than 50,000 of the threatened species were now based at Yarra Bend Park in Fairfield, up from the park's summer average of 31,000. He said 31,700 more bats were in Geelong, with smaller populations scattered across the state. "Residents will be seeing bats from the colony at Yarra Bend as they will travel up to 50km looking for food," Mr Temby said. "We ask that residents do not take matters into their own hands and try and remove the flying foxes as they are a threatened species and can't be culled."

Mr Temby said the bats would likely move on as other food sources became available and that residents could protect fruit trees by covering them with knitted netting, available from some nurseries. He said monofilament netting should not be used because it could entangle birds and bats. Mr Temby said there was no special health risk associated with flying foxes in trees. "Australian Bat Lyssavirus, a rabies-like disease, can only be transmitted to people via a bite or scratch from an infected animal," he said. "If bats are not handled, there is no risk from this disease." *Moreland Leader

Dracula author Bram Stoker, along with a handful of fruit farmers and annoyed residents, may have given bats a bad name, but as far as anyone in the know is concerned, fruit bats or flying foxes are the last bastion against total deforestation of native trees here on the Coast. According to the president of local organisation Bat Rescue, Sylvia Hood, there are "tens of thousands" of bats in colonies on the Coast. About 6000 – down from about 10,000 – are part of the Nambour colony which flies over the Bruce Highway at dusk. According to the president of local organisation Bat Rescue, Sylvia Hood, there are "tens of thousands" of bats in colonies on the Coast. About 6000 – down from about 10,000 – are part of the Nambour colony which flies over the Bruce Highway at dusk. Ms Hood said some of the bats had recently crossed the highway, away from the Nambour waste management centre, to take up in a residential area. "But they won't stay long," she said. "They will look for a warmer climate during the winter months, returning to breed during October to December."

She said at the moment, the Nambour colony, along with another large group at Mountain Creek, was taking advantage of the flowering melaleucas and bloodwoods before they fly north. According to Ms Hood, the reason bats are known as forest-makers is their nocturnal pollination skills. They are able to pick up the pollen from eucalypts, which is only released at night. "They disperse the seed over a large distance, unlike gliders whose area range is far smaller," she said. WILVOS (wildlife volunteers) Carmel Givens and Rid Kennedy, who rescue and release injured bats back into the wild, said they are nature's biggest pollinators and the "key to pollination" for native trees on the Coast – and their predilection for farmers' fruit products has a more ecological than culinary basis. "I say to the farmers, bats don't want to eat your mangos and paw paws – it's just that we have all cut down all our eucalypts," Ms Givens said.

Mr Kennedy said 1% of bats carry Lyssa virus but the chances of transfer to humans is miniscule because the infected bats die within 24 hours. "And it has not yet been proved that they can pass Hendra virus on," he added. Ms Hood said anyone coming across an injured bat should not touch it. Instead, they should call the WILVOS hotline on 5441 6200 and a vaccinated rescue worker would arrange to pick it up. *Sunshine Coast Daily

An influx of grey-headed flying foxes in the Yarra Valley has prompted a Department of Sustainability and Environment operation to ensure the animals are not being shot. DSE said the higher than usual population was likely due to heavy rain in Queensland and NSW that had affected the animals' food sources. DSE wildlife management project leader Ian Temby said Operation Yarrow included random night-time patrols and aimed to remind people that grey-headed flying foxes were a threatened species. "Anyone caught shooting flying foxes faces significant penalties," he said. Mr Temby said there had been no recent incidents in which flying foxes had been shot in the Yarra Valley but it had happened in the past.

He said the flying foxes' main food source was nectar and pollen from eucalypts, but they could cause problems for fruit growers. "Unfortunately, they also go for commercial fruit crops," he said. "The difficulty is that they are very hard to scare out of a crop, as are lorikeets during the day. "Really, the only effective way is to exclude them with netting." He said DSE was able to provide advice on non-lethal methods of controlling flying foxes. "We know that wildlife eating fruit can have a significant impact on orchardists. Most property owners in the Yarra Valley are doing the right thing by using nets or non-lethal scaring methods to protect their crops." Mr Temby said he expected many flying foxes to return to their original habitat in the next few weeks. *Maroondah Journal

Wildlife MiniBytes

Dolphins

It appears the surviving dolphins from a mass stranding on Tasmania's west coast are still doing well. Wildlife experts were alerted to the stranding on the Pieman River on Monday afternoon. It is believed the dolphins left the open sea and chased food upstream, then were trapped by large waves at the mouth of the river. About 34 animals from the 50-strong pod are now believed to have been stranded, with 17 found dead on the beach. Despite rescue efforts on Monday and Tuesday, a further seven dolphins died. The Parks and Wildlife Service is now scaling down its involvement, but is still monitoring the remaining dolphins' movements. The Service's Penny Sale says the animals all seem to be in good health. "Dolphins have been spotted in various group sizes, swimming strongly and navigating well," she said. Test results into the animals' cause of death will be known in a few months. There is no evidence as yet that the animals were poisoned. *ABC

Climate Change and Wildlife

Wierd and unseasonable weather in the US has meant fewer acorn trees have produced acorns. From the perspective of deer, grouse, turkey, blue jays, chipmunks and squirrels, acorns are important, one expert has claimed. For wildlife, mast (acorns) are an important part of fall and winter survival,” he said. “If they can’t find it, they’ll start looking for something else — the plants in your yard, corn, alfalfa, cabbage — deer will even dig up potatoes. All those kinds of things will happen. Squirrels and chipmunks will eat hickory nuts, but the other wildlife won’t.” This expert expects many US species that depend on acorns will have trouble surviving. Meanwhile, allergies will worsen and trigger more asthma attacks if climate changes continues, warns a new report by the National Wildlife Federation. With spring arriving 10 to 14 days earlier than 20 years ago, pollination is starting sooner, according to the report, which shows projected changes in habitat....for trees and the wildlife that depend on them. Tree pollen is the most common trigger for spring hay fever. *Network Item

Cheetahs

The last known Arabian cheetah was shot in Saudi Arabia in 1950, though they may have hung on in Oman until around 1970. Now 4 cubs have been born in the wild in a nature reserve on an island off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Wildlife Extra believes that this is also the first time that cheetah have successfully been reintroduced into the wild anywhere in the world. The cheetahs on Sir Bani Yas Island are from captive bred populations. The mother and father of the cubs, Safira and Gabriel were raised in Dubai's Wildlife Centre and the Sharjah Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife. The cheetahs were brought to the island as part of conservation efforts which include breeding, re-wilding, releasing into the Arabian Wildlife Park to become an integral part of the natural population control for hoofed species on the island. *Wildlife Extra Read More http://www.wildlifeextra.com.au/

Birds and Bats

Bats and cockatoos are wreaking havoc with power supplies in the state's north. It seems that the birds and bats of the Kimberley like nothing more than to perch on power lines. The only problem is it can burn them to a crisp and cause temporary black-outs for residents. Horizon Energy spokeswoman Jodie Lynch says the black-outs become more common towards the end of the wet season. "It's happening three or four times in one day which is really frustrating," she says. The company this week began a program around Derby to cover the tops of power poles with plastic piping. Ms Lynch explains it is hoped this will stop the animals being able to grip . "Once they've identified that area they'll actually increase the length of the cross-arms, and they'll put a piece of poly-piping over that area so that the bats and cockatoos are less likely to want to perch there, because they can't grip on with their talons." *ABC

Tadpoles

Tadpoles of one frog species let out an audible "scream" when they come under attack, scientists have discovered. They only make the noise, described as a brief, clear metallic sound made up of a series of notes, when in distress. It is the first time any vertebrate larva has been found to use sound to communicate underwater. The discovery that frog tadpoles can make sounds also raises the possibility that a host of aquatic larvae communicate in a similar way. The distress calls are made by tadpoles of the horned frog Ceratophrys ornata which lives in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, researchers report in the journal Acta Zoologica. *Earth News, Read more... http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8609000/8609235.stm

Green Politics

Greens leader Nick McKim has knocked back an offer by Labor of one seat in a Labor Government. McKim said it made no sense for Mr Bartlett to offer the Greens only one ministry in a Cabinet of nine, when the Greens held five seats in the 25-member Parliament to Labor's 10 MPs. The Greens, quite rightly we think, are believed to be disgusted at the prospect of supporting a Labor Government in power. The Australian Capital Territory Greens did just that, they supported a Labor ACT Government, and then they turned into a defacto Labor/Green alliance, now clearly recognised as an arm of the dishonest and disreputable John Stanhope Government.