Wildlife Bytes 26/4/12

Book Review Here at WPAA we read a lot of fiction. For some decades now, we have read hundreds of Government reports, white papers, green papers, orange papers etc, etc. Everyone knows that the government departments write the World's best and worst fiction, and we've read it all. So it was with great pleasure that we recently had an opportunity to read a fiction novel that focuses on the environment. Titled "Arctel; The Planet Only Children Could Save" by Menkit Prince, the story starts when a space traveller from Arctel and his family witness the explosive demise of the Planet Tarjez. Using technology unknown to Earthlings, the family can scroll back through history and watch as uncontrolled Industrial development on Tarjez bring the Planet to ruin. So the children decide that Arctel is facing the same degradation, and decide to campaign to slow the mad industrial growth on Arctel. How the children save Arctel is an amazing story of courage and enthusiasm, hope and realism. They run into the same problems human activists on Earth face daily....threats, legal threats, ridicule, even violence towards them. We wont spoil the story for you by giving the plot away, but it's a book every child (and every adult) should read. It's well written in large text, has some great illustrations, and is easy to read. More info is available here http://www.planetarktel.com or at Planet Arktel, PO Box 3410, Uki NSW 2484, Australia *WPAA Fraser Island Dingoes Qld's Premier Campbell Newman has promised a new Peer Review for the Management of the dingoes on Fraser Island. Save the Fraser Island Dingoes would like to hear from anyone who visited Fraser Island in the 1950's to 1992 when the Island was World Heritage Listed. Please could you e-mail your experiences to mkrail@bigpond.net.au Thank you for your participation, kind regards, Malcom Kilpatrick President SFID Inc *SFID Birds A new colony of one of Australia's rarest birds has been discovered on Bruny Island, off south-east Tasmania. It is estimated there are only a few hundred breeding pairs of the forty-spotted pardalote left in the wild. Drought and habitat loss has taken a toll, halving numbers over the past decade. The bird feeds almost exclusively on white gum tree. Conservation manager Sally Bryant says after planting the gums in new areas 20 years ago, the project is finally proving successful. "Obviously some now are reaching good heights and providing good foraging habitat so it demonstrates again how important it is to keep connectivity in the landscape." Robert Graham from the Bruny Island Environment Network says there is now a push to get landowners on the island to plant more of the gums to secure the birds' future. "This colony is significant because it's the first new colony we've found in a while; and secondly because it gives us some hope that we might be able to replicate what's happening here," he said. Seedlings are being made available to landholders. *ABC Kangaroos in the ACT Our general meeting is tomorrow April 26th (Thurs) 6pm at the Griffin Centre Canberra City. This month’s key theme for the meeting will be “Kangaroos”. In previous years Kangaroo kills have been announced the last week of May. Although there has been no news regarding a possible kangaroo kill in the ACT (as of yet) ALACT would like to discuss this matter a month ahead with members and volunteers to plan and build a solid campaign this year. We will also be discussing the regulatory framework governing non-commercial kangaroo kills in general. If a cull is announced again this will be the 5th year in a row that thousands of kangaroos are killed. Having large populations of kangaroos killed in the same nature parks repeatedly is of grave ethical and ecological concern for the future conservation of kangaroos in these reserves. If you’re particularly interested in this campaign, and/or want to learn more, come along so you can find out what you can do to help this year. There will be yummy food as usual! *AL ACT Climate Change Antarctica's massive ice shelves are shrinking because they are being eaten away from below by warm water, a new study finds. That suggests that future sea levels could rise faster than many scientists have been predicting. The western chunk of Antarctica is losing 23 feet (seven metres) of its floating ice sheet each year. Until now, scientists weren't exactly sure how it was happening and whether or how man-made global warming might be a factor. The answer, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature, is that climate change plays an indirect role — but one that has larger repercussions than if Antarctic ice were merely melting from warmer air. Hamish Pritchard, a glaciologist at the British Antarctic Survey, said research using an ice-gazing NASA satellite showed that warmer air alone couldn't explain what was happening to Antarctica. A more detailed examination found a chain of events that explained the shrinking ice shelves. Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/antarctic-ice-melting-from-warm-water-below-study-20120426-1xmiy.html#ixzz1t7OJI1LX AZWH Patient of the Week...Rowan the Bearded Dragon Surrendered to a local wildlife carer by a family from Morayfield, who had taken Rowan from the wild and kept him as a pet for the last two months. Rowan was transported to The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by the carer, after the family became concerned about Rowan’s health and wellbeing. Dr Amber assessed Rowan and found an insufficient diet had resulted in the tiny reptile suffering calcium deficiency. Dr Amber placed Rowan in a warm tank in Reptiles ICU, and has prescribed a calcium supplement to be included with food. Future: Rowan will soon be transferred to a registered local reptile carer, and will remain in care until strong enough for release and big enough to feed on live prey. AZWH Statistic: Over 240 animals were confiscated or surrended to the hospital between 2005-2011. Native animals require specialised care and skilled handling, and do not make for suitable pets. Our wildlife belong in the wild! *AZWH Elephants A veterinarian has been crushed to death by an elephant at Franklin Zoo south of Auckland, according to reports. The zoo is home to just one elephant, a former circus elephant called Mila, One News reported. TV3 reported that the elephant sat on the keeper then, acting protectively, would not let anyone else enter the enclosure to help the woman. Police said they were called to the incident at the zoo shortly after 4.30pm. No further information was to be available until next-of-kin had been notified and the matter had been referred to the coroner. A fire communications spokesperson said they had limited information, but confirmed the brigade were asked to attend the Franklin Zoo in Ridge Road to assist where a person had been attacked by an elephant. "Upon arrival, the elephant had been secured and paramedics were working with the patient," they said. The Fire Service were called just after 4.30pm and stayed at the scene for up to 40 minutes. Ambulance Communications relief team manager Louis Rapihana told TV3 ambulance staff were called around the same time. "A person was attacked by one of the animals, by an elephant,'' he said. Franklin Zoo is at Tuakau, south of Pukekohe. Mila, a 40-year-old African elephant, has been at the zoo for the past three years after formerly being part of a circus. * *NZ news Potoroos The Victorian Government's timber agency says cameras have spotted the endangered long-footed potoroo in areas beyond its known habitat range. VicForests says the potoroo has been seen three times in an area of forest just east of the Bemm River in East Gippsland. Spokesman David Walsh says the discovery will lead to an additional 50 hectares of long-footed potoroo habitat being protected from forestry. "If we we find the potoroo in an area where we're planning to harvest, we then say we've found this species in the area, we then won't harvest the 50 hectare of best habitat for that species within the proximity of that area," he said. *ABC Cape York Bauxite miner Cape Alumina is preparing to mine the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve on Cape York after pre-poll promises by Queensland Premier Campbell Newman that he would repeal Wild Rivers legislation. Wilderness Society spokesman Glenn Walker said yesterday the company was moving to kick-start mining prospects in the remarkable Wenlock River area on Cape York. This was based on Mr Newman's promise that in his first 100 days in office he would begin winding back Labor's conservation legislation. "The Wilderness Society is aware that the company last week listed an investor presentation on the ASX website noting that the new Queensland LNP Government would soon repeal the Wild River declaration for the Wenlock River," Mr Walker said. The Cape Alumina bauxite project northeast of Weipa has been hotly opposed by scientists, conservationists and Murris because of unusual springs and for its proximity to the Wenlock River which has more fish species than any other in Australia.Labor enlarged setback provisions for the mine to protect the river and springs but Cape Alumina has argued that mining can go ahead much closer to the water bodies without causing environmental harm. Ironically, former prime minister John Howard had conservation in mind when he used taxpayer funds to help buy the property for Australia Zoo owner Terri Irwin and family after her husband Steve Irwin died in 2006. No Cape Alumina spokesman could be contacted for comment but the investor presentation carries the headline "Wenlock Wild River declaration to be lifted". *Telegraph 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 * Polar Bears Scientists now say polar bears diverged from their closest relatives 600,000 years ago, far earlier than previously thought. The research suggests they face more challenges in the face of climate change, which could threaten their survival. Previous genetic analysis of polar bears had determined the species was only about 150,000 years old. In fact, it took five times longer for the polar bear to adapt to arctic conditions, according to the study by Dr Frank Hailer, a conservation and evolutionary biologist, and colleagues. In turn, the bears may not have enough time to adjust to a rapidly changing climate, the study suggested. The earlier study had focused mainly on mitochondrial or mtDNA, which only accounts for a small portion of the entire genome and is passed from a mother to her offspring. This had led to the conclusion that polar bears were a recently evolved type of northern brown bear. Dr Hailer’s study, published in the journal Science, examined data from many independently inherited regions of the nuclear genome that showed that both polar and brown bears are much older, genetically distinct species of their own right. The species’ earlier origin “implies that polar bears as a species have experienced multiple glacial cycles and had considerable time to adapt to arctic conditions,” the study said. “However, the low genetic diversity in polar bears suggests that changes in the environment, such as warm phases, caused population bottlenecks.” It warned that changes in habitat, hunting, toxic substances and other “stressors” caused by humans “could magnify the impact of current climate change, posing a novel and likely profound threat to polar bear survival.” * EcoNews Koalas Authorities have defended the death of several koalas in a recent controlled burn in the Otways. The Department of Sustainability and Environment said five injured koalas were discovered after a controlled burn near Wye River. The department said three koalas were euthanased and two taken to shelters. The department's Otways district manager, Andrew Morrow, said the risk of wildlife injury or death during a planned burn was very low compared to that of severe bushfires. "Across the whole burn program in the Otways about 40 burns per year there are very few reports of injured wildlife," he said. "The Wye-Kennett Jeep Track burn is the only planned burn in the Otways in the past three years where injured koalas have been reported." Mr Morrow said low-intensity fires with "limited canopy scorch" were conducted in areas known for high wildlife populations. He said the department also deployed a wildlife officer to monitor planned burn sites to address animal welfare needs and contact wildlife shelters, when required, for injured animals. "A DSE wildlife officer was tasked to monitor and respond to any wildlife welfare issues associated with planned burn at Wye River-Kennett River recognised as an area with a high koala population," Mr Morrow said. "The Wye-Kennett Jeep Track burn was completed successfully, with unburnt gully areas of high quality fauna habitat and refuge value retained. "The limited scorch of trees ensured minimal impact on koala food sources within the burn area." Mr Morrow said autumn provided suitable conditions for the planned burning program, and the Otway district had completed planned burns over approximately 4000 hectares for 2011-12. He said further burns were scheduled this week near Aireys Inlet, Deans Marsh and Forrest. Carlisle River Wildlife Shelter's Ron Anstis yesterday questioned the value of controlled burns. "My wife did a course into the topic of whether it was worth having these burns and she couldn't come up with an answer," he said. "Opinion is divided ... the chief fire bloke in NSW said, 'Forget it, it's not worth it'." Mr Anstis said that kangaroos, wallabies and possums were also often caught up in controlled burns. *Weekly Times New SA Environment Boss The Environment Protection Authority's new boss has pledged to restore public confidence in the controversial agency. Professor Campbell Gemmell told The Advertiser he had completed an assessment of the agency and its performance since taking up his appointment three months ago. "I have found some areas that we are doing reasonably well and some we could make significant improvements on," he said. Prof Gemmell said already under his management the EPA had launched three prosecutions, compared to one conviction during the previous 12 months. "Currently we have 30 cases of illegal dumping which we are investigating and about 20 of these are likely to go forward to more serious consequences," he said. Prof Gemmell has been briefing government and community organisations about the new course the EPA will be taking, including greater transparency. "A lot of people have been concerned about what information has been available to the public and one of the good things we have done is put more information out on the website," Prof Gemmell said. "We are moving the public register of information which used to be kept in a dusty room on to the website for greater transparency. "Information will be presented in a digestible form for the public. People have a right to know and want to know, but a lot of the technical information doesn't make immediate sense to people and we need to try and explain it to people." The EPA has been criticised in recent years over its handling of groundwater contamination at several industrial sites, failure to warn residents about dangers close to housing developments at Port Adelaide, and failure to warn residents about the dangers of methane gas leaking from former dump sites. Prof Gemmell said one of the most significant challenges for Adelaide was the expansion of housing into former industrial sites. The EPA had also suffered from perceptions that it "made development difficult" which he also hoped to address. "The EPA needs to be seen as an enabler of good development, we want to help make good developments happen," he said. But Prof Gemmell warned the business community that those who broke environmental laws faced an increased change of being prosecuted. "I am a firm believer in following up the breaches of permits very robustly," he said. *Adelaide Now Whales Sighting in waters off Kamchatka peninsula is believed to be first time an adult white orca has been spotted in wild. Scientists have glimpsed a pure white adult orca, or killer whale, while on a research expedition off the far eastern coast of Russia. The sighting in waters off the Kamchatka peninsula is believed to be the first time such a whale has been seen in the wild. Researchers said the marine mammal, which they nicknamed Iceberg, was swimming with its mother and siblings and appeared to be fully accepted by its 12-strong family. White whales are not unheard of, but only young white orcas are thought to have been recorded by marine conservationists before. The whale was seen by scientists on a research cruise co-led by Erich Hoyt of the Far East Russia orca project. "We've seen three white orcas in the past few years, but this is the very first time we've seen a mature animal that is all white," Mr Hoyt, a senior research fellow at the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, told The Guardian. The team is returning to the same waters next month to try to track it down again. The scientists hope to confirm whether or not Iceberg is an albino by photographing its eyes. "If we can get a full close-up of the eyes and they are pink, it would confirm Iceberg is an albino, but we don't know much about albinism in orcas," Mr Hoyt said. Fully albino orcas can have weak immune systems and die young, but partial albinos can live into adulthood. Iceberg appears to be white all over and, judging by its two-metre dorsal fin, is at least 16 years old, Mr Hoyt said. "We've photographically identified 1500 orcas in the region in the past 12 years there," he said. "If we see any of his pod and he's not there, we'll know he's gone." During the expedition from May to September, researchers will lower hydrophones into the sea to record the sounds the whales make. There are believed to be three to four "clans" of whales in the waters the team surveyed, each with its own distinctive dialect. *Guardian Frogs A Tasmanian wildlife centre is hoping to breed a frog "insurance population" as a lethal fungal disease wipes out amphibians around the state. Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary has five young Tasmanian tree frogs that were collected as tadpoles in the South-West. The tree frog is among 11 species in the state, three of them found only in Tasmania and all of them at risk from chytrid, which is wiping out amphibians around the world. "We have five little frogs, all close to fully grown now," Bonorong director Greg Irons said. "We've been asked to help find out if an insurance population is possible. People don't realise how important frogs are. They're like bees if we lose them, the world ends." He said the extent of the plight was not certain, but in some surveys researchers struggled to find any frogs where they were once common. Mr Irons said two of the tree frogs, which are all in quarantine, were probably female. "There isn't a lot known about their breeding they might only be able to breed in water of a certain depth. These have started 'calling' and it's suggested that's a sign of maturity," he said. The green and gold frog and striped marsh frog are listed under threatened species legislation. There is growing evidence that many more are in serious decline, with Tasmania given federal funding to help. Veterinary pathologist and wildlife disease researcher David Obendorf said the chytrid had hit as frogs struggled with habitat loss and climate change. "All frogs are susceptible to chytrid, although a few appear to be more resilient, but these can still carry the fungus," Dr Obendorf said. "In wetlands where you could hear seven frog species in chorus, now there are two or three." He said the green and gold frog, also called the growling grass frog, was at serious risk. "We have evidence of the Tasmanian tree frog being affected, with declines in southern Tasmania and South-West areas, in the Cradle Valley and Mt Field and high mountain lakes," Dr Obendorf said. He said he expected the moss froglet, or the little pingpong frog, which lives in sphagnum bogs, to be highly susceptible. This Saturday is Save the Frogs Day. *Mercury

Wildlife Bytes 19/4/12

New Book Review

Next week in Wildlife Bytes we will carry a review of one of the most interesting environmental books we have ever read. We just ran out of time to carry the review this week. *WPAA

Kangaroos

An animal welfare campaigner is demanding more prompt action over a senior constable under investigation for the shooting deaths of more than 20 kangaroos. The officer was issued with an infringement notice for his part in the incident at a property at Booral, near Hervey Bay, in December last year. He could still face disciplinary action depending on the outcome of an internal Queensland Police Service investigation. Australian Society for Kangaroos president Nikki Sutterby says it was disappointing that the investigation into the 42-year-old north coast region officer has taken so long. "Justice needs to be done here if you want to send a message to the community that this behaviour is unacceptable,' she told AAP. A police spokesman said it would be inappropriate to comment on the matter given it was still under investigation. Horse riders stumbled upon the kangaroo carcasses and alerted authorities. 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 and it is an offence to kill one without a permit, with fines reaching up to $10,000 per roo. A 16-year-old boy involved in the shootings has been dealt with under the Youth Justice Act. Comment from the Queensland Police Union has been sought. *SkyNews

Public Comments Requested

Submissions on the Draft National Wildlife Corridors Plan are now open.
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/wildlife-corridors/consultation/index.html

Whales

An attempt to declare Tasmanian waters a whale sanctuary has failed in State Parliament. The Liberal and Labor parties combined to defeat the Greens' Bill, which would have ended a legal anomaly in Tasmanian law that leaves state waters outside the current Australian whale sanctuary open for whaling. * Mercury

Patient of the Week... Anvil the Koala

Found on the ground at Pioneer Park in Tinana, near Maryborough, suffering from a suspected broken right hip. Transported to The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by local koala rescuer Murray Chambers. Veterinary Assessment Dr Bec x-rayed Anvil and confirmed he had sustained a broken right hind leg. Further assessment revealed he was also suffering from conjunctivitis in his left eye. Treatment: Dr Claude immobilized the fracture with a cast overnight and performed surgery the next day to repair the femur. Anvil was also administered pain relief and antibiotics to treat his conjunctivitis, and kept under close observation in Mammals ICU. Now recovered from the conjunctivitis, Anvil has recently moved to a leafy outdoor enclosure to regain his strength and mobility before his eventual release back into the wild.
AZWH Statistic: Over 150 koalas have already been admitted so far in 2012.

Endangered Species

DNA testing of traditional Chinese medicines has shown that many contain traces of endangered animals,” The Independent has today reported. The tests were performed by Australian scientists devising new ways to detect exactly what plant and animal materials are actually contained in traditional Chinese medicines and herbal teas. Knowing exactly what is in some traditional products can often be difficult, and in the past some have been found to contain materials from endangered species, banned medicines and toxic metals. The research was designed to create a new testing procedure rather than assess products on sale legally, and only tested samples of products seized by customs for breaking international endangered species trading rules. Some samples were found to contain DNA from potentially harmful plants, and also from endangered species such as black bears and antelope. Not all of the samples that contained animal DNA had been labelled as containing material from animals. *SkyNews
Read more ... http://www.nhs.uk/news/2012/04april/Pages/chinese-medicines-contain-endangered-animal-DNA.aspx

Honey Bees

Heavy metals and toxic soil contaminates that build up in plants may be killing bees and reducing their ability to pollinate crops and produce honey. New research by entomologists at the University of California suggests selenium - a trace mineral used as a superconductor in the electronics industry - can kill bees foraging for pollen from plants in heavily polluted areas, such as disposal sites for fly-ash from coal-fired power stations. The study, by Kristen Hladun and Professor John Trumble, is the first of its kind to look at lethal impacts of plant-accumulated pollutants on honey bee feeding habits and survival. Their findings are published online in the science journal PLoS One.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/chain-reaction-toxic-soil-kills-bees-threatens-food-production-20120416-1x2we.html#ixzz1sHDh7DcI

Wildlife Bytes Website now Live

Wildlife Bytes™ is an Australian company dedicated to promoting the conservation of our native wildlife and the environment in which it lives. They are a group of professional and technical experts working together to deliver a range of services and products from photographic courses and tutorials to printing,publishing and multi-media products such as web development, video and post production work. We believe that awareness is key to conservation. Wildlife Bytes™ will strive to promote Australia and its unique bio-diversity by show casing its amazing creatures and breath taking landscapes. Profits will go into education and conservation initiatives either developed by them or through community groups.
http://www.wildlifebytes.com.au/index.html

Birds

While migrating birds are believed to use the earth's magnetic field to navigate, new research has again baffled scientists as to how they do it. According to an article published in Nature on Wednesday, iron-filled beak cells previously thought to be the centre of the magnetic sense in birds are made up of normal protein-bound iron deposits which are not magnetoreceptive. Scientists who took part in the international study said the finding had taken them back to square one. "The mystery of how animals detect magnetic fields has just got more mysterious," said David Keays, an Australian who now works at the Institute of Molecular Pathology in Vienna, Austria. University of Western Australia scientists Jeremy Shaw and Martin Saunders, who also worked on the study, said they used a beam of high-energy electrons passing through thin samples of pigeon tissue to see what type of iron minerals were present. *Age Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/ironing-out-the-mystery-of-bird-navigation-20120412-1wu2e.html

Sharks

A great white shark measuring nearly 20 feet and weighing 2,000 pounds -- according to local reports -- was hauled up Sunday by commercial fishermen in the Sea of Cortez near Guaymas. The massive predator was dead when it was brought to the surface in a net deployed by fishermen named Guadalupe and Baltazar, who were treated to the surprise of a lifetime when they saw what they had captured. "We were amazed and immediately realized that we had a huge, dead, great white shark, and then we thought what are we going to do?," Guadalupe said in an interview with Tracy Ehrenberg of Pisces Sportfishing, which is located in the resort city of Cabo San Lucas. The shark was nearly as long as their 22-foot panga, or skiff. If, in fact, it measured six meters (19.8 feet), as one report stated, it'd be one of the longest white sharks ever recorded. The fishermen towed the behemoth two miles to the beach, where about 50 people helped drag it onto dry sand. "Guadalupe and Baltazar swore they had never seen a fish this big before in their lives," the Pisces blog stated. "Even though on March 13 of this year, some of their fellow fishermen had also caught a great white, which had weighed 990 pounds." Adult white sharks were once believed to be rare in the Sea of Cortez, or Gulf of California, but scientists now believe parts of the gulf might serve as a nursery for the species. * GrindTV.com

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 *

Crocodiles

Lifesavers are hoping a crocodile that stalked The Strand on Sunday may be their last, welcoming the new State Government's plans to improve management of the reptiles. A 2.5m saltwater crocodile was spotted 300m offshore, heading south towards the Breakwater Marina. Two crews from the Arcadian and Picnic Bay surf lifesaving clubs confirmed the sighting, initially reported by a member of the public, before reporting it to the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. Surf Life Saving Queensland regional development officer Jeremy Best said it was decided the beach would not be closed because the croc was swimming away from The Strand. "We put our warning signs up at the Water Park end of The Strand and once we called QPWS, they came and put up their own signs, too," he said. QPWS conservation manager Clive Cook said rangers investigated the sighting, but there were no signs of the animal, nor was there any indication it had later entered the marina. "The animal did not approach humans or display aggressive behaviour and has not been deemed a crocodile of concern," he said. "The animal has not been sighted since Sunday, and no further action will be taken unless additional information warrants such." There have only been two reported sightings of crocodiles in waters off The Strand in six months, far fewer than in previous years. Mr Best, however, said he welcomed the LNP Government's pre-election promise to take more action to remove crocs that ventured too close to human habitats. Before the election, the party said it would implement a risk-based croc management plan, similar to the policy in place in the Northern Territory. *Townsville Bulletin


Wildlife rangers say more crocodiles are moving close to urban areas in the Northern Territory as the wet season ends. Two three-metre saltwater crocodiles were caught near Darwin yesterday, one off East Point beach and the second at Pioneer Beach in Bynoe Harbour. Tom Nichols from the Crocodile Management Unit says crocodile activity increases at this time of year. "A number of the crocs will move out with the (wet season floodplain) water as it is receding," he said. "Some will stay behind in permanent little waterholes, which have a good food source, so that creates a bit of a problem for us during the dry season. "But the other ones move out, so you get more crocodiles moving in around the harbour at the moment." Mr Nichols says the number of crocodiles caught around Darwin so far this year has increased. There have been 92 saltwater crocodiles caught by wildlife rangers this year in Darwin Harbour and surrounding waterways. Mr Nichols says most crocodiles quickly move past Darwin city on their way to an estuary. "But you get the odd ones which are hanging around Casuarina beach ,and also Mindil and Vesteys beaches," he said. "It could be through baitfish attracting them, or people with dogs, or just the fact that they are a bit curious and hanging around wanting a rest." *ABC


The theft of a crocodile trap is an act of extraordinary stupidity. It literally puts lives at risk. Hundreds of saltwater crocs are caught and taken to farms from Darwin Harbour and its creeks every year. The trapping program is a vital part of the Parks and Wildlife crocodile management strategy. It has to be accepted that some Territorians - a minority, but a vocal minority - support the wholesale culling of the animals near the population centres. This would damage Australia's reputation around the world. Mass slaughter would also be ineffective. When one large crocodile is shot in a creek another one usually quickly moves in. It would, therefore, be dangerous for authorities to ever suggest that waterways in the Top End were safe because of culling. The simple fact is that people in northern Australia live alongside a deadly predator. It's amazing how well Territorians have adapted to this reality. Attacks are rare, especially considering that there are probably 80,000 crocodiles in the NT and an increasing number of people taking up water-based recreational activities. Rather than steal crocodile traps, we should support what wildlife rangers are doing to help keep us all safe....and another thing.....THOSE on the extreme sides of the crocodile management argument - those who believe in mass culling and those who oppose any trapping - should remember that salties are worth tens of millions of dollars to the NT in tourism and skins. Putting a dollar value on the animals has led to their protection. *NT News

Foxes

Only one of six $350,000 sniffer dogs used by Tasmanian hunters to track down foxes can actually sniff out the elusive predator, tests show. During a speech in Parliament yesterday, Independent MLC Ivan Dean said the skills of the German wire-haired pointers had been tested in Melbourne in February. He said only one of the six dogs tested by renowned dog trainer Steve Austin was deemed capable of scenting a fox. "After two years of training, these dogs have failed most tests," Mr Dean said. "I further understand a live fox or foxes were used to lay the trails during the testing and that five of the dogs had little or no idea what to do." He said it was concerning the dogs which cost $350,000 to buy and train were being used to investigate sightings and to scent behind bait lines as the massive eradication blitz continued across Tasmania's "core fox habitat". The first four German pointer puppies arrived in Tasmania in January 2010 to be trained as fox-scent tracking dogs.

Then Primary Industries Minister David Llewellyn said the breed was highly recommended by fox-hunting and dog-training experts. Mr Dean, a former police commander, has also tabled a motion calling for independent supervision of the new Invasive Species Unit, of which the former Fox Eradication Taskforce is now a part. Mr Dean said re-badging Tasmania's fox eradication efforts under a new unit would not remove the negative publicity, frustration and concern held by the public towards the fox program, which has now cost almost $40 million. Nocturnal Wildlife Research director Clive Marks told Mr Dean in a letter tabled in Parliament yesterday that the 1080 baiting program was necessary because of a lack of information to define the risk of possible fox incursions and the presence of foxes. "Not one fox bait has been shown to be taken by a fox," he said. *Mercury

BATS Online Fund is Born

You have spoken, and feedback has been excellent. About 96% feedback thus far says a fund is a great idea (many said brilliant) and about 90% say that the proposed first project of helping Shahneaz help Indian Flying-foxes in Bangladesh is a worthy first cause. Many have also said wouldn’t it be great if we could do something about netting in Queensland, and while I wholly agree, the problem there is simple financial logistics: a small group of people donating, set against (at $15,000 AUD per hectare) one point five million bucks to net just one 100 hectare farm. Who knows how large this group will grow, and I am sure that (tenacious bunch that we are) we can use our collective lobbying to take up the fight as and when it happens in that arena.

In contrast, where can we invest a reasonably small amount of money to actually save bat lives, to make a difference, and make every dollar count. So… I present the official launch of BATSneedbucksBANGLADESH (bank account details below) As you know, Asst Professor Shahneaz Ali Khan from Chittagong Uni in Bangladesh has asked for help. Heavily involved in research and community education to try to save the Indian Flying-foxes of Bangladesh, he and his team need three items of equipment: A night vision capable video camera; A laptop computer; A digital projector

These three items will provide; in the first instance – insight into feeding behaviour of Indian Flying-foxes with regard to Nipah virus research, and items 2 and 3 to continue/expand that vital community education by Shahneaz and his team.Bushmeat is a huge problem in so many parts of the world: threatening the survival of many species. However, this is further compounded when there is a deep ingrained belief that the consumption of rhino horn, tiger ‘bits’, and, in this case; that eating flying-fox flesh and bone will actually help cure diseases.
For the price of just one decent 57 inch flat screen TV, we can allow Shahneaz and his team to go out into the villages and communities, and save actual real lives; not just now, but next year, and possibly generations to follow. Ripples in a pond of change.

The three items will cost around $1500 AUD. $1500 to get a very real project to the next stage. If that saves just 1500 bats’ lives, we have a return of one Australian dollar to save a single bat. If it saves 15,000 lives, we have 10 cents per bat, and if it spreads and saves 150,000 lives, then every single cent you donate could allow one Indian Flying-fox to fly free in the wild on the sub-continent. That is a lot of bang for your buck. The target: $1500 AUD. Pledges so far: $785. $715 needed to hit the mark. Any excess money collected will go towards the next worthy project.

When BATSonline was envisaged, it was always intended to become a truly international forum: talking, sharing knowledge: helping each other to help bats. We are only seven months old, and perhaps a sign that goal is rapidly being reached. Of the pledges, two have been for a hundred dollars (just fantastic). We also had this: As a full-time student living on nothing other than student loans, I do not have a lot to give. However, I think I can sacrifice a few lattes! I will start off with a pledge of $20. Thanks for trying to set this up! I hope others are enthusiastic as well. This pledge is from a US citizen, replying to an idea from Australia, to help saves bats in Bangladesh from ending up on the supper menu. That one put a lump in my throat.

To make your pledges real, the bank account details are below. I’ll contact each of you that has pledged individually, and we thank you all greatly. We are also donating a free copy of the Flying-fox Manual to help with rehabilitation knowledge to Shahneaz. If you have been thinking about this, now is the time to act. Donations do not have to be huge, every $5.00 brings us closer. Give up a coffee today to help these guys. I will update regularly, and the sooner we can get this equipment to Shahneaz the quicker we can stop these beautiful gentle giants from being eaten. When you pay in your donations, please do 2 things: (1) put BATS and your initial and surname in the reference section of your bank transfer (e.g. BATS D. Pinson), and (2) email me at stickeebatz@gmail.com with your full name and how much you put in. We need a simple auditable paper trail to avoid future problems.

Account name: David Pinson; Bank: Commonwealth Bank. ADDRESS: 11 Wharf St. Murwillumbah. NSW 2484. Australia. BSB: 06-2580 Account number: 10228357 Swift Code: CTB AAU2S

Wildlife Bytes 12/4/12

Kangaroos

Here is another kangaroo website...its very good, lots of comprehensive info about the commercial kangaroo kill, and why it deters tourists from coming to Australia.
http://www.destinationaustralia-nothanks.com and here's more kangaroo websites below...if anyone knows of any other kangaroo protection websites, please let us know so we can promote them. There is so much information on the Internet now about the disgusting kangaroo Industry that there is no excuse for anyone to not be well-informed about it.

http://thinkkangaroos.uts.edu.au/
http://www.nokangaroomeat.org
http://wlpa.org/kangaroo.htm
http://sponsoroo.com
http://www.kangarooextinction.org
http://stopkangarookilling.org/
http://www.stopkangarookilling.org
http://www.australiansocietyforkangaroos.com
http://www.savethekangaroo.com/what_you_can_do/kickcrueltyout.shtml
http://www.awpc.org.au
http://www.kangaroo-protection-coalition.com
http://www.destinationaustralia-nothanks.com

This petition appeals to Adidas to stop using kangaroo leather in their products. Each year, approximately 3 million kangaroos are killed in what is widely regarded as the largest wildlife massacre on the planet. There are 10,326 signatures on this Petition already. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/adidas-stop-using-kangaroo-leather/

Central Queensland Action Plan for Flying Foxes

Your help is requested to sign letters and postcards which object to the LNP allowing the shooting or electrocution of flying-foxes in orchards. On Wednesday 18th April 2012 at 5pm to 9pm at Helens House, 136 Old Rockhampton Road, Yeppoon (opposite the Barmaree turnoff). Look for the sign or the bat mobile. We will follow the format from Pauls Bambrick very successful letter signing event with wine and Pizza and lots of good people, please be one of them
Our concerns: Electrocution of flying-foxes was banned in 2001 and shooting in 2008 in recognition by the RSPCA and the Qld. Animal Welfare Advisory Committee that these methods are inhumane. The species had declined by up to 40% in the last 30 years,two species listed as vulnerable. There is no excuse for committing, allowing or encouraging cruelty to animals or for killing threatened species. We need to assist fruit growers to adopt non-lethal methods of crop protection and work toward replacing habitat and food areas to ensure the future viability of these keystone pollinators. If you can not attend please contact me and I will email the letter for your distribution. Thank You, Joy Davison-Lee 4925 0124 *Network Item

Great White Sharks

They are known as one of the deadliest creatures on Earth. But according to a shocking new study, great white sharks are also one of the most endangered. Wildlife experts say there are now fewer than 3,500 great whites left in the oceans, making them rarer than tigers. Yesterday, marine biologists called for an end to mankind's long battle with sharks and demanded urgent action to prevent them going extinct. Great white sharks have a deserved reputation as ruthless and efficient killers, who use ambush techniques to attack fish, dolphins and seals from below. They can grow 20 feet in length, weigh up to 5,000 lb and are found in any warm coastal waters - from the Mediterranean to New Zealand. Most, however, live off the coasts of California, Mexico, Australia and South Africa. The new estimates of their population are due to published later this year by scientists at Stanford University who have been studying the migration of sharks tagged with radio transmitters. They found that great whites are incredible long distance swimmers, capable of travelling 12,000 miles in nine months.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1252237/Great-White-Sharks-endangered-tigers-just-3-500-left-oceans.html#ixzz1rfcNW17R

Red-eared Slider Turtles

This week a group of kids were found playing in a suburban Sydney street with a Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans). Luckily, a passer by recognised the turtle for what it was, and reported it to NSW DPI. Very popular as pets oversesas, they are a devastating pest in Australia, and have been found in number of localities. They are voracious feeders that eat anything, and breed quickly. When introduced to areas outside its natural range the species may cause serious loss of aquatic biodiversity. The World Conservation Union’s Invasive Species Specialist Group lists these turtles among the world’s 100 worst invasive species. Unfortunately they are the most widely kept pet animal in the world. * WPAA

Dingoes

Biosecurity SA says the outback dog fence is still a reliable way of keeping dingoes out of pastoral country, despite a decision to try aerial baiting for the first time. Until recent years, dingoes were seldom spotted south of the dog fence. But due to increased sightings, Biosecurity SA has decided to drop 30,000 baits over 6,000 square kilometres of inaccessible terrain, to try to reduce dingo numbers. Peter Bird from Biosecurity SA says the outback fence is in good condition but dingoes have still been able to make their way south through South Australia. "There has been a number of people perhaps move away from sheep to other enterprises and so there's been reduced incentive for ongoing control inside the fence," he said. "Ground baiting will remain the predominant method for controlling dingoes but the aerial baiting will complement that in particular hard to get at spots." *ABC

Gliders Return

Eighteen years after huge bushfires destroyed much of the Royal National Park, the area's biggest native mammal has finally returned. Greater glider possums - tree-dwelling marsupials that grow to nearly a metre - had been missing from the ecosystem since 1994, when fire turned the eucalyptus canopy into a desert of charred tree trunks. But that changed last month when a birdwatcher glimpsed a large, furry shape sailing between trees at dusk. The news rippled through the ranks of parks and wildlife officers and a spotlighting expedition was mounted. Before long, there were two more confirmed sightings. 'We're very excited about this find,'' said Debbie Andrew, a biologist with the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. Fauna surveys in 1996, 1997 and 2010 found no trace of the marsupial. It is not clear if the glider is a descendant of survivors that endured lean times in the park, or if it migrated along a treetop corridor from the Illawarra.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/possum-magic-national-park-sightings-suggest-glider-is-back-after-bushfires-20120408-1wjll.html#ixzz1rfjk5ABM

Kangaroo Cruelty

Nigel Franks, 19 faces an aggravated animal cruelty conviction if found guilty of intentionally running over an eastern grey kangaroo, kicking it to death and then dragging the animal's lifeless body behind his car and dumping the dead animal on a city street in Wodonga, Victoria. The kangaroo's joey was also killed. In January a reference to the crime appeared on the teen's Facebook page which led to an investigation. When the kangaroo was found, a rope was tied around her neck and arm, and a trail of blood and hair could be traced along the route the animal was dragged. According to the Border Mail, Franks has nine charges against him including two counts each of aggravated animal cruelty, offensive behavior, and driving in a dangerous manner. This morning outside of the Wodonga Magistrates' Court, a member of the Australian Society for Kangaroos claimed to have been pushed by Frank's father. Other protestors carried placards asking for a harsh punishment to the teen if he is found guilty. The maximum sentence for the crimes could be two years in prison and up to a $60,000 fine. This morning the case was postponed for the second time until June 4. The Australian Society for Kangaroos (ASK) is a nonprofit organization which helps the dwindling population of kangaroos survive against drought, loss of natural habitat and the kangaroo slaughter industry which claims the lives of 3.6 million kangaroos annually for meat, pet food and skins for shoes. * Examiner.com
Read more .. http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/local/news/general/protesters-mob-accused-roo-killer/2512595.aspx

New Website

Another good website here, mostly about birds. http://beforeitsgone.com.au

Texting can be Bad for Your Health

Yesterday I was driving down the Northern Brisbane Freeway when I noticed a bloke in a Qld. government car busy texting as he drove....and it was a long message, he kept at it for some time. Then we read about a Californian man who was so preoccupied with sending a text on his mobile phone that he walked into a bear. The man was caught on video walking straight into the path of the 500lb black bear in a street in La Crescenta, Los Angeles. However, just feet before he reaches it, he notices the huge bear - and turns and runs in the nick of time. Local residents were warned to be on the lookout for the bear, which was later contained in a back garden. The man's lucky escape was videoed by a police helicopter which was tracking the bear. *

Sealions

A Washington state wildlife spokesman says two salmon-eating California sea lions have been captured this week at Bonneville Dam and killed by lethal injection. The Oregonian reports the deaths are the first this year after a federal judge ruled last month the program could proceed. Washington Fish and Wildlife spokesman Craig Bartlett says the sea lions were captured Tuesday. The killings are limited to California sea lions documented as targeting spring chinook or steelhead near Bonneville, the first dam the returning fish encounter on their run up the Columbia River. The sea lions also must return to the dam despite nonlethal hazing and be spotted nearby for at least five days, though the days can accumulate over several years. The Humane Society of the United States has filed suit in an effort to permanently end the sea lion killings. *Washington Post

Birds

Shorebird numbers are plummeting in Tasmania, a conservation forum in Hobart heard yesterday. And native grasslands between Hobart and Launceston are at serious risk, threatening bandicoots, potoroos and bettongs. University of Tasmania professor Jamie Kirkpatrick told the Ecological Society of Australia that the outlook was sad for many landscapes and the creatures that needed them. *Mercury

Fraser the Long-Nosed Bandicoot

Found at Burpengary after his mum and siblings were sadly killed after being hit by a car and thrown from the pouch. Transported to The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by the concerned motorist, who stopped to pick up the injured animals. Veterinary Assessment: Dr Bec checked over Fraser and found he was luckily free from any injuries, though quiet. He was moving well and his eyes were closed. Dr Bec adminstered Fraser with fluids and pain relief, and fed him with a low lactose infant formula. Fraser was then set up in a warm joey pouch in the Nursery ICU. Outcome: Fraser was transferred to a local registered wildlife carer later that same afternoon, and will remain in care until he is old enough for release back into the wild.
AZWH Statistic: Over 600 animals have been admitted in the past six months after being hit by cars. Please slow down on our roads these Easter school holidays!

Snake on a Plane

An Australian pilot said he was forced to make a harrowing landing reminiscent of a Hollywood thriller after a snake popped out from behind his dashboard and slithered across his leg during a solo cargo flight. Braden Blennerhassett — unsure whether the snake was venomous — said Thursday that his heart raced as he tried to keep his hands still while maneuvering the plane back to the northern city of Darwin. The snake popped its head out from behind the instrument panel several times, Blennerhassett said, and then the ordeal worsened when the animal crawled across his leg during the approach to the airport. "I've seen it on a movie once, but never in an airplane," Blennerhassett told Australian Broadcasting Corp., referring to the 2006 movie "Snakes on a Plane," in which deadly snakes are deliberately released in an airliner as part of a murder plot. The 26-year-old Air Frontier pilot was alone in a twin-engine Beechcraft Baron G58 and had just left Darwin airport on a cargo run to a remote Outback Aboriginal settlement when he saw the snake on Tuesday.

Air Frontier director Geoff Hunt described Blennerhassett as a "cool character" who radioed air traffic control to report: "I'm going to have to return to Darwin. I've got a snake on board the plane." But Blennerhassett admits he was shaken, telling Nine Network television that his blood pressure and hear rate were "a bit elevated." "You're trying to be as still as you possibly can and when you've got your hands on the power levers," he told ABC. "You're kind of worried about the snake taking that as a threat and biting you." "As the plane was landing, the snake was crawling down my leg, which was frightening," he told Nine. Once the plane had landed, a firefighter spotted the snake but authorities were not immediately able to catch it, Air Frontier official Michael Ellen said. A trap baited with a mouse failed to catch the snake by Thursday, and the plane remained grounded. Wildlife ranger Sally Heaton said the snake was suspected to be a golden tree snake, a non-venomous species that can grow up to 1.5 meters (5 feet). Blennerhassett was back in the air Thursday and could not be immediately contacted for comment. Hunt said he was not aware of a snake being found in a plane before in Australia, but that he had heard of a young chicken being found alive under the floor of a plane and of an escaped juvenile crocodile crawling under a pilot's rudder pedal. *ABC Ed Comment; This story went worldwide.

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 *

Polar Bears

Symptoms of a mysterious disease that has killed scores of seals off Alaska and infected walruses are now showing up in polar bears, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said on Friday. Nine polar bears from the Beaufort Sea region near Barrow were found with patchy hair loss and oozing sores on their skin, similar to conditions found in diseased seals and walruses, the agency said in a statement. Unlike the sickened seals and walruses, the affected polar bears seem otherwise healthy, said Tony DeGange, chief of the biology office for the USGS's Alaska Science Center. There had been no deaths among polar bears, he said. The nine affected bears were among the 33 that biologists have captured and sampled while doing routine studies on the Arctic coastline, DeGange said. Patchy hair loss has been seen before in polar bears, but the high prevalence in those spotted by the researchers and the simultaneous problems in seal and walrus populations elevate the concern, he said.

The USGS is coordinating with agencies studying the other animals to investigate whether there is a link, he said. "There's a lot we don't know yet, whether we're dealing with something that's different or something that's the same," he said. The disease outbreak was first noticed last summer. About 60 seals were found dead and another 75 diseased, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Most of the affected seals are ringed seals, but diseased ribbon, bearded and spotted seals were also found. Several walruses in northwestern Alaska were found with the disease, and some of those died as well, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The diseased seals and walruses, many of them juveniles, had labored breathing and lethargy as well as the bleeding sores, according to the experts. The agencies launched an investigation into the cause of the disease, which has also turned up in bordering areas of Canada and Russia.

Preliminary studies showed that radiation poisoning is not the cause, temporarily ruling out a theory that the animals were sickened by contamination from the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan. Spread of the disease among seals continues. A sickened and nearly bald ribbon seal pup was found about a month ago near Yakutat on the Gulf of Alaska coastline, according to the agency. The animal was so sick it had to be euthanized. All of the afflicted species are dependent on Arctic sea ice and considered vulnerable to seasonal ice loss. Polar bears are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, and listings are being considered for the Pacific walrus and for the ringed, bearded and ribbon seals. * Reuters

Pooh Corner

A new environment centre will be built among the squirrel gliders and eastern gray kangaroos that inhabit Brisbane's west if the LNP Brisbane City Council is re-elected this month. Lord Mayor Graham Quirk announced a low-cost move this morning to place a $250,000 community environment centre in Pooh Corner near the Centenary Suburbs in Brisbane's south-west if re-elected. Brisbane City Council bought the 138 hectare patch of threatened bushland from the Department of Defence in 2008. "This is the next step forward," Cr Quirk said today. "This will provide a point of education in terms of the local community. "There are 40 different types of flora and fauna within this piece of bushland." The proposed centre would be run by the local environment group, the Centenary and District Environment Action Incorporated. CDEA president Shealagh Walker welcomed the decision and said they would direct the displays and information to local school and environment groups.

Ms Walker said the bushland - which until 2008 faced being cleared for industrial use and wiping out the habitat of 1300 kangaroos - had many threatened species. "There [are] the Squirrel Gliders, which is why we have the Powerful Owls because the Powerful Owls like to eat the Squirrel Gliders," Ms Walker said. "There are also nightjars, as well as the Eastern Grey Kangaroos, the red-necked wallabies, the swamp wallabies," she said. "And we have seen a koala fairly recently." Cr Quirk said work on the centre would begin relatively quickly if his team won the council elections on April 28. "Getting water and power to the site are obviously the main things," he said. "We are not fixed how we do it. It may be that we bring a removal house to the site and bring water and power to it." It would be Brisbane's third environment centre - the other two are both on the city's northside, at Downfall Creek and Boondall Wetlands. Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/lord-mayor-makes-green-pledge-for-pooh-corner-20120410-1wm5j.html#ixzz1rcCnMbka

Ed Comment, just few years ago the Qld Labor Government were going to kill the kangaroos at Pooh Corner, but a strong campaign by local activists stopped the kill. Now the area is to be a protected Reserve and Environmnet Centre...fantastic!

Skinks

The secret life of one of Australia’s rarest skinks will be revealed for the first time after a family of the threatened reptiles was microchipped in what is believed to be a world first. As its name implies, the western spiny-tailed skink is found only in remote areas of WA’s mid-west region. The native lizards, which are bordering on extinction, grow to about 20cm and have a distinctive short, fat spiny tail which helps them climb over rocky outcrops. WWF-Australia spokesman Phil Lewis said the family of rare skinks was discovered living in a wood pile on a farm near the town of Wyalkatchem, about 200km northeast of Perth. “Past landclearing has reduced the skinks’ natural woodland habitat to islands of bushland surrounded by working farms, which means they are forced to find other habitats such as woodpiles or sheets of tin,” Mr Lewis said. Ten skinks were measured and microchipped, including three adults and seven juveniles, before they were relocated to a safer location for ongoing monitoring. The relocation and microchipping were jointly conducted by WWF, WA’s Department of Environment and Conservation, Wheatbelt National Resource Management, Greening Australia WA, the Balcatta Veterinary Hospital, local Noongar Aboriginal trainees and the farm owner. Mr Lewis said the skinks could live for decades but were threatened by livestock and feral predators, such as foxes and cats. “Hopefully we’ll now be able to shed some more light on how these threatened skinks live, which we can use to preserve their last remaining populations,” Mr Lewis said. Western spiny-tailed skinks are one of the few reptile species that cohabit, living in colonies of up to 16 lizards. The State Government lists them as rare, or likely to become extinct. *WA News

Stingers in Moreton Bay

A relation of the deadly box jellyfish has been found in Moreton Bay, with a marine expert warning the stinger can cause irukandji syndrome. Dr Lisa-Ann Gershwin, a senior marine stinger adviser, confirmed the creature in the photograph taken by a stand-up paddle-boarder on Saturday was a morbakka jellyfish. "That is an absolutely stunning photo of morbakka, the irukandji species that is native to Moreton Bay," Dr Gershwin said. "There seems to be numerous reports of morbakka this year in different places around the greater Moreton Bay region, so I am a bit perplexed as to how many are around at the moment." Redcliffe man Rhys Porter, 22, said the critters have invaded the bay. Mr Porter snapped the photo about 100m off Clontarf Beach at Redcliffe in metre-deep water and said he had never seen a jellyfish that large in such shallow water. Mr Porter has been paddle boarding in the area for five years. "The jellyfish have been really bad this year ... the sting is like a green ant's bite. They're really late in the season too - usually they're gone by January," Mr Porter said.

"They're always in big clusters," he said. Mr Porter works at a kite surfing business across from the beach. "We've been warning customers about the jellyfish but it's going into winter and apparently they go away," he said. Dr Gershwin said the sting of a morbakka was "mild" and was "unlikely to be life-threatening". "Morbakka has been confirmed in one case requiring life support, so it obviously has the ability to give a serious sting," Dr Gershwin said. There are at least 14 varieties of irukandj species throughout the world. In Australia they linger from Port Douglas to Sydney, while the variety found in Moreton Bay are native to the bay. Dr Gershwin said the critters have four thick, tapeworm-like tentacles and its wide top distinguished it as a morbakka. "Morbakka grows to a body height of about 15cm and has bright pink dots on the body. Never, ever trust species with bright pink colour unless you know for sure they are safe - bright colours are usually signs of warning colouration," Dr Gershwin said. Stings should be flooded with vinegar to neutralise undischarged stinging cells; this won't take the pain away but will prevent additional venom from being injected. Urgent medical treatment is vital. *Courier Mail

Spiders

They're colourful, small and hidden in the garden. But unsuspecting Easter egg hunters may find more than chocolate this weekend as redback spiders have thrived in recent mild weather. Vernon Austen first noticed a redback in the bathroom of his family's West Ryde home at Christmas. While mowing his lawn last weekend he found more than 20 of the poisonous spiders under the base of his six-year-old son's sandpit. ''That's when we thought it would be a good idea to get the [pest] people out to deal with it,'' he said. The director of PestFree Pest Control, Dennis Kokontis, said mild weather and heavy rain over the past two years had been a boon for many pests. ''It's not only redbacks, we are getting a lot more white tip [spiders] which is a big concern,'' he said. Redbacks live across the continent, but are more numerous in warmer parts of the country and in built-up areas. While the native arachnids prefer drier conditions, damp and moisture cause population explosions of mosquitoes and other insects redbacks feast on.

They prefer to spin their untidy webs on a side of the house that receives more sun, as well as hiding under steps, on downpipes and in children's toys and old bikes, Mr Kokontis said. The Australian Museum's collection manager for arachnology, Graham Milledge, said spiders become noticeable at this time of year as they reached their adult stages. He said most species had an annual lifecycle; spiderlings hatched in spring, matured by autumn when females lay their eggs and then died over winter. ''There are exceptions, some spiders mature over spring and are juvenile during winter,'' Mr Milledge said. Other species, such as the funnel-web and trap-door spiders, could live for up to several years. The director of Sydney's Best Pest Control, Sam Yehia, said as redbacks were webbing spiders they were easy to spot and exterminate. ''They normally give themselves away pretty quickly,'' Mr Yehia said.*Age

Birds and Bats

There's a menace in the skies above Gympie, and it's got nothing to do with strange lights at night or noisy helicopters. The problem is of the winged variety: some leathery, some feathery. Increasing numbers of flying foxes and corellas, and reported sightings of "flying rats", indian mynas, in the Gympie region drew a response from the Department of Environment and Resource Management yesterday. The flying fox colony at Widgee Crossing has returned to full strength after diminishing in the wake of floods earlier this year, and the newly elected State Government has pledged to overturn the four-year ban on damage mitigation permits that allow farmers to shoot flying foxes threatening fruit crops. The colony fluctuates in size from 50,000-100,000, and while DERM confirmed its numbers had reduced over summer, the abundant food supply now available because of the rain meant large numbers of flying foxes could now occur in many south-east Queensland areas.

Widgee Crossing is populated by grey-headed, black and little red flying foxes and is an important nursery site for the grey headed flying fox. "The colony is about the same size as it was before the flood, but there is a change in the species ratios, with more black flying foxes than grey-headed flying foxes," DERM said. Gympie Mayor Ron Dyne welcomed the State Government pledge as a positive move for orchardists, though he said the Gympie Regional Council had received no complaints from growers about flying foxes or corellas, and that the permits were more about moving the flying foxes on than culling them. Local rural producers are more likely to have trouble with wood ducks, also a protected species, which can cause havoc with forage crops such as lucerne and sorghum. "It's been a different issue for the North Burnett Council because where the (flying fox) colony was right over their water supply," Cr Dyne said.

Flying foxes are native to Australia and roosts such as Widgee Crossing are protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. DERM also monitors flying fox roosts at Inskip Point, Searys Ck, Snapper Point, Varley Rd at Glenwood, Power St at Neerdie, Dinnies Ck at Tin Can Bay, the Amamoor State Forest and Hyne Estate Rd at Kandanga. Increasing corella numbers are causing concern for some residents, with the native white cockatoos notoriously destructive of the trees where they perch, chewing off the bark and small twigs. They roost in the trees overnight and fly off to feed in the early morning and late afternoon with an almost deafening screeching. "Rangers have had a complaint from neighbours of people who have been feeding corellas, due to their noise and the damage the birds do to gardens," DERM said. Indian mynahs, not to be confused with native noisy miners, have spread from Asia and are considered an invasive pest. There are only a few isolated communities of the bird in the state. *Gympie Times

Wildlife Bytes 5/4/12

Qld Politics

We are lucky enough to now have Andrew Powell appointed as Qld Environment Minister. We suspect there will now be some changes in the DERM bureaucracy and policies, but we will just have wait and see. Our WPAA International Delegate Lady Carla Davis, an astute political observer, summarises the Election results further below. *

1080

This sequence is from the 4 x international award winning documentary Poisoning Paradise - Ecocide New Zealand. It introduces the use of 1080 poison in Australia, and some of the unintended consequences. The full version of Poisoning Paradise can be viewed by copying and pasting this link to your browser. http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/festival/play/7123/P http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=T_xVRAoXsew *Network Item

Opportunity

Mackay Conservation Group and the North Queensland Environmental Defender’s Office (NQ EDO) are inviting a volunteer to work with them for 6-8 weeks, to assist with research and organising expert witnesses for a proposed case challenging the diversion of a creek to allow the expansion of an open cut coal mine. The landholder can provide accommodation, travel costs and food/living requirements. If you, or anyone you know, is interested in this work, please contact Patricia Julien, Coordinator, Mackay Conservation Group. This opportunity may suit a law student (or two), seeking experience - or a retired/semi-retired lawyer who has the time to assist. Patricia Julien, Coordinator, Mackay Conservation Group ph: (07) 4966 8025
e: pafjulien@hotmail.com Background notes are availaible from Mackay Conservation Group

Kangaroos

Here is a very good new kangaroo website ... http://www.kangaroosatrisk.net There are now several quality kangaroo websites getting good traffic, so there's really no excuse for anyone to be uninformed on the cruelty, human health risks, unsustainability, and negative environmental impacts of the commercial kangaroo kill. * WPAA


Kangaroos have been nominated as threatened species in NSW after government data has revealed kangaroo numbers have fallen by up to 90% in NSW harvest zones in the last ten years alone. "Plagues of kangaroos don't exist and exploding populations are biologically impossible" said the paper's author, ecologist Ray Mjadwesch. "These myths are successfully perpetuated by the kangaroo industry, and repeated by uncritical media and ordinary Australians. Kangaroo populations grow around10% per year and decline during drought. "On average an Eastern Grey doe will replace herself only once in her lifetime. "Yet the government data claims population growths of up to over 300% and even increasing during drought," he said. "The data also shows alarming downward trends, with less than 2% kangaroos remaining in some NSW harvest zones. "Most Australians don't realise that whole wild mobs are being shot every night to put on their plate, feed to their pets, or export overseas as a novelty food. "It is of deep concern I can drive for hours in rural and western NSW and not see a single kangaroo, dead or alive," Mr Mjadwesch said. "200 years of threats to the kangaroo has taken its toll. "In 1839 Charles Darwin expressed concern at the rapid decline of kangaroo numbers saying "It may be long before these animals are altogether exterminated, but their doom is fixed". "Regulators must review their policies and the status of kangaroos, and afford protection for Australia's most recognisable icon," he said. The discussion paper is available at www.kangaroosatrisk.net *Ray Mjadwesch: +61 02 6331 5858
http://www.kangaroosatrisk.net


A South Australian man has filmed the moment three wedge-tailed eagles chased down a kangaroo in bushland. The video shows the roo standing on its strong back legs, raising its paws in the air as if ready to box the winged assailants. Tassin Barnard, the owner and general manager of the Australian Walkabout Wildlife Park, told ninemsn she had heard of such things happening but they were extremely rare. "Normally in that type of situation when birds attack kangaroos, it is because they are feeling threatened or they have babies nearby," Ms Barnard said. "What is almost certainly happening is that the birds are defending, or believe their babies are under attack." It is unlikely the kangaroos were looking for the nest of the eagles but probably chanced upon it when foraging for food nearby. Kangaroos are not easily deterred and will fight back by boxing, kicking and biting their opponents. "All animals have such a strong instinct to protect their babies," Ms Barnard said. Luckily for the kangaroo, it managed to outrun the angry birds and escape serious harm. Ms Barnard said that despite spending the last seven years working full time with kangaroos, she had never seen such an attack with her own eyes. *MNS NZ
Watch video here ... http://news.msn.co.nz/worldnews/8445245/wedge-tailed-eagles-dive-bomb-kangaroo


A Teen accused of torturing and killing a kangaroo in an act of animal cruelty has been escorted from court by a police entourage. A crowd of police surrounded the man, and his father, as they left Wodonga Magistrates' Court this morning. A large number of protestors were in attendance at the Court.
http://www.AustralianSocietyforKangaroos.org E: AustralianSocietyforKangaroos@gmail.com

Turtles and Dugong

Barbra Hardy has donated this lovely painting to the turtle and dugong campaign. It is signed by Bob Irwin on the back. http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220992985660

Wildlife Patient of the Week...Thunder the Carpet Python

Found in a hutch at Glass House Mountains after ingesting two of the family’s pet guinea pigs. Transported to The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by the concerned family, after becoming entangled in rope during their attempted removal from the hutch. Veterinary Assessment; Dr Bec assessed Thunder and found the rope was so tight it was cutting off blood supply. Thunder was otherwise uninjured. Dr Bec quickly cut the rope from Thunder’s neck. Once free, Thunder stretched and regurgitated the last meal, which weighed a whopping 2.1kg (more than Thunder’s own body weight!) Thunder was administered pain relief and fluids, and set up in the Reptiles ICU for observation until well enough for release back into the wild, hopefully in a few days. AZWH Statistic: Coming into cooler months, carpet pythons will be on the hunt for food sources. Please call us for removal advice to prevent injury to yourself and our wildlife! *AZWH

Bees

Don't mess with Japanese honeybees. Not only do they cooperate to attack their enemies, researchers now say their brains may actually be processing and responding to the threat.
When confronted with their arch-enemy, the aggressive giant Asian hornet, the honeybees will attack it by swarming en masse around the hornet and forming what scientists call a "hot defensive bee ball" - a move unique to their species. With up to 500 bees all vibrating their flight muscles at once, the bee ball cooks the hornet to death. While this defensive manoeuvre has been known for some time, the mechanism behind it has been shrouded in mystery. But researchers at Japan's University of Tokyo , through study of the bees' brains, have now found that neural activity in bees taking part in the attack picks up. "When the hornet, the Japanese honeybee's natural enemy, enters a colony, the bees quickly form a 'hot defensive bee ball,' trapping the hornet inside and heating it up to 46°C with their collective body heat," says Atsushi Ugajin of the University of Tokyo. *Rueters
Read more .. http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2012/04/03/3470076.htm?site=science&topic=latest

MuttonBirds

Short-tailed shearwaters (muttonbirds) migrate from the Arctic region to the southern parts of Australia -- a 30,000 km round trip -- every year. Here on our shores they return to the same burrow every year and each pair lays just one egg. Muttonbirds are protected by an international treaty and are protected by all Australian states except Tasmania. Despite the Tasmanian Government describing these birds as 'one of the world's most amazing migratory birds', they will permit around 100,000 chicks to be killed this year for meat and oil (including recreational and commercial seasons). Recreational 'harvesters' are allowed to take 15 to 25 birds per day, which means that a single licensed person can take up to 400 chicks during the 16-day killing season. To make matters worse, no training or experience is required in killing the birds quickly and with a minimum of pain. It is highly likely that many birds suffer prolonged and painful deaths. Please urgently call on Bryan Green, Tas Minister for Primary Industries, and Tas Premier Lara Giddings to join all other Australian states in protecting these birds and to end Tasmania's slaughter of muttonbirds.
Read more, take action, ... http://www.animalsaustralia.org/take_action/muttonbirds/

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 *

Dingoes

Dingoes have savaged tourists in three separate incidents on Fraser Island in the past eight days. The Department of Environment and Resource Management warned tour operators, residents and visitors to exercise extreme caution while visiting the world heritage site. Unconfirmed reports suggest the latest attack, which occurred on Monday, involved dingoes from a pack repeatedly biting a tourist. DERM Great Sandy regional manager Ross Belcher said several campers have been bailed up or bitten by dingoes at Fraser Island's K'Gari campground and other nearby camps in the past fortnight. "A female camper was bitten on March 20, and two male campers have been bitten on separate occasions on March 22 and 28, while on March 21 and 26 dingoes circled and tried to bite people," Mr Belcher said. "Two of the incidents involved four or five dingoes." He said reports to QPWS had showed an increase in number and seriousness of incidents recently.

Packs of dingoes at K'Gari and nearby areas have also ripped tents and stolen items from campgrounds. Rainbow Beach Adventure Company co-owner Ben Kelly confirmed Monday's victim was on one of his tours. He said the tourist was attacked at K'gari Aboriginal Campground while touring the island with a group of backpackers. "Nomads had an attack last Tuesday and the rangers were informed about it," Mr Kelly said. "There was another attack this week - the rangers were warned the dingoes were dangerous." DERM urged visitors to Dundubara - Maheno area, in private camps and beach camping zones to follow Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service dingo safety advice and avoid interaction with dingoes at all times. DERM said rangers had been camping at K'Gari campground since March23 and will continue to do so until the risk has been reduced. *Sunshine Coast Daily

Death Watch for Fraser Island Dingoes..

Easter on Fraser Island may be a time of fun and frivolity for the tourist, but for the native Fraser Island dingo it is a time of destruction and death. With the backing of an inept bureaucracy, rangers are virtually given 'carte blanche' to eliminate dingoes they consider to be a problem. An animal can be reported for simply being curious or walking through a recognised visitor site, once the dingo becomes a nuisance it rarely reaches adulthood. April is breeding season, animals are more active, more territorial and more likely to come into conflict with visitors. This should be taken into consideration and more rangers should be monitoring the behaviour of tourists, rather than destroying dingoes. Already the local media have been headlining news that a dangerous pack of animals are stalking helpless visitors. The timing, one week before the Easter onslaught of tourists, is hardly a coincidence, in fact, it happens every year and is a prelude to the annual cull of animals in the name of protecting visitors.

How many animals will be destroyed this Easter? How long can the population sustain the continued 'protection' of the Dept. Environment and Resource Management? According to DERM, at least 100 animals perish each year of natural causes, this does not factor in animals destroyed by rangers. Is this acceptable? According to DERM a healthy population is living inland and thriving on whale and dugong. Could DERM explain how this is possible? It is time for change, a change in management and management practices. The LNP have promised an independent review, but it wont save the pups destined for destruction over this holiday period. Lets hope next year will be a safer and more secure environment for our Island dingo. * Media Release, Save Fraser Isalnd Dingoes Inc.


This Petition states: That the Australian native species – Canis dingo – also known as Canis lupus dingo – or Canis familiaris dingo - is omitted from listing as a species within the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act) 1999 . The dingo is Australia’s apex mammalian predator and is scientifically shown to be a necessary part of healthy wild eco-systems for the continued wellbeing of biodiversity within systems where herbivorous species find habitat. The dingo performs a similar role in Australia to that of the lion of Africa. Where populations of dingoes have been extirpated the ecosystems are now in severe danger of collapse due to mesopredator invasions of foxes, cats etc. introduced by European settlers. Your petitioners ask/request that the Senate: Include the specific listing of Canis dingo within the full meaning of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, and further that the species be declared as “threatened” within the appropriate section of that Act. *Network Item
http://www.petitiononlineaustralia.com/petition/protect-australias-native-dingo-remove-it-from-vermin-lists-include-it-in-the-national-epbc-act/77


And here is a nice collection of dingo photos. .... http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150474881434677.372134.689834676&type=3

Marine Rubbish

Marine debris is one of the greatest threats to Australia’s unique marine ecosystems. Wildlife entanglement, drowning and increased pollution in the marine food chain, are just some of the growing challenges currently faced. In fact, plastic, glass, fishing nets and other debris affects more than 270 species of animals worldwide, yet little is known about the full impact of marine debris on wildlife. An increasing issue is floods, which are washing even larger amounts of debris into our waterways further impacting our marine life. Dr Kathy Townsend from the University of QLD has already found that 35% of sea turtles in QLD are dying due to marine debris, often mistaking plastics floating in our oceans with jellyfish.While researchers like Dr Townsend have identified some animals that are heavily impacted by marine debris – such as sea turtles in the north of Australia and seabirds nesting on offshore islands – there is still a lack of quantitative data to describe the sources of debris.

A new program called TeachWild has been launched to tackle this global issue and bring scientists together with teachers and students to carry out hands-on field work to better understand the issue. Richard Gilmore, Executive Director, Earthwatch Australia says, Earthwatch wanted to support the national marine debris survey and saw an opportunity to involve students and teachers in this important work. “TeachWild provides Australians with the opportunity to learn about the global challenges of marine debris and to take part in hands-on field research,” he says. The program aims to survey and map the distribution of marine debris, identify major sources of debris and measure the impacts on wildlife. Data collected will contribute to a national marine debris database which highlights the extent of the issue and provides information to improve waste management and better protect marine life.
“Australia has some of world’s most beautiful and remote beaches,” Dr Denise Hardesty of CSIRO says. “Yet I challenge anyone to find any beach in Australia or anywhere in the world that has no rubbish originating from humans.”

Students from Years 6 to 10 will take part in fieldwork and learn about thefundamentals of science, maths, chemistry, oceanography and other topics linked to the national science curriculum. Shell in Australia’s Vice President, Health Safety & Environment and Sustainable Development Mike Seymour says Shell’s social investment portfolio focuses on education - including projects that encourage an interest in science and technology - and includes national, state and territory initiatives, as well as activities close to key operations. “We are really pleased to be supporting TeachWild as part of our national social investment programme. The health of the ocean is such an important issue, and this project has the potential to inspire students in Australia to learn about marine science in a practical and meaningful way.” To find out more about TeachWild, visit teachwild.org.au, or call Earthwatch on 03 9682 6828.

Flying Foxes

Charters Towers Regional Council has hatched a bold new plan to rid the city of its bat plague and create a tourism gold mine in the process. Mayor Ben Callcott wants to move flying foxes from Lissner Park to a new home on the town's fringes, which could feature a wildlife sanctuary, walking tracks and a golf course. The plan received a boost last week when new Premier Campbell Newman called Cr Callcott to discuss how to remove the bats from the park. Under Cr Callcott's plan, a bat hospital would be created at Young's Block at Gladstone Creek to nurse sick and injured bats. Cr Callcott said the lead scout bats would then notice the new habitat and slowly the colony would move to the area. Cr Callcott said there could also be a lookout to draw tourists to see the bats.

The strategy is modelled on Melbourne City Council's success in moving 20,000 flying foxes from the heritage-listed Botanical Gardens 5km away to Yarra Bend Park in 2003. Cr Callcott said the site was ideal because it already had tall trees, water and grass. He said the council's plan would take up to three years to work but it was the only solution left. The council has applied for 16 permits to move the bats with a combination of sound, noise and water jets. "We've tried everything but this and we have continually beat against a brick wall and achieved nothing," Cr Callcott said. Cr Callcott said he was surprised Mr Newman called him so soon after the election to discuss the bats. He said the Premier was open to his idea of a bat sanctuary. "He's like me. He's open to explore all ideas," he said. "And he's also offered his services to be a part of the negotiating with DERM." Mr Newman told the Bulletin the LNP Government would overhaul the damage mitigation permit system. "We will give faster approval, we will allow all reasonable means of relocation and we will issue longer permit durations so councils can quickly act should the colonies seek to return," he said. *Townsville Bulletin

Environmental groups are up in arms after Queensland's new LNP Government announced it will once again allow farmers to shoot flying foxes. That practise was banned four years ago, but Campbell Newman's recently-installed Government says it will legalise shooting if non-lethal methods of controlling the bats fail. Gayndah, west of Maryborough, prides itself on its thriving citrus industry but has also recently become renowned for something else: the flying foxes that have made the area in and around the town their home. Golden Orange Hotel Motel co-owner Lorraine Mogg says something has to be done. "They came into town about three years ago," she said. "Within two months, three months, we had 300,000 bats here. Nobody would help us. "The smell of them was just atrocious."

Ms Mogg's business partner, Dennis Wilson, says non-lethal methods have been implemented by the council and farmers, yet nothing has moved the flying foxes away permanently. He says that is hurting the rural industries in and around Gayndah. "Especially the citrus trees, if they get in there and start pummelling the fruit, that's a huge part of the economic success of this town," he said. "More so, we have a lot of cattle owners around here and they muster with horses. "Now, the Hendra virus and horses go hand in hand." In 2008, the Queensland Labor government announced it would not be issuing new damage mitigation permits following a finding that shooting flying foxes is inhumane. In the past, those permits had allowed the shooting of flying foxes for control. Now the LNP Government is promising to put the law into farmers' hands. "If you've tried to get rid of the flying foxes in non-lethal method, we will issue damage mitigation permits," Natural Resources and Mines Minister Andrew Cripps said. "Sometimes you have to do it to protect livelihoods. "And we're certainly willing to do it to protect industries and employment in regional and rural Queensland."

That commitment is welcome news at the Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers Cooperative. That group represents more than 400 farmers in the $400 million farm gate industry in the Bundaberg district in southern Queensland. "In the past, there's been a suite of practices that growers have implemented on their orchard," executive officer Peter Hockings said. "First and foremost, there's obviously damage mitigation permits, then there's lighting infrastructure, bird fright and netting of different descriptions." Mr Hockings said some non-lethal methods had worked to some extent, but never effectively on their own. "As an industry we're pushing for a suite of control practices, both non-lethal and damage mitigation permits," he said. But the Queensland Conservation Council's Dr Carol Booth says shooting flying foxes is always inhumane. "We're very concerned by this plan to return to primitive and inhumane methods of crop protection," she said. Dr Booth says flying foxes are here to stay and farmers already have appropriate methods of keeping them away from crops. "Most fruit damage occurs when flying foxes are hungry," she said. "They know where the orchards are, they will target them. "There's nothing apart from nets that will protect orchards when flying foxes are suffering food shortages elsewhere." *ABC

Ed Comment; Carol is right of course, netting is the only protection. Shooting them solves nothing, except to keep farmes up all night, and hasten the FF's inevitable extinction. If shooting is permitted, and we understand its not yet in their Policy, Cando Cambell is wasting his time wth a 10 year Plan....a three year Plan for the LNP may be more appropriate.....

Crocodiles

Fresh calls for crocodile culling emerged after a string of close encounters between Queenslanders and the man-eating reptiles. Senator Ian Macdonald said the Newman Government needed to get tough with crocodiles, and called on the Premier to start focusing on cutting their numbers. Mr Macdonald pointed to two recent incidents in which Queenslanders came too close for comfort with local crocs. A Mackay couple reportedly received a shock on Monday night when their 29th wedding anniversary was interrupted by a 2m crocodile sitting in the middle of the road. Bushland Beach resident John Grasso has also joined the call for a cull, after his car was savaged by a 3m reptile. "They're people-eaters," he said. "They're getting too friendly, too close to the houses and in 20 years' time, there'll be more crocs than people. "Parks and wildlife rang me up and said, 'we might have to put a sign there'. I told him, 'crocodiles can't read'."

The 63-year-old was driving to Ingham in early March when he spotted the large croc at the side of the road. He touched the brakes and attempted to manoeuvre around the creature without disturbing it, when it rushed toward his Ford Falcon. "It turned around and made four or five holes in the bumper bar," he said. "He just stood up and bloody grabbed it - he grabbed it a couple of times. Lucky he didn't bite the tyre - I wouldn't have changed a tyre there, that's for sure." A young woman and her three-year-old were also in the car at the time. "Their eyes were wide open, they'd never seen one in the wild before." Mr Grasso said locals had since taken to calling him the "crocodile man" and his ageing Falcon had become something of a local celebrity. "I thought I'd put the Falcon up for sale - might get another $1000 for it," he said. Further north, wildlife rangers trapped a 2.2m saltie from a Yorkeys Knob golf course yesterday morning. The reptile was removed, but locals claim crocs are regularly spotted in the area. The golf club has been given temporary warning signs, while rangers say they are still on the hunt for a 1.5m croc believed to be lurking near Lake Placid. *Courier Mail


A crocodile has bitten a woman on the leg while she was swimming at a remote bay in Western Australia's Kimberley region. Tara Hawkes, 23, was swimming in a freshwater pool near the tourist vessel True North in Dugong Bay north of Derby on Sunday afternoon when a two-metre crocodile bit her upper leg as she left the water. Ms Hawkes, who was a crew member on the boat, was flown by helicopter to Derby Hospital where she was in a stable condition on Monday night being treated for lacerations and puncture wounds. Peter Trembath of North Star Cruises, the vessel's operator, said in a statement that the attack happened at a swimming hole that was only waist deep. "Crew members checked the pool before entering the water, however they did not detect the crocodile which was estimated to be two metres in length."

Mr Trembath said Ms Hawkes was bitten while getting out of the water. A Department of Environment and Conservation spokesman told AAP the department had put out a warning to tourist operators not to let people swim in the area because it was believed the crocodile was still there. He said it was not known if the animal was a freshwater or a saltwater crocodile but the attack took place in fresh water. He said freshwater crocodiles would usually attack only if people seriously disturbed them. A wildlife officer was on the way to the scene of the attack and the department says it is assessing options to deal with the crocodile. * AAP


A South African woman has been snatched and killed by a crocodile in front of her two children. The woman, identified as 48-year-old Thandazile Madela, was trying to fish near the lake's edge in eastern KwaZulu Natal province early yesterday. A crocodile came out of the water and latched onto her arm, pulling her in. The two children, aged 13 and 14, called for help. After an hour of work, rescue teams managed to force the reptile to release the body, but Ms Madela was already dead, according to the SAPA news agency. The incident took place near iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a World Heritage Site which has one of the highest concentrations of hippos and crocodiles in southern Africa. Warnings about the dangers of crocodiles were intensified following the incident. * Telegraph

Dolphins

Filmmaker and author Hardy Jones and his crew had to stop counting the dead dolphins that were scattered along the Peruvian beach when the number reached 615. The incoming tide made it impossible to continue a task that must have been heartbreaking and exhausting – yet nothing short of a relentless tide or total darkness would have gotten in the way of this man. In a career that has stretched over 30 years, Jones has been a voice for dolphins worldwide, and has taken his message to the world through his films and book. He battles a form of cancer that would render most of us content to spend our days puttering in our gardens. He has faced the brutal dolphin hunters in Taiji, and filmed the slaughter of the animals he loves. So when he was informed of the mass dolphin deaths he did not hesitate to travel from his home in Florida to the remote shores of Peru, and soon found himself counting the endless procession of dolphin carcasses, photographing and filming the scene while scientists took samples and tried to establish the cause.
Read More ... http://blog.seattlepi.com/candacewhiting/2012/04/03/dolphins-dying-by-the-thousands-in-peru-seismic-surveys-by-oil-companies-and-pollution-suspected/

Spiders

A fleck-sized jumping spider resting on a yellow leaf caught the eye of Stuart Harris while on a bushwalk to Boroomba Rocks in Namadgi National Park. A keen amateur photographer, Mr Harris was experimenting with a new macro lens and liked the contrast between the foliage and the spider's markings. And, as millions of photographers do in these digital days, he posted the photograph on his Flickr site. "I though it was an interesting photograph of an unusual spider, and hoped a spider expert might be able to identify it," he says. What happened next defied the odds of statistical probability. Mid-way through a stream of chatty online comments – "never seen anything like it", "very nice!", "amazing colours" – a spider expert in the United States chimed in with a comment. "Probably an unnamed species of Maratus new to science. Any more photographs?" asked a post signed Platycryptus. "Wow, new to science, find that hard to believe – considering how many scientists live nearby in my home town of Canberra," Mr Harris replied.

The expert was David Hill, a retired businessman with a keen interest in jumping spiders (platycryptus is a genus of North American jumping spider) who, coincidentally, was writing a scientific paper on Australian peacock spiders (Maratus) with Sydney researcher Jurgen Otto. They confirmed the Namadgi spider was new species, and named it Maratus harrisi to acknowledge Mr Harris's efforts in spending more than 100 hours searching for a live specimen to describe. "Stuart did the hard work, and this discovery is thanks to his dedication and persistence," Dr Otto says. Peacock spiders are unique to Australia and were first described in 1874, but little was known about the genus until recently. Dr Otto has spent five years photographing the markings of 11 species currently known to science, and filming the spider's dazzling courtship dance. "Only the males have the bright colours, and they're used to spectacular effect," he says.

The male spider has two skin-flaps on either side of the abdomen that fold down against the sides of the body. When a female spider approaches, the male raises his abdomen vertically, the side-flaps pop out and are displayed like a peacock's tail. The spider also raises his third legs – on both sides – and begins dancing. Dr Otto says the Namadgi spider discovery shows "citizen scientists" have an important role to play in documenting new species. "All three of us involved in this discovery are amateurs," he says. Although Dr Otto is a biologist, his speciality is mites. "When it comes to spiders, I'm just an enthusiast." Mr Harris, a Mt Majura vineyard worker, is delighted the new species is named after him, and is contemplating having the Latin nomenclature tattooed on his arm. He's also amazed at the cyber-reach of that first photo. "If I hadn't put the photo up there, none of this might have happened. I think it's incredible someone on the other side of the world saw it," he says.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/how-amateurs-discovered-namadgis-tiny-dancer-20120402-1w95e.html#ixzz1r1JV5USP

Queensland Election Summary....Why Bligh and Labor Got the BIG Boot.. A Wake-Up Call!

There has been a denial of the real reasons why Queenslanders were so angry and reacted so strongly against Bligh and Labor in the recent election. Will this be a wake-up call for the ALP or will the same scenario be repeated at the next Federal election? In a recent interview, the new QLD Labor leader, Anastasia Palaszczuk, seemed to be aware of some of the reasons. However, because the damage was so severe, it will be a very long time before QLD voters trust Labor again. Abbott’s photo ops clearly reveal, as he prances around, that he is expecting Labor to continue to self destruct, so he can simply ride his bike into Parliament as the next PM! Contrary to what some claimed, the election results in QLD, had little if anything to do with Labor being in power for so long. People don’t vote for a change unless dissatisfied.

While this annihilation was mostly a state issue, the wider picture should not be ignored. For too long, politicians in Canberra have governed Australia with a focus on NSW and VIC, as if QLD was irrelevant. North QLD (the most beautiful part of Australia with the greatest potential) and many regional areas have been ignored and isolated, while government catered to the demands of their corporate masters. Much of Australia has been exploited by and/or sold off to foreign interests at Australia’s peril! A few examples are the degradation of our environment by big mining corporations, secret foreign bases experimenting with weather modification with disastrous results (extreme droughts and floods) and soon to be foreign troops on Australian soil. In fact, many Australians find this very disturbing and question whose interest is our government actually working for! It is insulting the intelligence of every Australian, for government to indicate that our own military is incapable of protecting Australia. Yet, they are sent overseas to invade, occupy, kill and be killed, to fight other country’s immoral and illegal wars.

Labor’s disconnect, desertion of its core values and adoption of many of the same policies as its opponent’s, have angered and frustrated many long-time Labor supporters. Adding insult to injury, the PM is blatantly doing exactly what she highly criticised her predecessor for doing in order to appease a foreign alliance. She is placing the demands of a foreign government above the rights and interests of the Australian people. Leaders are ignoring the very people, who they are highly paid to represent! WAKE UP Canberra! Government leaders have a duty to govern, first and foremost, in the best interest of Australia and for the protection all Australians... above the interests of big corporations and foreign alliances! In a Democracy, people expect their rights, interests and liberties to be respected at all times.

Getting back to the election results...
Understandably, little mention has been made about the fact that Queenslanders were very upset about the way Labor ousted Kevin Rudd, and then denigrated him afterwards. This was a bad mistake, which did irreparable damage to both Labor and the PM! Obviously, many voters took revenge at the ballot box. This is a sad situation, considering how hard the PM and many others have and are working for a better Australia. The first big mistake Anna Bligh made in an attempt to appear “strong” was to disconnect from the people of Queensland, This attitude and approach reflected as arrogant and contempt for the very people she was supposed to represent. No matter how much or how often people tried to communicate with her, she refused to listen. If any replies were provided, they were generic and did not address the issues raised. Foolishly, QLD Labor abandoned its long-time Labor supporters, to appease its corporate masters.

Then, in Bligh’s attempt to “modernise” Queensland, she aggressively and rapidly pursued costly policies that destroyed Queensland’s unique lifestyle. Again, no matter how much people tried to communicate and preserve Queensland’s unique lifestyle, she refused to listen. She had no regard for the fact that Queenslanders did not want their lifestyle and QLD to become like NSW or VIC. Nor, did they want QLD to become a "police state!" Every change the Bligh government implemented worsened living conditions, made affordable housing even more unattainable, destroyed small businesses, exposed mismanagement and waste and significantly increased taxes and the cost of living. Commitments were not honoured and the people were often lied to. Flooding from the Dam was another bone of contention. People in north and regional QLD are still suffering from the flood disasters because of centralised control and mismanagement. In the process to modernise QLD, the trust was lost, along with the liberties Queenslanders so passionately valued.

The third big mistake the Bligh government made was to forcefully amalgamate local councils, so that she would have control over water rights. In doing this, Bligh took away people’s rights to govern their communities locally, the way they wanted. Under the new system, local Councils lost many powers to State government, and thus, were unable to govern for the people, by the people, or be accountable to the people. Opposite to what people were told, after amalgamation, property rates and water rates soared!

Shortly thereafter, in one of the most abusive and controversial moves that infuriated most informed Queenslanders, the Bligh government implemented the multi-million dollar, forced fluoridation program on the whole population of QLD, for what ailed less than 10% of the population. This unethical policy was done against the wishes of most informed citizens and without any regard for infants, the elderly or patients with thyroid, kidney, cancer, mental, bone and joint conditions, who would be harmed by the addition of this poison into their precious drinking water and food supply. Queenslanders were denied “freedom of choice” with the forced fluoridation of their drinking water. The long-term ill effects and cost of this bad and ludicrous policy have yet to be determined. Plus, this created a lot of very angry people, who vowed to make this an election issue. Not surprisingly, this was an issue that the controlled mainstream media has not even reported! How ironic that Bligh proclaimed she wanted to protect wild rivers, after she poisoned QLD’s drinking water! This issue will not go away and will continue to be an election issue until peoples again have “freedom of choice” in this matter.

Adding insult to injury, the Bligh government then privatised public assets, to help pay for their huge debt that had been created from decades of mismanagement and waste. This provoked a fury of anger and even more anti-Bligh sentiment among many, once strong, Labor supporters. They also vowed to give Bligh the boot, come election time! Most Queenslanders feel very strong that infrastructure, built with public funds, should never be privatised or sold off, as was done in NSW and VIC. Soaring energy bills and rates, bureaucracy, poisoned water supply, mismanagement and waste have created a terrible burden for small businesses, farmers and Queenslanders alike. Regional Queensland and food security have also been widely ignored. Affordable and suitable housing remains a big problem and continues to worsen. The mining boom and coal seam gas (fracking) projects have created another storm of controversy. The Bligh government operated in a frenzy of greed, catering to their big corporate donors, instead of representing their supporters and protecting Queensland’s environment, the Artesian basin, food security and long-term future. Also, little or no protection or consideration has been extended to farmers, the fishing industry and land owners. Australia’s world renowned fishing industry, especially in the Gladstone area, has been virtually destroyed, and no one in government is properly addressing this disaster. The Great Barrier Reef is also greatly at risk because of pollution, greed and bad policies. The policy of the day has been one of short-term gain and long-term loss. A BIG mistake!

These issues will no doubt become more contentious as more degradation occurs and more people are affected. If the intelligent, hard working leaders in government don’t acknowledge and rectify the issues that are angering and affecting so many Australians, the next Federal election will be even more disastrous for Labor... and Australia! In fact, no political party will be immune to the rath of voters, if politicians abuse their power. What happened in QLD was a wake-up call! The big question now is: Will both State and Federal leaders choose to govern for the people, by the people and be accountable to the people? *Lady Carla Davis

Ed Comment; Thats a very good overview of the political scene at the moment. The only comment we would add is that for possibly the first time ever, many conservationists didnt vote Labor, they voted for the Conservatives, the LNP. But wether Labor will ever take that onboard remains to be seen. *