Wildlife Bytes Australia 25/6/12

Editorial; Croc Trophy Hunting

"It disgusts me that the Australian Government is considering allowing Crocodile hunting in the Northern Territory.  I've just written this letter to Tony Burke - Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water Population and Communities.  I would urge you to do the same.  His address is:  tony.burke.mp@aph.gov.au. "  * Bob Irwin

Bob has written a great letter to Tony Burke about the NT trophy hunting proposal. You can read it here  ..   http://bobirwinwildlifefund.blogspot.com.au/

And there's more. A 1997 Senate  Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee into the Commercial Utilisation of Native Wildlife Committee headed up by Senator John Woodley ( Woodley was among the Democrat Senators who voted with Meg Lees to introduce the GST )  examined the so-called "sustainable commercial use" of wildlife. Of course the Committee was stacked with those who wish to profit from wildlife exploitation. Committee findings were that trophy hunting, along with the farming and harvesting of dugong, turtles, flying foxes, and other species, for food to export, would bring financial benefits to NT and Nth Queensland Indigenous communities, etc, etc, etc. So croc trophy hunting is just the thin edge of the wedge. If croc trophy hunting is approved, it won't take long for the Senate Committee report to be unearthed, and proposals would surface to trophy hunt other native species, including large kangaroos and birds, as the Senate Committee Findings recommended. *

Sign a petition here  ..   http://www.animalsaustralia.org/take_action/croc-hunting-NT/

GBR Management Condemned

A United Nations report has declared Australia had failed to properly protect the Great Barrier Reef and called for a panel of overseas experts to review the natural wonder and safeguard its future. Development in Queensland was out of control and about 35 projects scheduled for approval in the next year had put the Reef at further risk, according to a report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. In the report, a detailed and sometime scathing version of a draft released earlier this month, UNESCO says urgent measures must be taken to protect the World Heritage Area and warns against any further development before a critical assessment is completed by 2015. "The scale and pace of development proposals appear beyond the capacity for independent, quality and transparent decision-making," the report released yesterday stated. It said few developments are refused, some overlap and no development limits have been set by governments. It added that decision-making had been reactive and driven by short-term economic benefits. "Once approved, there is a lack of enforcement of conditions attached to approvals ... and few or no penalties for non-compliance," the report said. UNESCO says the 35 developments that will threaten the Reef include major mining projects, port expansions along with minor wastewater and sewerage treatment projects. *Courier Mail
Read more  ..  http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/un-attacks-state-failures/story-e6freon6-1226403583149


Queensland Nickel is seeking approval to dump millions of litres of contaminated water from its Yabulu refinery into the ocean in a move which could threaten the Great Barrier Reef.It's understood a crisis is developing at the Clive Palmer-owned Yabulu Nickel Refinery where tailings ponds are dangerously high and at risk of catastrophic failure. The situation has developed over several years largely because of the wet weather. Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke has been briefed on the matter and is monitoring the situation. The Yabulu refinery recently requested the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority allow it to pump water out the ponds for 370 days. The water in the ponds is believed to equate with the treated sewage of a city of several million people. After discussions with GBRMPA that request was revised down to just 40 days but Mr Palmer has continued to ask GBRMPA to allow him to dump all the tailings pond water immediately. It's believed the refinery then wants to discharge the refinery's effluent, temporarily, straight from the refinery into the ocean while the situation is sorted out. *townsville Bulletin
Read more  ..  http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2012/06/25/341301_news.html

Whales

Whale sightings in the Fleurieu Peninsula could be affected if seismic surveying for oil off Kangaroo Island goes ahead, an environment group says. The news comes as Bight Petroleum and British Petroleum (BP) look into potentially mining around Kangaroo Island in the Great Australian Bight.  Kangaroo Island Dolphin Watch representative Tony Bartram said the effects, long and short term, of oil and gas exploration through seismic surveying, are little known and understood. * Times

Rhinos

A critically endangered Sumatran rhinoceros has been born at an Indonesian sanctuary, only the fourth birth in captivity in more than a century, boosting survival hopes for the species, say conservationists. "Ratu gave birth to a male baby on Saturday. Both the mother and the baby are all very well," conservationist Widodo Ramono, who works at a sanctuary on the southern tip of Sumatra island, told AFP. The last three in-captivity births for Sumatran rhinos took place in the United States at the Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio. The father of the new born, Andalas, was himself the first Sumatran rhino delivered in captivity in 112 years. He was born in September 2001, according to the zoo. Andalas was brought to Indonesia to mate with Ratu, a female who grew up in the wild but wandered out of the forest and now lives at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Way Kambas National Park. Sumatran rhinos have suffered a 50 per cent drop in population numbers over the past 20 years, largely due to poaching and loss of tropical habitat. There are now believed to be fewer than 200 alive. Most reside in isolated pockets in south-east Asia. Poaching is one of the biggest killers of Sumatran rhinos, whose horns are reputed to have medicinal properties. But rhinos have also suffered from the destruction of their habitat and, according to environmentalists, 2 million hectares of forests are lost every year in Indonesia. * AFP

Snakes

Capturing the Holy Grail of Australian reptiles turned out to be something of an anti-climax for Gavin Bedford. The Northern Territory herpetologist had spent almost a decade trying to get permission to collect and breed the elegant Oenpelli python, one of the world's rarest snakes and the only legally unobtainable python species. He had spent more than 1100 hours searching for it, dropped by helicopter into remote and rugged sandstone country near the East Alligator River in Arnhem Land.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/animals/snakes-alive--if-only-hed-been-seeing-double-20120619-20m61.html#ixzz1yGtoOve4

Rats

The WA Opposition claims rats on board asylum seeker boats are further endangering wildlife in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Coalition border protection spokesman Michael Keenan asked acting Prime Minister Wayne Swan to confirm that a boat carrying asylum seekers had arrived on the island, bringing with it a breed of rat that would “eat the eggs and kill the chicks of the world’s last remaining population of these Cocos Buff-banded Rail birds”. "What is the acting Prime Minister’s plan to protect the Cocos Island from further biosecurity threats given that four illegal boats have arrived here in less than one month?” he asked in parliament today. The birds are listed as an endangered species with official Government information saying they are only found on the North Keeling Island. Mr Swan said he could not confirm the rat’s presence. * WA News

Koala Petition

A Petition to save  koalas affected by the Moreton Bay Rail Link* Network Item

http://www.change.org/petitions/anyone-wanting-to-protect-our-native-wildlife-and-their-habitat-save-koalas-affected-by-the-moreton-bay-rail-link?share_id=yYWDJApFrU

Wild Law Alliance

AWLA’s mission is to promote the understanding and practical implementation of Earth Jurisprudence and Wild Law in Australia. Wild Law is a new legal theory and growing social movement.   It proposes that we rethink our legal, political, economic  and governance systems so that they support, rather than undermine, the integrity and health of the Earth. AWLA’s activities include research, education, promotion and advocacy.  All our work is driven by our members’ interests and commitment – so become a member and get involved! AWLA is a founding member of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature, which brings together more than 60 organisations around the world, who support Earth Jurisprudence and rights of nature.  http://www.wildlaw.org.au/

Seals

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill today that would make it easier for Northwest states and tribes to kill California sea lions that eat salmon and other fish, including fish not listed under the Endangered Species Act.  House Bill 3069, spearheaded by U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., passed 232-188 as part of a package of 14 natural resource bills. Since 2008, the states of Oregon, Washington and Idaho have pursued killing California sea lions that gather at the base of Bonneville Dam to munch on adult salmon returning to spawn. But that program, which his killed or relocated 50 animals to date, has been stalled periodically by lawsuits from the Humane Society of the United States. A lawsuit is proceeding now.
Read more  ..  http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/06/us_house_passes_bill_to_make_k.html

Crocodiles

The tiger may be king of the jungle, but its writ does not extend to the wild mangrove swamps of West Bengal where a 15-foot crocodile claimed the title earlier this week. Forest officials in the Sundarbans national park said the crocodile had made jungle history by becoming the first in living memory to kill a tiger. A post-mortem examination of the carcass of an eight-year-old male tiger discovered by rangers on the banks of a jungle river on Tuesday has confirmed that he was killed and eaten by a crocodile. The tiger had been attacked as it swam across the river and was killed in what they believed had been a fierce struggle. Bivash Pandav of the Wildlife Institute of India's Endangered Species Department said attacks by tigers on crocodiles were common – a crocodile was killed recently in Ranthambore tiger reserve. "However, this is the first time we have heard of an attack by crocodiles on a tiger," he said. While it was rare for large predators to confront one another, he said, crocodiles have an advantage in water. "Salt water crocodiles are very powerful. Tigers cross creeks to move from one island to another in the Sundarbans and a crocodile in water is definitely much more powerful than a tiger," he said. *Telegraph

Turtles and Dugongs

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander hunting methods, which cause turtles and dugongs unnecessary suffering, will become an offence in Queensland. Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister John McVeigh introduced legislation into Parliament on Tuesday to protect the marine animals from inhumane hunting tactics. The amendment to the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 will protect dugongs and turtles from unnecessary and unreasonable pain and suffering. Currently, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are exempt from animal welfare obligations under the Act but that will be changed. Mr McVeigh said the change would bring Queensland's animal welfare laws into line with other states. "For at least 10 years, animal welfare interest groups and others, including some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have voiced concerns about the cruelty of some hunting of sea turtles and dugongs," he said. "(They have voiced concerns about) the immunity from prosecution for animal cruelty that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are afforded by the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 if they are hunting in accordance with tradition or custom." Mr McVeigh said the current exemption of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to hunt dugongs and turtles was "too easily exploited by some rouge hunters who have no regard for animal welfare". Under the National Title Act 1993, traditional owners are allowed to hunt turtles and dugongs for non-commercial use. That will not change. *Fraser Coast Chronicle

Ed Comment, It needs to change too. Maybe that's the next step in the battle to save turtles and dugongs. Many groups won't touch this issue, because it's too sensitive and they dont want to upset Indigenous communities. But the issue is whether we want to save turtles and dugongs from becoming extinct.....or don't we care......because if the hunting doesnt stop, the turtles and dugong will disappear....no doubt about it. Meanwhile, a proposed end to exemption from animal cruelty laws for traditional hunting in Queensland .... has upset Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander communities. The state government says it will now consult indigenous groups over the move which could impact on native title rights. Torres Strait islanders say the issue could end up in the High Court. Watch here  ...    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LEAqvq27oU&feature=plcp

New Book

I thought you might be interested in a most fascinating book written by wildlife advocate author, Menkit Prince, which is titled  ‘Arktel-The Planet Only Children Could Save’. This is a wonderful story which makes one think about the survival of a planet like our own and what can be done to save it. Appropriate for both adults and children, this would be a great Christmas gift! This book is one that you won’t want to put down, as Menkit’s brilliant ability with words draws the reader in as the story unfolds. Her incredibly amazing imagination went into overdrive when she invented the names for the characters, which fit perfectly to the beings from another galaxy. I urge you to read this book and share the message that only people like us can appreciate.   http://www.planetarktel.com/Home.html

Flying Foxes

One lonely flying fox from Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens has made the 1175 km journey to the Fraser Coast since a relocation program was introduced earlier this month. Satellite tracking data returned from a monitoring device attached to the creature promoted the discovery, after measures were introduced to push the animals from the heritage site. The relocation plan involves industrial noise played from a stereo in Australia's oldest garden each dawn and dusk to ward flying foxes from the area. Wildlife officer at Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens, John Martin, said information returned from 100 bats attached with devices revealing surprising results during the early stages of research. "(It showed a flying fox) was in Maryborough on June 10. We get data every four days so more should be in shortly," Mr Martin said. "There were a number of fixes of this individual in the Maryborough region on June 10...but there's a couple up in Queensland." Mr Martin said the planned relocation had shifted flying foxes from Sydney's botanic gardens as far south as Eden in NSW, and north into Queensland, to areas of the Wide Bay. He said one adventurous little devil had been tracked 100 km north-west of Bundaberg, and another two signals were being monitored from the Gympie region. But while it may seem unusual to some people for flying foxes to travel alone, Mr Martin said it was more common than many people thought. The larger sample being taken would allow staff to look at it in greater detail. Transmitters were attached to flying foxes a month ago and relocation has been going on for two weeks. * Fraser Coast Chronicle

ACT Kangaroos

The ACT Greens have called for Chief Minister Katy Gallagher to investigate if the government's own guidelines for humane shooting of kangaroos were breached during recent culls in Canberra's nature reserves. In a detailed letter to the Chief Minister, ACT Greens environment spokesman Shane Rattenbury has also questioned science underpinning the cull, suggesting some data is more than 20 years out of date. Mr Rattenbury has also raised concerns over ''serious safety risks'', citing claims in his letter that night-time shooting went ahead at one nature reserve, despite protesters being on-site. The letter also seeks to clarify reports that quad bikes were used to herd kangaroos during the cull, and suggests such ''herding'' does not comply with the ACT's Animal Welfare Act.

But a spokeswoman for Ms Gallagher said a number of claims outlined in the letter were inaccurate. In an emailed statement, the spokeswoman said ''all elements of the culling operations were quality tested'' against the ACT Code of Practice for the cull ''from the training of the marksman, the weapons and ammunition used''. She said an independent vet was engaged to audit the performance of the marksman, and the RSPCA was also ''invited to send their inspectors to overview the cull but elected not to do so''.

Australian Society for Kangaroos spokeswoman Fiona Corke said the ACT government had breached its own animal welfare laws by using quad bikes to herd kangaroos toward shooters. Herding may also be potentially in breach of a National Code of Conduct developed by federal and state governments for humane shooting of kangaroos and wallabies.'We had reports that quad bikes were used during the cull at three reserves. In one case, a cyclone fence was battered and damaged as a result of panicked kangaroos being herded up against it,'' Ms Corke said. Both the federal code and the ACT animal welfare laws state shooters must ensure each animal has died ''a sudden and humane death'' before moving on to shoot another. Both codes state animals ''must not be shot from a moving vehicle or other moving platform''.

The Chief Minister's office has confirmed quad bikes were used during the recent cull. ''Quad bikes were not used at any time to herd kangaroos during this cull. Culling operations do not involve the herding of animals. Quad bikes are used for riding around nature reserves to locate the kangaroo mobs,'' the office said in a statement. ''Once mobs are sighted they are approached no closer than 60 to 80 metres. Lights on the quads are off, night vision is used, speed is slow and the aim is to approach quietly so animals are not disturbed or startled to enable a clean shot.'' In recent weeks, the ACT government culled 1154 eastern grey kangaroos in nine nature reserves as part of a mangement plan to protect Canberra's grassland ecosystems. * Canberra Times

Kangaroos

The kangaroo industry is in dire straits as Russia's 'temporary' ban on roo meat imports stretches into its third year and trade talks with China remain stalled. Adding to the problem is South Australia's strict operating conditions, which has the highest licensing and compliance costs in the nation. The tangle of red tape is threatening the future of the nation's largest game meat exporter - based in Adelaide. SA company Macro Meats Gourmet Game is the largest kangaroo exporter and responsible for pushing the development of the fledgling industry. Despite trade talks with Russia and China in limbo for a number of years, Macro Meats chief executive Ray Borda is quietly optimistic these two lucrative markets will soon be accessible, boosting roo meat production again and creating up to 300 jobs. But he says unfortunately these new jobs are likely to be interstate as heavy State regulations and costs force Macro Meats to shift more and more operations there. Mr Borda is a "born and bred South Aussie" and passionate about the State and its quality, unique produce, and wants to keep the bulk of his business here if possible.

But Macro Meats has already shed 60 processing jobs, and shooters are leaving the industry in droves. "We used to have 250 shooters in SA and we are now down to 60, and of these, only about half are active," he said. "Five years ago, we sourced 100 per cent of our supply from SA but difficult operating conditions and drought forced us to look further afield and now we source 90pc from Queensland and New South Wales." He said he pays upwards of $4m each in compliance costs to meet the highest processing standards in the world before even "shooting a roo". "We are a clean, green, environmentally friendly, sustainable and healthy industry," he said. "But it seems the government at State and Federal levels - and parts of the public - do not recognise the worth of the industry socially and economically. "This meat industry is the most carbon neutral, and even though the government is promoting carbon reduction, we are not getting the support we deserve." Mr Borda said urgent diplomatic negotiations - similar to efforts to patch up relations after the snap ban on live cattle exports to Indonesia - could get the ball rolling to open trade "once and for all". Russia placed a temporary ban three years ago citing health concerns on harvested wild animals. * Stock and Land

ICUN Red List

Scientists warn the source of our food, medicines and clean water may be at risk with the rapid decline of animal and plant species. The latest update of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species shows that, of 63,837 species assessed, 19,817 are threatened with extinction. That number includes 41 per cent of amphibians, 33 per cent of corals, 25 per cent of mammals, 13 per cent of birds and 30 per cent of conifers. Released on the eve of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the IUCN Red List is a critical indicator of the health of the world's biodiversity. More than 2000 Australian species feature in the list , including central Queensland's northern hairy-nosed wombat, the southeast's Coxen's fig parrot and north Queensland's mahogany gliders and cassowaries. Two weeks ago, BirdLife Australia announced that birds were in crisis, with at least 50 species endangered or critically endangered and many of these in Queensland. Federal Environment Department figures show 23 birds as extinct.IUCN director-general Julia Marton-Lefevre said sustainability had become a matter of life and death for many people.

"A sustainable future cannot be achieved without conserving biological diversity," she said. Millions of people around the world depend on wild species for food. In some places up to 90 per cent of coastal populations obtained most of their food and income from fishing, yet over-fishing had reduced some commercial fish stocks by more than 90 per cent. Dr Jane Smart of the IUCN Biodiversity Conservation Group said moving to a green economy was the only way to go because so many species cleaned soil, air and water and acted as carbon sinks. Freshwater ecosystems also were under substantial pressure from expanding human populations and exploitation. Invasive species were one of the most rapidly growing threats, with Queensland's chief biosecurity officer Jim Thompson and the Australian Weeds Committee warning yesterday of the impact of the deadly bellyache bush. Introduced as an ornamental shrub, it has spread through the Burdekin, Fitzroy, Walsh, Palmer, Flinders, Leichhardt and Gregory River catchments, as well as the headwaters of Lake Eyre Basin and central Queensland. The bush is poisonous to people and stock. *Courier Mail

Ed comment; The species figures quoted above would be much higher, except that for many species there is no data. *

Birds

Superb lyrebirds have become so good at copying other avian songs that not even the birds being mimicked can tell the difference. Just like many contemporary bands, lyrebirds don't mind doing covers of some classic performers, such as the grey shrike thrush. To find out how good superb lyrebirds are, Australian National University scientist Anastasia Dalziell recorded their songs and then played them back to the experts  the birds that were being mimicked. Ms Dalziell chose the thrush, which has a beautiful and complex song and is often found in lyrebird habitat. Surprisingly, shrike thrushes approached the speaker that was broadcasting mimicked songs just as if the calls were their own. Ms Dalziell, who describes lyrebirds as nature's kings of karaoke and complete show-offs, said not even birds being mimicked were always able to tell the difference between lyrebirds and the real thing. Male lyrebirds have a repertoire of 20-25 species of bird songs during the breeding season, and have even found a way to save space in their repertoire. They accurately replicate the structure of songs, but sing an abridged version containing fewer repeated notes.

The reason male lyrebirds have developed this repertoire is unclear. Scientists think that, as it might be difficult to be an accurate mimic, female lyrebirds may get an idea of a male's quality by assessing how accurate he is. Superb lyrebirds will also copy other noises such as car engines and barking dogs.  Males also whistle and make cackling noises and loud shrieks which can be heard through the rainforest. Females also will mimic, but are much quieter. "Lyrebirds are incredibly loud, sometime painfully so when you are near them,'' Ms Dalziell said. But lyrebirds are not born good mimics  young birds were hopeless at imitating the grey strike thrush, but improved after years of practice. The research has been published in the journal Animal Behaviour. *Courier Mail


Silvereye songbirds in Sydney and other Australian capitals not only sing higher and more slowly to be heard above the urban din. They also sing in a different ''dialect'' than their nearby country cousins, new research shows. Dominique Potvin, of the University of Melbourne, and her colleagues studied the common little green birds in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Hobart and Adelaide, and in rural areas outside each city. They found city birds used different syllables, or words, in their songs to those of the country birds, and this pattern was similar even in capitals that were far apart. ''The dialect or accent in these cities is quite different than in rural areas,'' Ms Potvin said. ''And the birds in Melbourne seem to use a similar language to the birds in downtown Brisbane.'' It is not necessarily a problem that the city dwellers have culturally evolved and changed their tune in an apparent bid to prevent their communication being distorted by the low rumble of transport and people. 'At the moment it just seems like a very good, flexible coping mechanism that songbirds can use,'' she said.

But the research demonstrated how big an impact a noisy human-made environment could have on bird behaviour. In future it could also become an issue if country and city birds were no longer able to understand each other. ''Maybe they will start to not mate with each other, or maybe they will not be as attractive to each other.'' Ms Potvin said the find could explain why some species disappeared when noisy urban sprawl reached their habitat. ''Perhaps if a bird is not quite as flexible, it is much more at risk of becoming extinct if you're going to build a giant roadway in the middle of its territory.'' It showed there was a need to consider the acoustic impact of developments on local wildlife. The new study on city accents will be published soon. *Age

Wildlife Bytes 19/6/12

Editorial

The finding by Darwin Coroner Elizabeth Morris that a dingo killed 9-week-old Azaria Chamberlain 32 years ago will no doubt do even more to foster hatred of wildlife by some people. Noting that dingoes had attacked a number of children in the months preceding Azaria's disappearance, although not causing serious injury, Coroner Morris said there had been 239 dingo attacks since 1990 (that sounds unlikely, Ed.) and that three children had died since 2001, These included a 9-year-old boy on Queensland's Fraser Island, a 2-year-old girl who died from blood loss after being attacked by a part-dingo crossbreed, and a 22-month-old girl killed by a dingo-labrador cross in 2006. In the decade to last November the Coroner stated there had been 254 animal-related deaths, many caused by sharks, crocodiles and other reptiles, dogs, dingoes, bees and jellyfish. There appears to be no mention of wether the two dingo-cross dogs mentioned above were wild dogs or pet dogs. This report from Morris will no doubt set the wildlife and animal hateing rednecks out there calling for more "culling', and more "extermination", the last thing our wildlife needs. Currently our wildlife is under unprecedented attack from all sides. Flying foxes to be shot in Queensland, "relocated" in Sydney, the ACT kangaroo slaughter, wildlife trophy hunting back on the agenda, the commercial kangaroo kill rolls on, hunting in NSW National Parks, dugong numbers crashed, and 1080 poison aerial dropped indisciminately over many areas of Australia. Commercial fishers are viciously attacking the new Marine Reserves proposal, probably because they want to catch and sell the last fish in the sea.  Got to wonder how much wildlife will be left for the next generation to see. One very good news item is that Queensland will not attempt to follow the NT push to trophy hunt crocodiles. *WPAA

Exotic Seastars

A major diving operation is under way in the waters of Wilsons Promontory to remove one of Australia's biggest marine pests before it becomes entrenched in Tidal River and threatens other nearby waters, including Victoria's largest marine national park. Every suitable day will be used for diving in the Tidal River estuary over coming weeks in what is a race against time to detect and remove the northern Pacific seastar, which was found there for the first time last month. A range of strategies has been discussed, including searching and hand removal, ''de-watering'' the river by blocking it off on the seaward side to allow a flush of freshwater that the seastar would be unlikely to survive, and the use of a ''hyper saline solution'' which could be added to the water left remaining in isolated deeper pockets of the estuary.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/ridding-wilsons-prom-of-the-invading-northern-pacific-seastar-one-by-one-20120611-2062q.html#ixzz1xWNCgr22

Dugong

A researcher in north Queensland says the number of dugongs on the Great Barrier Reef is at its lowest level in 20 years. Professor Helene Marsh says last year's cyclones and flooding damaged much of the dugong's habitat on the reef. She says latest observations shows the mammals have migrated north to waters off Cape York. "I think that obviously some animals died - there were record numbers of animals found dead last year, but I actually think that a lot of animals have probably left the area for greener pastures," she said. Professor Marsh says commercial development is the dugongs' greatest threat. "Habitats in a pretty bad state after the cyclones and floods last year and is threatened by port development," she said.
"The major sources of mortality are things like vessel strike and adults accidentally being caught in fishing nets." *YahooNews

Croc Shot

A monster crocodile has been shot at a remote Territory community after it took several pet dogs and came within 100m of a popular swimming spot. The 4.4m croc was captured and destroyed by Senior Sergeant Tony Deutrom at Alyangula, on Groote Eylandt, this morning.  The officer said local children like to jump from a crossroad on the Angurugu River and the 30-year-old croc was "moving up" to that area.  He said there were safety concerns surrounding the reptile coming so close to the community with its history of taking dogs.  "By what the locals are saying - it's a considerable crocodile for Groote Eylandt," he said.  "It was being more regular with attacking animals so we thought best to get rid of it." *NTNews

Trophy Hunting Back on the Agenda

Hunters wanting to put a Northern Territory crocodile head on their mantelpiece may soon be in with a chance, after the federal government agreed to rethink a ban on killing the animals.
 Northern Territory Chief Minister Paul Henderson welcomed the move by federal Environment Minister Tony Burke to let the public comment on a new plan that would allow hunters to kill a statewide total of 50 crocodiles. Mr Henderson said he was very hopeful that after the comment period ended on July 25 a two-year trial will allow 50 of the territory's crocodiles to be killed. He said the NT had been battling the federal government for many years on the issue. ''Those 50 trophies will certainly have exponential value in the international marketplace in terms of promoting tourism here in the territory,'' he said. Wildlife campaigner Bob Irwin was appalled. ''Can you imagine a boatload of tourists seeing some big white hunter shooting an animal that they came to photograph?'' Mr Irwin told ABC radio. * AAP

Species Protection Scrapped

Protections for key threatened species in areas added to Victoria's urban growth boundaries by the Baillieu government have been wound back under yet to be released biodiversity plans.
Under the revised plans — which still need approval by the Commonwealth — proposals for wildlife corridors for rare bandicoots have been scrapped and buffer zones for threatened frogs reduced. The changes follows complaints by the property industry that the original proposed protections had been too onerous. The original protection plan for the Southern Brown Bandicoot — which is listed as threatened in Victoria —would have set up corridors for the species to move between habitats in Melbourne's south-east, including the Cranbourne Royal Botanical Gardens. The state government says it will now rewrite the bandicoot protection plan by the end of the year. Proposed buffer zones around rivers and other waterways to protect the Growling Grass Frog — classified as endangered in Victoria — are also understood to have been reduced from draft proposals released last year. Victorian National Parks Association executive director Matt Ruchel said he was "deeply concerned and angry" about the dumping of the bandicoot strategy. "It is just a smokescreen to get rid of the corridors altogether," he said, "we see no justification for it," he said. In a statement the Property Council of Victoria said it would work closely with the state government and the Commonwealth to ensure that an equitable approach is reached based on good environmental and economic outcomes. *Age

Strange Animal Sighted

Could the mysterious Maggie moggie actually be an oversized possum?  Rangers have set traps on Magnetic Island to capture the creature, after at least three sightings of it since September. The animal, which has been described as dark-coloured and at least the size of a cattle dog, was last spotted by the mother of an island ranger last Monday night. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers were too busy with an island burnoff yesterday to speak to the Townsville Bulletin . However a former islander has come forward with another theory about the enigmatic animal. Cranbrook resident Matthew Krell, who lived in Nelly Bay about 30 years ago, believes the mystery big cat is actually a large possum. "It's about three to four times the size of a regular possum, and has a creamy head and black tail. "I've seen them on the roofs and stuff in Nelly Bay, where I used to live. "When you see it, you do say it looks like a cat, but it's definitely a possum." The Department of National Parks has recorded only one species of possum on Magnetic Island, the common brushtail variety. Bungalow Bay Koala Village curator Tony Gordon is certain it is a large feral cat.  "It'd be a wild cat, because there is a huge population of cats on the island," he said. Australian Big Cats website owner Mike Williams said it was highly unlikely the animal was a panther, or mountain lion or any other kind of exotic species. "You'd have all the wildlife disappearing," he said. * TownvsilleBulletin

Birds Stolen

Thieves left a trail of feathers across a car park when they stole two birds each worth $7000 from a pet store in north-west Sydney. The blue and gold macaws, Zazu and Kiaria, were taken from the Kellyville Pets store about 9.30pm yesterday. The birds can laugh - and say "hello" and "step up" - but their theft is no laughing matter. Jes Jonkmans, Kellyville Pets' marketing manager, said CCTV footage showed the silhouettes of two men entering the store's aviary and taking the young macaws. The thieves were believed to have used bolt cutters to break into the aviary, Hills News reported. "Birds are really fragile so if they are stressed or traumatised that can cause really serious health issues. Particularly the way they were taken. There was a trail of feathers through the car park so ... they would have been struggling," Ms Jonkmans said. Ms Jonkmans said the store had been burgled before and there was an online black market for exotic birds. Last year, blue and gold macaw Lotto, worth $7500, was returned to its Cessnock pet shop owners two months after it was taken. "There has been a lot of theft in this local year in recent years. Generally the birds are taken interstate and sold online," Ms Jonkmans said. "There was a couple of customers and people that we know through the store had their birds stolen just out of their backyards. They can't even have their bird out in the aviary in the backyard because people will jump the fence to steal them." The blue and gold macaws originate from Central and South America, Ms Jonkmans said. "Over and above the value of the birds, we just want to make sure that they are safe and sound. Our staff are just devastated that they are gone." *Age

Turtles

A Cairns turtle rehabilitation centre has reached capacity and is being forced to turn away starving turtles after an increase in strandings. Paul Barnes, from Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, said the centre was at capacity with a large number of adult turtles found floating in the Coral Sea. Mr Barnes said sea grass stocks were depleted and had been only gradually recovering after cyclone Yasi ripped through north Queensland. "The number of adult turtles (brought to the centre) have increased dramatically," he said.  "Last year was the largest stranding event in Queensland on record. There was a 500 per cent increase last year." But with feeding grounds slow to recover, Mr Barnes said the centre was seeing stranding numbers return to last year’s levels.  Twelve turtles are being treated at the centre with most rescued over the past three months after the nesting season.  "We have another large (turtle) coming in this afternoon. We are starting to double them up (because) we have run out of tanks," Mr Barnes said.  Christian Miller, also from the organisation, said a turtle had to be euthanased recently because of the lack of tanks. * Cairns Post  Read more  ..  http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2012/06/18/224445_local-news.html

Wildlife Carer Needs Help

Longtime SA wildlife and kangaroo carer Leisa Moore, through no fault of her own, has had her car written off in an accident. Here are Leisa Moore’s details;  if you can please send  her a small donation to help her in this terrible time of need PO Box 203 MYLOR  SA 5153   0401 900 476 if anyone can spare   $10 or $20 or $50 or $100 or even a car- as long as it runs. *  Network Item

Whaling

Three-quarters of the tons of meat from Japan's controversial whale hunt last year was not sold, despite repeated attempts to auction it, officials said on Wednesday. The Institute of Cetacean Research, a quasi-public body that organises the country's whaling, said around 75 percent of roughly 1,200 tons of minke, Bryde's and sei meat from the deep-sea mission did not find buyers. It is separate from the smaller coastal whaling programmes in northern Japan, whose meat still attracts buyers because it is fresh -- as opposed to frozen -- and sold in regions with deep whale-eating traditions. The institute held regular auctions between November and March to sell frozen meat from creatures caught in Northwestern Pacific waters last summer.  It was intended to promote whale consumption and increase revenue. A spokesman for the institute blamed the "disappointing" auction results on food sellers wishing to avoid trouble with anti-whaling activists. "We have to think about new ways to market whale meat," he told AFP. Japan exploits a loophole in the international moratorium on whaling allowing for lethal research. Anti-whaling nations and environmentalist groups routinely condemn the missions as a cover for commercial whaling that they say threatens the population of the giant marine creatures. * Read more  ...   http://view.koreaherald.com/kh/view.php?ud=20120613001390&cpv=0

ACT Kangaroo Kill

Apparently only 1154 kangaroos were killed in the 2012 ACT slaughter, according to the ACT government, but wildlife activists on the ground in the ACT claim there were a lot less kangaroos than that killed.  The ACT government claims it was wet weather that influenced the reduction in the planned 2012 kangaroos, but of course the local hero activists played big roll too, in reducing the numbers killed. Meanwhile the ACT Greens, facing an election on the 20th October, appear (on the surface anyway) to be having a rethink on their support for the kill.  They have written to the ACT Chief Minister asking a number of questions about the kill. But maybe its too late for them, we know many activists have given the Greens away in Australia because of this killing program, and the ACT Greens support for it. Many have gone to join the Animal Justice Party. Of course the answer to the ACT Greens questions will be the usual political blarney, but at least they have queried the whole disasterous operation. They havent yet opposed the killing however!  The ACT Parks and Reserves that were closed for the kill, opened on Friday night. *WPAA

More Kangaroos Shot

Two males were charged for allegedly shooting and killing kangaroos with crossbows at Tea Gardens. Police said they were called to the bushland between BP Service Station and houses at Myall Quays at about 9:30pm on Friday in relation to two males firing at kangaroos. Police said by the time they arrived the males had fled the scene and soon after were located at Hawks Nest. The car of the 19 year-old Hawks Nest male and 20 year-old Newcastle male was searched by police and a crossbow was allegedly located. Police said both the males had cut their curfew bail conditions and were arrested for doing so. They also faced numerous offences relating to possessing a prohibited weapon and cruelty to animals. Police said they are unsure how many kangaroos the males killed but at least one was found dead and more are suspected to have been injured. Both males were conveyed to Raymond Terrace Police Station where they were charged and refused bail. They attended bail court the following morning and were both released. They are set to face Raymond Terrace Court later this month. * Myall Coast News

Marine Parks

Fishermen are claiming they are the ''soft target'' in a proposed network of marine reserves they say will harm their industry while largely leaving alone the more lucrative offshore oil and gas business. Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke is expected this week to finalise the plan for the marine reserves, which will stretch around Australia and will curb commercial and recreational fishing. It will create the world's largest marine protection area with a new Coral Sea reserve extending out beyond the Great Barrier Reef. The network will also establish a large protected area off the south-west coast and patchwork reserves in the Great Australian Bight and off the west, north-west and northern coasts. *Age
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/fishermen-cry-foul-on-marine-reserve-carveup-20120611-20608.html#ixzz1xWOSBx5v

1080

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and South East Livestock Health and Pest Authority (LHPA) will conduct aerial baiting for wild dog control this month in and around Kosciuszko National Park. The targeted areas are the eastern perimeter of Kosciuszko, including Adaminaby, Yaouk, Snowy Plain, Thredbo, Ingebyra, Paupong, Numbla Vale, Byadbo, Merriangaah, Quidong and Tombong. NPWS Regional Manager for the Southern Ranges Dave Darlington says Parks is committed to wild dog and fox control to protect native species and reduce stock losses on adjoining lands. "Together with the South East LHPA, we will carry out aerial baiting over more than 440 kilometres of baiting lines," Mr Darlington said. "Targeted areas have been identified by local wild dog control associations and are zones where dogs are known to have been active. "We will deploy more than 6,300 meat baits containing 1080 compound by helicopter on park and on private properties where owners have given consent. "Annual aerial baiting is just one tool in an integrated control program that NPWS employs, including ground baiting, trapping, M44 ejectors and shooting", Mr Darlington said. The aerial baiting is expected to begin on Monday, May 14, 2012, weather permitting, and continue for most of that week. *EcoVoice

AZWH Patient of the Week....Greenie the Tawny Frogmouth

Found at Meridan Plains at dusk, after being hit by a car travelling at 80km/h. Transported to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital for specialised treatment and care. Veterinary Assessment: Dr Bec assessed the tawny and discovered Greenie was unable to maintain any height when flying. X-rays cleared Greenie of any fractures, though there is some soft tissue trauma and signs of concussion. To ensure minimal stress, Greenie was anaesthetised during Dr Bec’s check up. She then administered Greenie some pain relief and fluids.
Future: Greenie is currently in a warm enclosure in the Birds ICU getting some much needed bed rest. Once recovered, Greenie will be released back into the wild.
AZWH Statistic: Birds are the most commonly admitted animal to the hospital, and many of them are a result of car hits. Please take caution on our roads, especially at dusk and dawn when birds are active.

Seabird Rescue

All you boaties out there - make way for our twinnies in a tinnie. They are about to launch themselves into their admirable seabird rescue work with renewed vigour thanks to a charitable grant. Twin forces for nature Paula and Bridgette Powers sat in their new Ray Scholes Quintrex 430 Escape runabout with 40hp outboard at Tewantin boat ramp last week and declared they would never have to worry about an injured pelican throwing up in someone else's vessel ever again. Thanks to a Jupiter's Gambling Community Benefit Fund grant of more than $21,000 and a generous deal from the Noosa boat dealer, the creators of Twinnies Pelican and Seabird Rescue are geared up to be an independent aquatic rescue service - as soon as they get the hang of backing the trailer of their snazzy new 4.3m "office". It's been 13 years since the two sisters, who are based at Landsborough - fittingly on Steve Irwin Way - saw a turtle in need of help. And it was from there that they were inspired to jump right into the thick of saving their beloved pelicans. "Up until now we've had to rely on the co-operation of local boaties - if a seabird needed rescuing we had to wave them down," they said. To help The Twinnies' work, visit twinniespelicanandseabirdrescue.com. Donations are always welcome.
Call 0421 476 561. *Sunshine Coast Daily

Tigers

India's tiger fatalities are rising steadily; the country has lost 48 tigers in the last 22 weeks, with Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand and the Tadoba Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra being the hardest hit by poaching. At least 19 tigers were victims of poaching. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) confirmed that 19 of these deaths are clear-cut cases of poaching but wildlife experts claim poaching deaths could be much higher. 48 tiger deaths in 6 months compares with 56 tiger deaths reported in the whole of 2010 and 52 reported in 2011. A sharp rise in poaching has created a situation where, according to the minister in charge, "tiger reserve states are now afraid to report mortality of a tiger. But in order to ensure that all deaths do get reported, we now insist that someone from NTCA will be present for the post-mortem of a tiger." Wildlife Extra

Flying Foxes

Flying foxes driven from Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens have spread as far as Bundaberg to the north and Pambula to the south, according to data from satellite tracking devices strapped around their necks. This month authorities started playing 30 minutes of ''industrial noise'' through loudspeakers to disperse more than 5000 grey-headed flying foxes roosting in the gardens. The garden's acting executive director, Brett Summerell, said there were now no bats roosting in the dozens of damaged trees. ''We put satellite tracking devices on 100 flying foxes and we are starting to get some of that data back,'' he said. ''What it's telling us is that they are going all over the place … It depends on where the food is, what things are flowering, what things are fruiting.'' Dr Summerell said the data showed many were now on the far south coast because there is a one-in-seven-year blooming of a huge spotted gum forest near Pambula. *Age


A brief update on what's happening with the flying-foxes in at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney... Dispersal actions recommenced on last Wednesday evening after a 24-hour hiatus due to severe weather and has been ongoing morning and evening since then. The weather has remained mostly cold and wet during this time. The number of bats in the RBG has reduced rapidly and significantly. Interestingly, the PER defines a “success” as when the number of bats has been reduced by 90% for a period of longer than 5 days. Based on this criteria, we can expect that later this week the RBGT will be triumphantly claiming this dispersal as a success, and it will go down in the annals as such. The Trust will then have to institute the mysterious "passive measures" to prevent the bats returning. It would appear that the animals have gone mostly to Centennial Park, where numbers have noticeably increased, and to Parramatta Park, which has also shown an increase in numbers over the period of the dispersal. Some bats appear to have gone to Gordon. *Network Item

Hunting in National Parks

About 100 people protested outside the New South Wales Parliament as legislation to allow hunting in national parks was introduced to the Upper House. The bill was agreed to by the NSW Government recently as part of a deal struck with the Shooters and Fishers Party to sell the state's electricity generators. Shooters MP Robert Brown was heckled by the Greens as he introduced the legislation. "The threat of ferals in our national parks is great, even more so after recent floods where the populations of feral cats, foxes, pigs, wild dogs and goats has exploded," Mr Brown said. "What about horses? What about brumbies? They're full of sheep and brumbies," a Greens MP interjected. "But of course the Greens, who all but one live east of the Iron Cove Bridge, wouldn't know that would they?" Mr Brown retorted. Outside Parliament, Kevin Evans from the National Parks Association said they fear the parks and reserves initially identified for hunting will be just the tip of the iceberg. "We certainly are worried that this will expand into additional parks and also to be be free reign to hunt feral animals in national parks," he said. "This presents an enormous animal welfare concern and a safety risk to visitors and staff in our national parks." *ABC

Native Bees

The power of the prime pollinator has been revealed, with research showing native bees have determined the colour of Australian flowers - delighting scientists whose theories have been proven. Published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the findings by researchers from RMIT, Monash University and the Swedish Museum of Natural History show Australian flowering plants have evolved to match the colour vision capabilities of native bees over other key pollinators such as birds and butterflies. The findings mirror results from European studies and are an important proof of concept because Australian flora and fauna evolved in isolation over 34 million years. ''We now know that this is a general principle that can be applied across the world,'' said Adrian Dyer from RMIT. Lead author of the paper, Dr Dyer said the researchers were able to establish that the bee was the preferred pollinator because the flower colours which have most frequently evolved in Australia only fit to the colour discrimination of bees. They do not fit to the colour discrimination capabilities of birds or butterflies.

More than 110 different native plant species were used in the study, collected from Balwyn's Maranoa Gardens over eight months from May 2009. An ultraviolet photograph was taken of a flower from each plant and the colours analysed to see which of the pollinators could detect their colours. Australian native bees have UV, blue and green colour photoreceptors, as do their northern hemisphere honey bee relations. There are two classes of birds: one which sees UV blue, green and red and the other which sees UV violet, blue, green and red. Meanwhile, humans have blue, green and red photoreceptors. Dr Dyer said while a flower appeared yellow to the human eye, the same flower appeared pink with a red centre to bees. It would look different again to birds. ''Flowers look more dazzling to insect pollinators because they have evolved spectoral signals to best suit bees,'' Dr Dyer said. ''Bees see a two-coloured flower because the petals reflect ultraviolet and the inner part doesn't.'' Dr Dyer said the study had implications for native ecology, agriculture and economics. ''Anything that links to how plants are pollinated is big business in Australia,'' he said. *Age

Dingoes

Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE: Founder,of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace for her preservation of endangered species, has generously given her support to the Australian dingo. In a letter to the Save the Fraser Island Dingos (SFID) she writes

" I am disappointed to hear that the local Aboriginal people are not represented and that there has been no input from the settled residents of the Island who well know ‘their’ dingoes and had a peaceful co-existence with them before. I have been told that the dingoes of Fraser Island are revered by the Butchulla Aboriginal people who regard them as one of their spirit protector animals in a place they call K’Gari (meaning paradise), yet it is now a sad dark place where the dingoes struggle to coexist with the vast numbers of tourists and development."

and

"I certainly agree, whole heartedly, that there should be no further trapping for ear tagging or any other reason (save for veterinary assistance to an individual), and no culling. I would hope that all concerned would agree there should be a requirement for the most stringent commitment to the welfare of individuals in any kind of research. And I urgently beg everyone involved to ensure that all possible measures are taken to protect these dingoes so that there may be a thriving and sustainable population of the last pure breed dingoes in Australia – the last in the world."  Yours sincerely, * SFID


Dingoes are under threat in Australia, warns a wildlife expert, who says that interbreeding with feral dogs is the biggest threat. Dingoes are currently listed as a threatened species but if more isn't done they could disappear from parts of Australia, wildlife experts say. Healesville sanctuary senior dingo keeper Sue Jaensch said Tuesday's coronial ruling that a dingo was responsible for the death of Azaria Chamberlain in 1980 provided an opportunity to highlight the difficulties dingoes face in the wild. "Most of our visitors aren't aware dingoes are classified as a threatened species here in Victoria," Ms Jaensch told AAP. It was only in 2008 that the Victorian government recognised the dingo as a threatened species. Before that they were recognised as a pest, Ms Jaensch said. "Historically dingoes have been managed as pests." Ms Jaensch's concerns echo an article published in Australian Wildlife Secrets in May that warned if immediate action wasn't taken to protect the dingo it may go the way of the Tasmanian Tiger and become extinct. "In recent times (dingo) numbers have declined over large areas of its former range," the report said. When asked if the threat of extinction was real, Ms Jaensch said: "Definitely in parts of Australia." "The biggest threat to them in the wild is the interbreeding with feral dogs," Ms Jaensch said. "Sadly we have a growing population of wild dogs in Australia." Dingoes are notoriously secretive and therefore difficult to study but myths surrounding the shy canid have put its future in jeopardy. Ms Jaensch also said their reputation as an introduced species and predator contributed to their treatment in the past. However, as a top order predator, she likened their role to that of a lion in Africa or a tiger in Asia. "Dingoes are a very important part to the native environment," Ms Jaensch said. "Recent studies have shown in areas where dingoes are found they help to control numbers of foxes and feral cats and rabbits which is great for famers because that means they've got more grass."  SBS world News


Conservationists have come to the defence of dingoes, fearing the verdict in the Azaria Chamberlain case may have unfairly tarnished the animal's reputation. Coroner Elizabeth Morris handed down a verdict on Tuesday, 32 years after baby Azaria went missing, that she was killed by a dingo. The verdict cleared the names of her parents, who had been charged then exonerated over her death. Despite two inquests - the original one in 1981 and the one that concluded this week - finding a dingo was responsible, Save the Fraser Island Dingo wildlife spokesman Ray Revill said the case had portrayed the animals harshly. "Purebred dingoes, like on Fraser Island, are predictable and they're timid," he said. "There was never a problem at Fraser Island until there were too many tourists and everyone wanted to interact with dingoes." However, he admitted that cross-breeds and wild dogs such as those often found on the mainland, were a different story. "I've got five dingoes and I have full trust and faith in them - I take them out in public and have never had any problems," he said. "I wouldn't do that with a cross-breed though, they are unpredictable." Mr Revill said the problem stemmed from humans interfering with dingo territory, particularly when people fed the dingoes. His sentiments were echoed by wildlife photographer and conservationist Jennifer Parkhurst. She said dingoes should not be considered inherently dangerous, despite evidence given in the trial about Fraser Island dingo attacks including the one that killed nine-year-old Clinton Gage in 2001. Ms Parkhurst said both of the fatal attacks - Azaria Chamberlain and Clinton Gage - could be put down to a combination of factors including food and parental supervision rather than just the "nature" of dingoes. "Lethal control is another likely contributing factor, because of the social upheaval it causes among the animals." *Fraser Coast Chronicle

Cane Toads

Scientists say they have found the best weapon yet to eradicate cane toads from isolated areas - using the amphibians' own toxin against them.  Rick Shine from the University of Sydney's school of biological sciences said the system was already trapping tens of thousands of cane toad tadpoles, and could see the toads eradicated from some areas. "I think it is really exciting stuff," Professor Shine said. "In order to control toads you need to stop them breeding, and this new method stops them from breeding," he said. The technique relies on research that two years ago found that cane toad tadpoles were attracted to the eggs of their own kind. Professor Shine said the tadpoles probably sought out the eggs to kill off newly hatched tadpoles, which would otherwise compete for food. It was eventually realised that the way the tadpoles found the eggs was via the toad's venom. Once that breakthrough was made, scientists quickly realised they could use the venom as a bait, which attracts cane toad tadpoles but repels native frogs.

Using funnels to trap cane toad tadpoles attracted to the bait, the scientists captured tens of thousands of young cane toads within a few days, and completely eradicated the toads from billabongs about 50 metres in diameter. "It is only local and isn't going to eradicate cane toads from Australia," Prof Shine said. "There are huge areas where it is just impossible to put traps in every water body. But he said in high conservation areas it could dramatically reduce cane toad numbers and it was the best method so far to control cane toads in some places. Prof Shine said so-called stowaway populations of cane toads, which arrived somewhere by hitching rides on things like trucks, would be be vulnerable to the new technique. He nominated Hamilton Island, which has only recently been invaded by cane toads and an isolated population at Taren Point in Sydney, as areas the new traps could be effective. *CM

Wildlife Tourism

A major nature refuge aimed at protecting rare and endangered animal and plant species has opened at Cobbold Gorge, near Forsayth. The Cobbold Gorge Nature Refuge, covering 4720 hectares of sandstone escarpment and dry tropical savannah, is home to freshwater crocodiles, red wing parrots, azure kingfishers and the Gilbert River ghost gum. The refuge was opened by "bush tuckerman" Les Hiddins who said Cobbold Creek, which knifes through the 160 million year old Jurassic Hampstead sandstone escarpment of the eastern Gulf Country, was a haven for wildlife. He said it was reassuring to know that it was now part of the State Government's Nature Refuge Agreement. "This is a good example of how tourism and conservation can go hand in hand," he said. Acting Director General of the Department of Environment and Resource Management John Bradley said the Cobbold Gorge area formed an important corridor and "catchment linkages" for wildlife. He said it cared for several ecosystems not otherwise represented on the Queensland list of "protected real estate". 

Tourism Queensland's Destination Director Outback and Gulf Destinations Matt Bron said Cobbold Gorge was a stand-out tourist attraction. "And by continually refreshing their product they are guaranteeing return visitations and new markets," Mr Bron said. Cobbold Gorge owners and operators Simon and Gaye Terry also showcased their 20 refurbished cabins undertaken on a dollar-for-dollar funding basis under the Federal Government's T-Qual grants program Supporting Sustainable Tourism in the Gulf Savannah. Mr and Mrs Terry, who operate a working cattle station as well as the Cobbold Gorge enterprise, said it was difficult operating a busy tourism business in a geographically remote area, but that both financial and advisory assistance from the State and Federal Governments made the task a lot easier. "Because we are in a remote area our costs are so much greater. Every bag of cement or pallet of toilet paper that we bring in costs a lot because of the freight. The help we have received from the State and Federal Government in helping us revamp the units and set up the refuge has made our business so much better," Mr Terry said. *Townsville Bulletin
For more info on Wildlife Tourism go to    http://www.rootourism.com/

Trophy Hunting

Safari croc hunting will not occur in Queensland, despite the idea being trialled in the Northern Territory. Environment Minister Andrew Powell yesterday ruled out a similar hunting program, in which the well-heeled will pay about $15,000 to kill a single big bull crocodile and then about $20,000 for taxidermy. Crocodile campaigner Bob Irwin said Mr Powell had taken the right decision and that shooting 50 alpha males would probably make rivers more dangerous rather than safer for humans. "If the shooters knew anything about how nature works, they'd know the really big boys keep everything in check," he said. "You shoot out the big males and the teenagers will start running around testing their skills. "If you get young ones running riot, it's going to introduce a little more risk to everything as far as humans are concerned." The Federal Environment Department has approved a safari trial in the NT, which wants a similar scheme to that in which buffalo hunts are allowed on Aboriginal lands. A maximum of 50 crocodiles greater than 3.5m in length will be shot. Hunters argue that by placing a high value on crocodiles, shooting will help in their conservation. Federal MP Bob Katter also has called for hunting. NSW also is considering a plan to allow hunters into national parks to shoot feral animals.

"We do not and will not support safari or trophy hunting," Mr Powell said. "This is not appropriate to canvass the idea of these hunting practices being introduced in Queensland and it is not a priority of myself or the Government." Mr Irwin said he would fight trophy croc shooting as much as he could. He said shooting native wildlife did not conserve anything and it would damage Australia's clean and green tourism image. For the handful of people it might attract, potentially thousands would be turned off. Mr Irwin said he also feared that organised trophy hunting would encourage hoon shooters to try their luck on any croc they encountered. Humane Society International spokeswoman Alexia Wellbelove called on Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke to reject the NT proposal. "Hunting native animals for pleasure and to bag a trophy is a practice that sickens most people," she said. "Animal welfare rates highly as a matter of public concern." * Courier Mail

You can email Minister Tony  Burke here   Email/ write to Tony.Burke.MP@environment.gov.au

Wildlife Bytes 11/6/12

Marine Parks

The ABC has obtained an Environment Department proposal for a network of marine parks that would make up the biggest ocean conservation sanctuary in the world. Environment Minister Tony Burke's upcoming announcement of a national network of Commonwealth marine parks has been described by environmentalists as a chance for the government to leave a legacy as significant as the protection of the Great Barrier Reef or Kakadu. The documents show a huge protected area in the Coral Sea off Queensland, stretching all the way along the state's coastline and a long way out to sea. There are protected pockets stretching further south past New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, and significant protected areas proposed around Western Australia and up to the Northern Territory. Work on the network of marine parks has been underway for years, and it is expected a final decision on the protection zone could be just a week or two away. Mr Burke says if the drafts are implemented, it would be the most significant step for conservation Australia has seen in terms of the number of hectares being placed into conservation. *ABC Read more  ..  http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-11/government-planning-huge-marine-park-expansion/4063294

Crocodiles

Man-eating monsters are on the move despite a cold snap, with four fiesty crocodiles hauled from Darwin Harbour at dawn. The NT News snapped photoes as croc catchers winched in two big salties. The first was 3m long caught in a West Arm trap and the second was 2.7m captured at Bleesers Creek. One had a stingray barb in the middle of its head. Rangers in another boat hooked a 2.7m saltie in the trap at South Port while Jones Creek yielded a chunky 2.1m reptile. *NT News

Wallabies

A Maine (US) woman is being allowed to keep her pet wallaby for now, even though wildlife officials say she is violating state law by keeping a wild animal as a pet. Michelle Charette of Island Falls took the male marsupial named Kingston home on Wednesday after a hearing at the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The state is concerned that the animal indigenous to Australia can catch and transmit rabies because it has not been vaccinated. The Bangor Daily News reports that Charette and her supporters told the three-member appeals panel they will get the wallaby vaccinated and are willing to comply with any conditions the state sets. Charette says the wallaby, a gift after her divorce, comforts her. The panel is expected to rule within days. * NECN.com

Mammilian Pox Virus Fact Sheet available here...
   http://www.wildlifehealth.org.au/AWHN_Admin/ManageWebsite%5CFactSheets%5CUploadedFiles/125/Poxviruses%20%28Native%20Wildlife%29%205%20Jun%202012%20%281.0%29.pdf

Poaching

An estimated 151 wild animals, worth $5,294,000, were killed by poachers between January and April this year, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has revealed. The authority’s Public Relations Manager, Caroline Washaya Moyo, told The Zimbabwean that one white and 10 black rhinos worth$360 000 were killed in both national and private estates during this period. Washaya Moyo said during the same period, a total of 71 elephants and seven buffaloes worth $70,000 were killed in the national parks.Other animals killed for the pot include one eland, five zebras, seven crocodiles, 24 impalas, six Nyalas, four warthogs and two waterbuck. Washaya Moyo said despite limited resources, her department had come up with a number of strategies to ensure the protection of the country’s wildlife.These include Intensive Protection Zones for the protection of rhinos, cross-border collaboration, and crime workshops. The Authority is carrying out aerial surveys as well as ground water hole censuses with assistance from MIKE-CITES, Frankfurt Zoological Society, Save Australia and AWF. * The Zimbabwean

AZWH Patient of the Week... Nicky the Feathertail Glider

Found inside a house at Moorina, near Morayfield, with mum nowhere in sight, and transported to The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital for veterinary assessment and specialised care. Dr Amber assessed little Nicky and found the tiny glider was dehydrated, though thankfully free from any injuries. Nicky was otherwise very bright and responsive, and tipped the scales at a miniscule 2 grams! Dr Amber administered Nicky some water and glucose through a tiny syringe in his mouth. He was then kept warm and under close observation in the ICU Nursery. Nicky has since been transferred to a local wildlife carer, who will be able to dedicate him their time until he is old enough to be released back into the wild. AZWH Statistic: There were 20 orphaned animals admitted in May. Please keep pet cats indoors at night to stop their natural hunting instincts affecting our wildlife. *AZWH

Wildlife Poaching

Poaching, especially in parts of the developing world, is as serious and prevalent an issue today as it was only twenty years ago. Despite steps to curb the poaching of exotic and endangered species, such as the 1990 CITES-led international ban on ivory, many countries are still faced with a growing prevalence of the issue within their national parks and reserves. This was recently exemplified by the law passed this month in Western India that allows forest guards to shoot and kill suspected poachers on site and not face any criminal charges or human rights violations. Poaching is not strictly defined as the illegal culling of endangered or protected species. Poaching also includes the shooting, trapping, or taking of game or fish from private property or from a place where such practices are specifically reserved or forbidden. Taken in this context, as hunting out of season or without a permit is also considered poaching, many hunters are often unaware of the legal designation of their activity. Read more  ..  http://www.theinternational.org/articles/188-continued-poaching-will-result-in-the-deg

Gt Barrier Reef

Environment group, the World Wildlife Fund, says the UNESCO report on the Great Barrier Reef recognises the scale of the issues faced by the reef. The report, released at the weekend, criticises the way the reef is managed. It has given eight months for controls on coastal development and mining to be improved, or the reef could be listed as World Heritage in danger. It's being discussed by the Queensland Cabinet today. WWF marine spokesperson Richard Leck says the Queensland and Federal Governments are now on notice to meet the report's recommendations. "The Queensland Government really has a choice here - whether or not it chooses to restrict those developments and keep the World Heritage Site off the endangered list or whether it chooses to go down that dangerous path." The Queensland Government says it welcomes the UNESCO report. Environment and Heritage Protection Minister Andrew Powell says the government is already implementing many of the recomendations. "They implicitly acknowledge that the Great Barrier Reef is a part of the economy of Queensland and Australia," he said. "They don't argue for a ban on development in, or affecting on, the World Heritage Area. "They have asked us to look at it a little bit more strategically and I think anyone would acknowledge that the way that the former government was going about it, that's a fair comment to make."
Read more  ..  http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/201206/s3517401.htm


Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke has announced funding of about $1.5 million to control an outbreak of the crown-of-thorns starfish. Mr Burke says the new money will be used by the Queensland tourism industry to inject chemicals and kill the sea stars before the numbers get out of hand.  He says there are warnings that the Great Barrier Reef is under significant threat from the starfish. "All the projections that we have say that we are looking down the barrel at one of the most significant outbreaks that we have seen," Mr Burke said. The Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators (AMPTO) has welcomed the commitment to eradicating the crown-of-thorns. AMPTO Executive Officer Col McKenzie says the program is critical to not only saving the Great Barrier Reef but Queensland's tourism industry. "There is no doubt the crown-of-thorns is the single biggest threat to the Great Barrier Reef - not climate change, not global warming, not mining and all those other pressures," Mr McKenzie said. "The crown-of-thorns has done far more damage." *

Ed Comment; They will never eradicte it, and the Crown of Thorns will be joined by many more unwelcome exotic marine hitchhikers we could well do without, when all these foreign ships are coming in to load coal and gas. *

NT Parks Broke

Parks and Wildlife in the Northern Territory is looking at ways to boost its revenue stream to stave off a financial crisis. Executive director Graham Phelps says the agency's budget is not meeting the cost of maintaining parks across the Territory. He says it is looking at increasing fees for popular walking trails and scrapping the honour system now in use at camp sites, forcing people to pay online. Mr Phelps says the department needs to be innovative about looking after its infrastructure. "An online booking system where you could pay before you went and then clearly identify that you have paid might make it easier," he said. "We can get some pretty significant increases in our camping revenue just by making sure that we are making it easier for people to pay and making sure that we actually do have a higher percentage of people paying. "We're also looking at partnerships. "Sometimes you don't have to bring money in, you can bring partners in who will work with you and provide some of the services that you want because they are really interested in doing it." Mr Phelps says, despite budget increases in recent years, the cost of maintaining infrastructure is mounting. *ABC

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 *

Whales

A baby humpback whale beached on Fraser Island has died early this morning.  Rangers were praying the high tide would save the baby humpback but the rescue attempt failed. Queensland Parks and Wildlife's Peter Wright said the 5-tonne calf, estimated to be only months old, was found washed ashore on the eastern beach, 200m from Eli Creek, at 6am Wednesday. Mr Wright said he believed the calf was completing its first migration from Antarctic waters when it became stranded. The mother was nowhere to be seen. He said eight to 10 officers spent Wednesday digging a channel out to the ocean in the hope the tidal surge would wash the 8m-long whale out to sea. ``They've been keeping its skin wet and protecting it from the public,'' Mr Wright said. Two rangers spent the night camped out on the beach to execute the rescue. Rescuers had built a trench for the distressed whale ahead of last night's high tide but the whale was unable to get back into the water and its condition deteriorated before it died this morning. *Courier Mail

Koalas

Koala tracking website here  ..   http://www.koalatracker.com.au/

Planet in Crisis

The earth's environmental systems "are being pushed towards their biophysical limits", the United Nations Environment Program says. In a 525-page report on the health of the planet, the agency paints a grim picture. It says: "Several critical global, regional and local thresholds are close or have been exceeded. "Abrupt and possibly irreversible changes to the life-support functions of the planet are likely to occur." The report, which was released overnight, says changes include rising oceans, increased frequency and severity of floods and droughts, and the collapse of fisheries. The report, which compiles three years of work by 300 scientists, says about 20 per cent of vertebrate species are under threat of extinction, coral reefs have declined by 38 per cent since 1980, greenhouse gas emissions could double over the next 50 years, and 90 per cent of water and fish samples are contaminated by pesticides.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/global-environment-outlook-grim-un-says-20120607-1zxot.html#ixzz1x9Nje0ga

Ed Comment; Most of us know this already, but how do we get it through to our political Leaders?

Vulnerable Species

The insatiable Western appetite for coffee, chocolate, timber and other goods threatens a third of the world's most vulnerable animal species, according to Sydney researchers who mapped the world economy. The findings could lead to improved labelling on thousands of supermarket products, making sustainability ratings the norm rather than the exception and enable stricter controls on the trade of products that damage animal habitats. The five-year study by University of Sydney academics tracked 5 billion supply chains involving 15,000 commodities produced in 187 countries, using years of data collection and thousands of hours on a supercomputer. The data, linked to a global inventory of 25,000 endangered and vulnerable animal species, found that, excluding invasive species, 30 per cent of recorded threats were due to international trade.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/ravenous-consumption-threat-to-third-of-vulnerable-species-20120607-1zxny.html#ixzz1x9OPmwmO

Sharks

Despite inhabiting the same waters, two populations of Great White sharks living in the coastal waters of Australia are genetically distinct, according to a new study published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series. The two groups of Great Whites, or white sharks, are separated by the Bass Strait, a stretch of water between the Australian mainland and Tasmania to the south. The research team, led by Dean Blower from the University of Queensland, used genetic tests from 97 shark tissue samples dating back to 1989 confirmed this geographical divide. “The genetic makeup of white sharks west of Bass Strait was different from those on the eastern seaboard of Australia – despite the lack of any physical barrier between these regions,” said Professor John Pandolfi, a Chief Investigator at the University of Queensland. “Our tagging and tracking showed that white sharks travel thousands of kilometers,” said Barry Bruce, a lead study researcher from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO). * redOrbit (http://s.tt/1dw4D)

Crocodiles

A male saltwater crocodile, believed to have eaten a pet dog at Donkey Camp was among four huge salties caught by Parks and Wildlife Rangers in the Katherine region in the past week.
The 3.22 male croc was pulled from a trap which had been placed 4km upstream from the popular fishing spot after a Katherine man lost his dog to a crocodile in the area two weeks ago. Rod Usher, 43, said when he found the rear half of his brother’s Kelpie cross Toni on the family property near Donkey Camp he knew “it wasn’t a barra that got the dog”. Katherine croc catcher and senior wildlife ranger John Burke said a trap was placed into the river two weeks ago and the large crocodile was caught in it on Friday afternoon. Two smaller salties, measuring 2.77m and 2.89m, were caught in traps at Flora River within Flora River Nature Park, 122km south-west of Katherine. *NT News

Frogs

A new species of frog whose call sounds like a cross between a bleating lamb and a microwave oven has been found on Australia's largest island national park. Two new species of frogs that have been discovered by James Cook University biologist Dr Conrad Hoskin living in the rainforests of North Queensland. Dr Hoskin has been closely analysing the physical and genetic differences among the frog family known as the microhylids. Dr Hoskin's findings show there are major genetic differences between populations in the northern and southern halves of this range. The populations are so different, they were found to represent three separate species, including two new species: one in the north of the Wet Tropics, the ornate frog; one in the south - the southern ornate nursery frog (Cophixalus australis); and one living on Hinchinbrook Island, the Hinchinbrook Island nursery frog (Cophixalus hinchinbrookensis). Dr Hoskin said the discovery showed that despite a long history of scientific exploration, the Wet Tropics still yielded exciting species discoveries. *Townsville Bulletin

Kangaroos

He loves nothing better than getting photos from friends around the world. They send him dead kangaroos, lifeless possums and flattened lizards. The more, the merrier, he says.   Mr Beresford, who admits his wife left him because she thought he was ‘a bit odd’, said: ‘I see things that strike my fancy when I’m driving around and I look for inspiration. ‘When I saw some road kill I thought ‘‘why not?’’ I’m doing it to raise awareness about road kill but also for a bit of fun. I have a contact in Africa who helps me get pictures and I went on ABC Radio in Australia appealing for animals and I got thousands of Kangaroo pictures sent over. His 14-year-old son, Ben, supports his hobby, he claims. ‘His classmates think it’s great,’ said the 60-year-old from Redditch, Worcestershire. ‘It’s the most inappropriate gift of all time, a road kill dinner. ‘I’m hoping to sell them but we will see how it goes.’ John Lewis will surely be beating a path to his door. He still has one animal missing from his collection. A grizzly bear. * metro.co.uk/

Flashlight in one hand, walkie-talkie in the other, Fiona Corke is out on a dark night in a national park in the Australian capital Canberra looking for marksmen. "You see them?" she whispers anxiously into her transmitter. "I can hear them," replies a fellow member of the Australian Society for Kangaroos from inside the Crace Nature Reserve, ignoring signs that tell people to keep out. The pair are part of a group opposed to the "massacre" of eastern grey kangaroos near Canberra in an authorised cull that began in late May with marksmen planning to shoot dead more than 2,000 of the animals. The government says they threaten the biodiversity of nature reserves and their numbers need to be kept in check, with shooters deployed to nine parks, working to a secret schedule to deter demonstrations. Carolyn Drew, an activist with Animal Liberation, says small groups of people go out nightly attempting to halt the killings. "If we manage to find shootings going on a park, we run in with torches and make a noise," she says.

"When they know activists are in the park, they ask the shooters to stop straight away. "They'll come back the next night but they'll surround the park with police so that the activists find it very difficult to get in." Corke insists there is no credible evidence to prove that kangaroos cause any ecological damage. "They have been part of this landscape for thousands of years, and they a have a right to be here," she says. But Parks and Conservation Service director Daniel Iglesias says controlling the eastern greys, one of the largest kangaroo species, is necessary. They have no predators, damage the environment and threaten the survival of several rare species such as the Striped Legless Lizard and the Grassland Earless Dragon, he says. "When Europeans came, predators like dingos and Tasmanian tigers disappeared (from the area)," explains Iglesias. "Then we started replacing woodland with grassland. Over time, with no predators and lots of good habitat, kangaroo numbers have built and built and built."

Read more;  ..  http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/-/world/13905805/demonstrators-out-to-deter-australias-kangaroo-cull/

Iglesias of course, is talking nonsense, and it just goes to show how shonky the whole kill is. A few thousand dingoes spread across Australia prior to white invasion had little impact on kangaroos, and the Tassie Tiger disappeared from the mainland many thousands of years ago. In 1860 there was enough natural grasslands to support 200 million kangaroos or more. Now, according to government, theres only 25 millioin, probably a lot less. And they currently have plenty of predators, humans and motor vehicles.

Tess Wildlife Sanctuary

After the heart-breaking loss of several native animals during the floods last year, the Fraser Coast TESS Wildlife Sanctuary is expanding its Mungar Rd site to include higher ground. The floods also destroyed fencing and other infrastructure, which will be replaced thanks to $227,000 in funding from the Australian government's Natural Disaster Flexible Funding Program. The boundary fence will be extended to increase the area available for enclosures and wildlife exhibits by an extra 5000sq m. Sanctuary curator Ray Revill said some of the money would be used to build new bird enclosures, including a walk-through aviary. "This aviary will give the public the opportunity to walk through an open, relaxed space with living and constructed habitat and water features, as they interact with some of the most beautiful birds Australia has to offer," Mr Revill said. "The sanctuary pathways will lead our visitors on an adventure with native wildlife."

The expansion will also provide on-the-job experience for local jobseekers and trainees, who will help build the fence and aviaries, work on improved wheelchair access areas and public entry, landscaping, picnic spaces and other improvements. Mr Stone said Fraser Coast suppliers and businesses would be used wherever possible, and would appreciate any in-kind support or donations. The sanctuary will be closed for final work to be completed from June 18 to July 2. To help, contact project manager Jenni Chew on 0428873341. *Fraser Chronicle

Endemic Parasite

A parasite believed to be costing the cattle industry $30 million a year is now endemic in Australia and could be infecting native wildlife. New research from the University of Sydney has found that Neospora caninum, which causes spontaneous abortions in infected cattle, has spread from the eastern coastal region to the rest of the country, placing more of Australia's cattle market at risk than previously realised. The parasite is carried by domestic dogs, which infect pastures. The new findings show that wild dogs and semi-domesticated dogs in remote Aboriginal communities also carry the antibodies for the parasite. This has led researchers to conclude that it is now a nationwide problem. The lead author of the study conducted by the university's faculty of veterinary science, Jan Slapeta, said the research raised crucial questions about whether other domestic and native animals could be infected by the now ubiquitous parasite.

Laboratory experiments had already established that N. caninum was fatal to the fat-tailed dunnart, a tiny marsupial from the same family as quolls and Tasmanian devils, Dr Slapeta said. "This is a very clever parasite and it's creeping inland, opening up a totally new gate to the problem," he said. "It's outsmarting us, the way it hides for up two years then strikes." The parasite causes cattle to abort their first two or three calves. In dogs, it damages the nervous system. Anthony Bennett, a vet in Berry who treats cattle from Gerringong to Nowra, said although cases of the parasite infection in his region were at a low level, they were regular. "We see it all the time," he said. "It's not a major problem yet but it is a problem, to the point that we recommend [infected] cows are culled from the herd." Bill Bolin, who runs a 500-hectare property at Eden Creek, in the state's north, , estimates the parasite cost him about $25,000 when it hit his beef herd a few years back. "You always have a few cows aborting but suddenly we were getting large numbers," he said. *Stock and Land

Bird Crisis

Australian bird species are in crisis with at least 50 endangered or critically endangered and many of these in Queensland. Federal Environment Department figures show 23 birds are already extinct. Only about 50 mature individuals of the critically endangered eastern bristlebird from the Border Ranges remain in a fragmented population which is declining, primarily due to inappropriate fire regimes. The Australian painted snipe population from the Channel Country, Cape York and Fitzroy River has dropped by more than 30 per cent. The black-throated finch, found only in Queensland, is listed as vulnerable with fewer than 10,000 mature individuals. Pastoralism, drought and fire are thought to have had the greatest impact but the finch also will lose crucial habitat if the State Government approves Clive Palmer's proposal to mine in the Bimblebox Nature Reserve in central Queensland. BirdLife Australia chief executive Graeme Hamilton said the IUCN Red List four-yearly update on birds released yesterday described a global tragedy that was mirrored in Australia.

The finch had suffered a huge decline in just a couple of decades as clearing and the planting of exotic cattle grazing species such as buffel grass replaced native grasses upon which the birds fed. "In the 200-plus years since Europeans arrived in Australia we have so diminished our natural capital that 234 Australian birds are either extinct, threatened with extinction or near threatened," Dr Hamilton said. The update is a review of more than 10,000 bird species. "These figures should be a call for action rather than an excuse to abandon species as lost causes. Every one of Australia's threatened birds can be saved," Dr Hamilton said. Critically endangered birds include the orange-bellied parrot, regent honeyeater, grey-headed albatross, Christmas Island frigatebird, Norfolk Island Tasman parakeet, western ground parrot and the star finch, which is possibly extinct. Good news stories include an increase in numbers of the hooded plover, the black-eared miner and Gould's Petrel. *Courier Mail

Exotic Marine Species

When debris from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan began making its way toward the West Coast of the United States, there were fears of possible radiation and chemical contamination as well as costly cleanup. But a floating dock that unexpectedly washed ashore in Newport this week and has been traced back to the Japanese disaster has brought with it a completely different threat – invasive species. Scientists at Oregon State University's Hatfield Marine Science Center said the cement float contains about 13 pounds of organisms per square foot, and an estimated 100 tons overall. Already they have gathered samples of 4-6 species of barnacles, starfish, urchins, anemones, amphipods, worms, mussels, limpets, snails, solitary tunicates and algae – and there are dozens of species overall. "This float is an island unlike any transoceanic debris we have ever seen," said John Chapman, an OSU marine invasive species specialist. "Drifting boats lack such dense fouling communities, and few of these species are already on this coast. Nearly all of the species we've looked at were established on the float before the tsunami; few came after it was at sea." Chapman said it was "mind-boggling" how these organisms survived their trek across the Pacific Ocean. The low productivity of open-ocean waters should have starved at least some of the organisms, he said. * Read more  ..   http://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=94102071385

1080 and Foxes

Tasmanian landowners are being paid to attend focus groups looking at community perceptions of the State Government's highly controversial Fox Taskforce. However, one attendee claims the researchers were not interested in hearing from people who did not support the program or its use of 1080 poison. For more than a decade the Government has been trying to eradicate foxes from the state but are yet to find living proof that the mainland pest is active in Tasmania. Wegeena wildlife carer and fox sceptic John Hayward said he received a phone call inviting him to a meeting with fox taskforce officials and was told he would be paid $80 to attend. "It became clear it was solely to get people on side for continued, and perhaps intensified, poisoning," Mr Hayward said. Of the nine people invited to attend the meeting, he said he was the only one with reservations about baiting.  "They really didn't want to discuss the issue, the pros and cons, only the pros. "Everybody else was dead set for it, even to a degree that was unusual in farmers."

The fox taskforce was recently rolled into the Department of Primary Industries' invasive species unit in a bid to broaden the focus to other feral species including cats.  DPIPWE Resource Management and Conservation general manager Alistair Scott says the use of private company Myriad Research was a legitimate way to find out how people in different areas viewed the threat of foxes. Mr Hayward said when he was asked to attend it sounded like there was no interest in sceptics being involved. But Mr Scott denied this, saying for the four consultations already held the seven to nine people attending each were chosen at random. "Ongoing community support and awareness of the threat foxes pose is critical to the eradication efforts," he said. "In line with standard practice within the marketing and social research industry, each person was compensated $80 for their travel, time and involvement in the sessions." He said it was standard practice to ask participants to sign confidentiality agreements to protect the privacy of those involved. *Mercury

Sharks

A landmark research project into great white sharks has appeared to overturn a number of widely held beliefs, including that swimming at dusk or dawn increases the risk of being attacked. And growing suspicions that so-called rogue sharks could have been responsible for a spate of recent fatal attacks are also likely to be untrue, according to the boss of WA's Fisheries Department. The preliminary findings come after a horror 22-month period in WA when five people were killed in attacks by white pointers. As the department confirmed it had tagged just 12 white sharks in WA since 2009, director-general Stuart Smith said new research seemed to debunk several theories about the mysterious creatures. Among them has been an investigation by Fisheries staff into whether white pointers effectively live in certain WA waters at times of the year and could be behind an increase in attacks and sightings. Mr Smith said the research, which was part of a broader study into the animals and their habits, indicated there was no such thing as "resident" white sharks.

"There is a suggestion that they might frequent a part of the State every year for a period," Mr Smith said during a parliamentary estimates hearing this week. "The work we have done so far if anything is disproving rather than proving that theory, although it is too early to draw any conclusions." Almost 100 white sharks have been tagged as part of the wider project, which is being run in collaboration with the South Australian Government and the CSIRO, although most were captured in SA. The study, published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series last week, found that great white sharks in waters off WA and SA west of the Bass Strait were a separate breeding population to those in the east. Study author Jennifer Ovenden, from the Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, said although white sharks moved widely, almost right around the southern hemisphere, they seemed to come back to the same place in Australia to give birth and probably to mate. *TheWest


Despite inhabiting the same waters, two populations of Great White sharks living in the coastal waters of Australia are genetically distinct, according to a new study published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series. The two groups of Great Whites, or white sharks, are separated by the Bass Strait, a stretch of water between the Australian mainland and Tasmania to the south. Genetic tests from 97 shark tissue samples dating back to 1989 confirmed this geographical divide. “The genetic makeup of white sharks west of Bass Strait was different from those on the eastern seaboard of Australia – despite the lack of any physical barrier between these regions,” said Professor John Pandolfi, a Chief Investigator at the University of Queensland. “Our tagging and tracking showed that white sharks travel thousands of kilometers,” said Barry Bruce, a lead study researcher from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO). “But sharks tagged and tracked off eastern Australia did not go west of Bass Strait, and sharks tagged off Western and South Australia rarely went east. When they did – they often returned, so we started to wonder whether there was more than one breeding population.” “Now we know that while white sharks across Australia can mix, the intriguing thing is that they seem to return to either east or western regions to breed,” Bruce said. While previous work by other international research teams have identified separate genetic populations of white sharks across ocean basins, this is the first time such segregation has been found at the regional level.

Read more   ..  http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1112548428/australian-great-white-sharks-are-actually-two-distinct-species/

Ed Comment; Years ago I was scuba diving off Flinders, in Victoria. My dive buddy and I were on the bottom in about 30 feet of water. Although it's always very silent underwater, apart from the hiss of air the tanks, suddenly we both felt a very spooky silence, and a very bad feeling inside. We both looked up together, and above us was a Great White, quite a bit longer than the boat we were using. It was huge, swimming very slowly, and looked as though it was going to circle around us. My dive buddy dropped off his scuba tank, and held it under his arm. I did the same, and as the shark circled away from us, we dropped our lead weight belts and made a mad dash for the surface. The idea was that if the shark attacked, he might get the scuba tanks instead of us. I've never ever got into a boat so quickly in all my life. That was the end of our dive trip for the day, but I'll never forget seeing that magnificent animal, just hanging there in the water, moving ever so slowly around us. Divers say that the shark you see is not the shark that is going to eat you, but I was happy to give the diving away for the day. We didnt go back down for the weight belts.*