Sunday, August 26, 2012
Wildlife Bytes 27/8/12
Editorial
For all of us who have been trying to find out what happened to pollice officer who killed 20 kangaroos and their joeys near Booral in Queensland, the Police disiplinary process seems to be in a shambles. Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers said in the media this week that "Neither the police, the CMC, nor the public have faith in the current police disciplinary system," he said. "I believe we are on the cusp of achieving a better model." Mr Leavers said the appointment of Commissioner Bob Atkinson's successor was crucial to ensure they maintained the momentum for change. Almost half of complaints to the CMC are about police officers and in the 2011-12 financial year, 2305 involving more than 6000 allegations were received - a 5 per cent reduction on the year before. Police Minister Jack Dempsey said the Government wanted to find "balance" to the discipline process. Meanwhile the the Newman Government stalls reforms to the police disciplinary process to make way for another review on the eve of the appointment of a new Police Commissioner. And this week we recieved letter from the CMC and they inform us an Inquiry into this incident is still under way!!
As Lindy Stacker from WLPA said in a recent letter to the Queensland Police Minister "We unfortunately can only assume that only a 'warning' was applied via a infringement notice which amounts to no prosecution, no fine and that the officer in question was not even stood down from his position where he is bound to enforce the law and not actually break it. What message does this send to the general public who expect our police force to uphold the law and when this trust is breached, apply the appropriate consequences to police staff demonstrating that they are not only NOT above the law but that you take these illegal activities seriously. Our legally protected wildlife have suffered pain and suffering because people like the officer you are protecting, feel that they have impunity and you have proved them right. Officers and individuals who perpetrate such vile crimes should be dealt the strongest and harshest penalties. Furthermore, such individuals require lengthy counselling to protect our voiceless wildlife and other human primates from their violence and uncontrolled aggression".
Lateline Kangaroo Story
The contaminated kangaroo meat story on Lateline was pulled at the last minute last Monday, and will now be run tonight (Monday 27th) at 10.30 pm. * WPAA
Hello, you've got cash.
Theres a vir.us going around that looks exactly like a Paypal email, that tells you you've got cash, and to click the attachment. Of course, the attachment carries the virus. The email says " You've Got Cash! Hello, This email confirms that you have received a payment from LUISA ERICKSON". If you get such an email, we strongly advise all wildlife groups who use Paypal to check your account balance to ensure you have recieved any cash, and DO NOT click the attachment.....or any other attachment that you get, and dont know who its from. *WPAA
Slow Worms
Slow worms – which resemble snakes – burrow into the ground and a Dalston man believes there may be around 50 of them in the UK village churchyard. The slow worms are a protected species and resident Dave Hickson says they should be treated with care. Mr Hickson said: “They’re in the ancient part of the yard and there’s a conservation plan being put together. “They are there because the area hasn’t been disturbed, and they should be protected as much as they possibly can.” He added that in order to ensure the population thrive, the grass in the yard should be cut less regularly to avoid the lizards being killed. Bryan Craig, chairman of Dalston parish council, said: “There’s a history of slow worms being in this area but we have to look after the people who use it as well. “We have agreed that we will have a survey and we are doing no more work in that area until that has been completed.
“Grass cutting has stopped and we are doing nothing more.” * Newsandstar.co.uk/
Ed Comment; These slow worms are one of our favorite reptiles. They are small, harmless, very sleek and attractive, and they dont bite! *
Fur Ban Likely
A new bill to place a ban on fur sales in Israel, lead by 8 MKs from across the political spectrum, was submitted to the Knesset. Should this legislation be adopted, Israel will become the first nation worldwide to officially ban the cruelty of the fur industry. Israel may well become the first country to ban fur sales nationwide. Localized bans already exist on the fur trade in cities and councils around the world, such as Dublin and Fingal in Ireland and West Hollywood in the USA. Throughout the world, more and more anti fur laws are being considered and passed; at the same time new regulations are being introduced to restrict and limit the fur trade. The hope is that Israel shall be the first to join as an entire nation, the growing number of compassionate fur free cities. Each year millions of animals all over the world are killed suffering unbelievable cruelty, for their fur. These animals spend their short lives anguishing in tiny mesh cages to later face electrocution, to be beaten to death or even skinned alive. * Antifur Coalition Read more .. http://www.antifurcoalition.org/
Sick Fish
Gladstone's fishing industry has rejected the findings of a new study which show fish health is improving in central Queensland. Diseased fish have been found around the Gladstone Harbour since last year. The State Government says a survey by fisheries officers has found the health of fish stocks in the Boyne, Calliope, Fitzroy and Burnett rivers is recovering. However, Ted Whittingham from the Gladstone Fish Markets says sick fish are still being caught around Gladstone. "I mean I can't say what's going on in the Burnett or the Fitzroy," he said. "The reports that we're getting in from in and around the Gladstone port ... we've had three reports this month of jew and bream very sick and very diseased. "One fisherman has decided to leave the area altogether and go to Hervey Bay because there's very little fish there and what he is catching, more than 50 per cent of it is diseased." * ABC
Tortoises
The western swamp tortoise has an upturned mouth that resembles a permanent grin - and this endearing little creature may soon have something to really smile about. As Australia's rarest reptile - and one of the world's five rarest turtle and tortoise species - this WA endemic has just reached a conservation milestone. Thirty juvenile tortoises have recently been released into Twin Swamps Nature Reserve, about 35km northeast of Perth, greatly boosting the wild population. With only 40 mature individuals thought to remain in the wild prior to this, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) had listed the species as critically endangered. The western swamp tortoise (Pseudemydura umbrina) had been feared extinct for over a century until it was rediscovered in 1953 in two small swampy habitats in the Swan Valley. *
Read more .. http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/australias-rarest-reptile-making-a-comeback-.htm
AZWH Patient of the Week, Dixie the Whistling Kite
Age: Sub-adult Sex: Unknown Found By pigging dogs at Coochin Creek in Glass House Mountains, with a fishing hook and lure from its beak to its feet pinning its head down. Transported to The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by the concerned gentleman who made the discovery. Veterinary Assessment: Dr Amber’s assessment found Dixie also had a fractured middle toe on the right foot that required amputation. Treatment: Dr Amber administered Dixie pain relief and anaesthetic in order to remove the hooks and amputate the injured toe. She also cleaned the wounds to Dixie’s leg and beak. Future: As raptors require specialised care, Dixie will undergo intensive rehabilitation at the AZWH. Assessment before release will ensure Dixie is able to hunt in the wild. AZWH Statistic: Over 40 patients so far this year have been admitted after becoming entangled in fishing tackle. Please be a responsible fisherman and clean up around our waterways! *AZWH
Climate Change
Arctic ice has shrunk to the lowest level ever recorded, according to satellite data from the past week that shows a massive melt is still under way. The ice cap had contracted to just over four million square kilometres, about 77,000 square kilometres smaller than the previous record low in 2007, data from the International Arctic Research Centre and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency indicates. With two or three weeks of warm temperatures yet to come, the area covered by ice may fall yet further, to below four million square kilometres. It means that, unless the pole grows dramatically cooler, the Arctic ice cap is very likely to vanish entirely during summer by the middle of this century.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/arctic-ice-cap-takes-a-heating-satellites-show-20120826-24ul7.html#ixzz24gn6qWZY
Flying Foxes
An increase in hungry bats entering Hervey Bay backyards in search of food has prompted a health warning from Queensland Health. Hervey Bay bat carers and residents have reported an increase in underweight bats being found in residential gardens seeking limited food sources during the day. Queensland Health's senior director of communicable diseases, Dr Christine Selvey, urged people to avoid touching the bats. She said the chances of bats approaching humans increased when they were hungry. "We ask people to use common sense and avoid going near the bats that are clearly looking for food, to avoid being scratched or bitten," Dr Selvey said. "Anyone who is concerned about a sick or injured bat should make contact with a fully vaccinated wildlife rescuer or carer who is trained to handle and care for bats. "Call the experts rather than taking the matter into your own hands. Bat bites and scratches most commonly occur as a result of someone trying to rescue or pick up a sick, injured or distressed bat, so we ask people not to do it." Dr Selvey said all bat scratches and bites required treatment, including vaccination. If you have been bitten or scratched phone 13 432584 (health) for advice. * Sunshine Coast Daily
Mining Downturn
Many millions of Australians will breathe a sigh of relief over the downturn in the mining Industry. While the decision by BHP Billiton to cancel its $30 billion Olympic Dam mine expansion project, and the downturn in the coal Industry, which is likely to have direct repercussions for the wider Australian economy, many Aussies had fears for the environmental impacts. Media beatups, political grandstanding, Japans nuclear disaster, and potential threats to the Gt Barrier Reef had millions of Australian's extremely worried. While we need mining, it has to be handled properly, in line with community expectations. Everyone knows what an environmental disaster Gladstone Harbour turned out to be, and few people trusted our politicians to make environmentally wise decisions about the touted mining Industry expansion. Now it appears its not going to happen, due to the downturn in Chinese manutacturing Industries. So perhaps someone will now decide we need another War..........* WPAA
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 *
National Parks
Victoria’s national parks will be opened to private tourism development under sweeping changes announced by the state government this morning. Responding to a report investigating ways to boost the tourism industry, Treasurer Kim Wells said opening national parks to nature-based development would bring Victoria into line with other states and territories. What development is ultimately approved will be directed by guidelines to be created by state Environment Minister Ryan Smith, who will act as the ultimate gatekeeper on what projects get up. Mr Wells said the government would only allow sensitive, environmentally appropriate investment by the private sector in national parks. ‘‘It will give more visitors, domestic and international, an opportunity to experience our beautiful and unique natural environment and it will ensure Victoria’s tourism industry is better able to compete for tourists in the ecotourism market,’’ he said.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/national-parks-to-be-opened-up-for-development-20120823-24o1q.html#ixzz24OyMa4Ep
Ed Comment; A recent poll conducted by the Age showed that 81% of Voctorians were opposed to development in National Parks
Whales
A yachtie has leapt from his boat to save a whale trapped in shark drum lines off North Stradbroke Island. Peter Brown has told the ABC he called authorities but after waiting half an hour, decided he had to act to save the distressed 12-metre mammal. He jumped from his vessel after seeing the whale in distress off Point Lookout on Wednesday morning. The feat has stunned rescuers who regularly risk their lives saving thrashing whales weighing several tonnes. Mr Brown grabbed a kitchen knife and used it to cut away nets that had entangled the whale. "Eventually it seemed to swim away from all the ropes and the buoys that were tangled with it," he said. "And very slowly, and in a very groggy fashion, it swam away. And then the two lads (from Sea World) who'd been called already came and followed it out and made sure it was OK." *Courier Mail
Emus
Emu Farms in Erode and Salem districts of Tamil Nadu (India) are in an appalling state. Once termed the most lucrative opportunity in the poultry-meat business, emus are being starved and slaughtered indiscriminately after the state police started booking cases against the farm-promoters for cheating 2,000 investors of an estimated Rs 300 crore. These farms were set up by importing seed-birds from Australia at a cost of nearly Rs 30,000 a pair. The Economic Offences Wing of the Tamil Nadu Police has registered 2,700 cases against 20 emu farm owners in Erode district till 14 August. “Now more and more people are coming forward to register cases against farm owners who cheated them,” says S Ganesh, the Erode District Revenue Officer who had conducted investigation in the district. Emu farms burst on the business scene in 2006 with high-voltage media campaigns, using popular Tamil film stars as their brand ambassadors. Within five years, around 250 emu farms mushroomed in the state. The bubble burst this summer, leaving many of marginal farmers, who were conned by the promoters, in a lurch. The promoters claimed that the meat was being exported to Australia. *
Read more .. http://www.tehelka.com/story_main53.asp?filename=Ne250812SLAUGHTER.asp
New Rat Found
The world's first known gummy-mouthed rat - which sucks on worms to survive rather than gnawing on everything in sight - has been discovered in a remote rainforest in Indonesia. Scientists spent two days trekking through a mountainous region of Sulawesi before they spotted the creature, which has neither cheek teeth for grinding nor chisel-like front teeth. The senior curator of mammals at Museum Victoria, Kevin Rowe, said the new species, whose scientific name Paucidentonmy vermidax meant "few-toothed mouse and devourer of worms", was unlike any of the 2200 species of rodent on earth. "This isn't just a slightly different rat with a different coat colour, this is something that is really different," said Dr Rowe, who discovered one of two specimens of the new species over two expeditions to Sulawesi last year.
Read more .. http://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/rat-that-doesnt-bite-is-a-cute-little-sucker-20120822-24lo1.html
Bob Irwin Foundation
Slash loves reptiles. So does Bob. And that’s enough. A deep affinity for the cold-blooded creatures has forged an unlikely friendship between the legendary Guns N’ Roses guitarist and wildlife warrior Bob Irwin. Today, Slash will help his mate officially launch the Bob Irwin Wildlife Conservation Foundation in Brisbane. When Irwin found out his friend was coming to Australia on tour, he decided he couldn't let him leave without a cuppa and a chat. "Slash nice to see you are back in Australia again. Are you coming up to Queensland to see the crocs and the snakes," he wrote. But Slash - who counts California kingsnakes and Burmese pythons among his pets - went one better, agreeing to help the father of late crocodile hunter Steve Irwin launch his new conservation initiative. Bob has returned the favour by urging his followers to see a show while Slash is in the country. "Be sure to get along to a show and support my reptile fancier friend," he tweeted. Slash’s fascination with reptiles is well known and he once told Reptile magazine: ‘‘A lot of my snakes have been really good friends of mine." He spoke of taking some of his snakes on the road when he "didn’t really have a place to live". These days they live in custom-built comfort at his home. * AAP
Gt Barrier Reef
Divers have killed about 1300 of the coral-devouring crown of thorns starfish on reefs off Cairns in the first 10 days of an intensive mission to prevent another outbreak. Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators executive director Col McKenzie said the 14- member dive crew targeted the pest starfish at Briggs, Moore and Tedford reefs for the first 10-day mission. He had hoped the team would cull about 500 crown of thorns starfish in that time and was surprised by the result. "That's a big catch - 1300 really does show that we are doing the right thing," he said. Crown of thorns starfish are one of the biggest threats to the Great Barrier Reef because they eat their weight in coral every day. The dive crew, part of a $1.4 million year-long mission funded by the Federal Government, kill the starfish by injecting them with sodium bisulphate. Mr McKenzie lobbied the Government earlier this year for funding to launch a dedicated boat-based operation before the starfish's summer breeding season begins. Each female spawns about 20 million eggs. "The more of them we can take out of the breeding numbers, the better," Mr McKenzie said. The dive crew headed back out to the Reef yesterday for another 10-day mission and they planned to target the killer starfish at Saxon, Norman, Hastings, Michaelmas reefs and around Fitzroy and Green islands. The increased flow of nutrients into the Reef from flooding in recent years has caused young crown of thorns starfish to flourish. Past outbreaks have lasted between 10 and 15 years. There have been three recorded crown of thorns starfish outbreaks since the early 1960s and each lasted between 10 and 15 years. The last was from about 1995 to 2005. *Courier Mail
Wallabies
Acting Richmond Area Commander Greg Moore says it's an unnatural rise in the number of dead wallabies around Lennox Head, and police are concerned about the suspected pattern. Police say the shootings appear to be occurring in darkness, possibly in the early hours of the morning and during week days. (Ross Kay - ABC) Police on the north coast are investigating the deaths of around a dozen wallabies near Lennox Head. The dead animals have been found along Seven Mile Beach in the past few weeks. On Tuesday police were called to investigate the shooting death of one of the protected animals after calls from the public. Acting Richmond Area Commander Greg Moore says it's an unnatural rise in the number of dead wallabies and police are concerned about the suspected pattern. "Obviously we can't confirm that they have all been shot but we do have concerns that at least one of the wallabies appears to have been shot. We are very keen to hear from anyone that has information that might help us identify the person or persons involved in the deaths of these animals. Police say the shootings appear to be occurring in darkness, possibly in the early hours of the morning and during week days. Detective Inspector Moore says penalties exist through the National Parks and Wildlife Service for killing protected wildlife including six months in jail or up to an $11,000 fine as well as serious penalties for discharging a fire arm in a public place. He says police will be stepping up patrols of the area. "The areas that they've [wallabies] been located have fortunately been away from built up areas further to the North of Seven Mile Beach but still obviously discharging a fire arm in an area such as that potentially could have serious consequences". Anyone with information can call Ballina police on 6681 8699 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 * Network Item
Big Cats
Decades of shadowy sightings, grisly livestock kills and mysterious paw prints are being scrutinised as scientists sink their claws into verifying the existence of Victorian big cats. But rather than scouring bushland for the beasts, they'll be working from the safety of state government offices. Victorian Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh says Department of Primary Industries and Department of Sustainability and Environment officers will spend months reviewing sightings, photos, reports and other evidence submitted over the years to determine whether the elusive creatures exist. ''We're not going out in pith hats beating the bushes,'' Mr Walsh said yesterday. ''This is about actually doing the analytical work.'' Sightings have been recorded in the Grampians, the central highlands, south Gippsland, the Alps and the Otways. Deputy Premier Peter Ryan pledged before the 2010 election to investigate sightings, saying there were ''enough credible observations'' to justify a report. Asked why the government was not investigating other urban legends, Mr Walsh said the big cat issue was more serious than many realised. *Age
Koalas
The Fur Trade: A brief history
Koalas began to be hunted for their skins during the second half of the 19th century. They were shot and in some cases poisoned, and their pelts were then exported to the US, Canada and Europe to make hats, gloves and the inside lining of coats. Koalas were being hunted in NSW, South Australia and Victoria in numbers that were staggering - in 1902, 600,000 koala skins were purchased in NSW alone. Historian Ellis Troughton claims that in 1924, more than 2 million koala skins were exported from Australia's eastern states. But by the early 1900s, koala numbers had dropped so sharply that governments in NSW, Victoria and South Australia all moved to put an end to koala hunting. Church leaders and wildlife conservationists agitated for the end of koala hunting, but in Queensland, despite widespread public protests, the trade continued - in part because it provided employment for rural workers. In 1927, public outcry increased dramatically in the lead up to what became known as "Black August". In that month, nearly 600,000 koala pelts were collected. However, it is estimated that if the number of joeys killed and spoiled skins are also considered, close to 800,000 koalas may actually have died. It turned out to be the last open hunting season on koalas in Australia. The backlash that followed helped topple the Labor government in elections in May 1929. *ABC
Take Action for Koalas: Write to ask that Koalas be listed as a threatened species – this will mean development in habitat areas will be minimised and conservation efforts improved and funded by the government. Koala populations in Qld, NSW and ACT are currently listed as vulnerable.
Email the State Minister for the Environment
Copy your email to the Premier
Copy your email to the federal Minister for the Environment, Tony Burke
Copy your email and write a concerned covering note to your local state member of parliament.
Local council? If in an area affected by development.
Letters to the editor
Qd State Minister Enviro: Andrew Powell glass.house@parliament.qld.gov.au
Vic State Minister Enviro: Ryan Smith ryan.smith@parliament.vic.gov.au
NSW State Minister Enviro: Robyn Parker office@parker.minister.nsw.gov.au
Premiers:
QLD: Cambpell Newman http://www.thepremier.qld.gov.au/tools/contact.aspx
NSW: Barry O’Farrell office@premier.nsw.gov.au
VIC: Ted Baillieu http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/contact.html
The recent and steep decline of koalas across Australia show that our national environment laws need to be made stronger and not weaker as the federal government is planning, the Australian Greens said today. “The Australian koala is unique, but despite only recently getting federal protection as a result of a Greens-instigated Senate Inquiry, our national laws are still not strong enough to save them from extinction,” Greens environment spokesperson, Senator Larissa Waters, said. “Now the ALP government and Tony Abbott’s Coalition are ganging up to water down these laws even further, putting the future of our precious koala, and other threatened species, at serious risk. “The ALP and the Coalition are planning to palm off the federal government’s environment responsibilities to the states, including the protection of threatened species – so the only authority to protect the koala will be the same authority that profits from the development that’s killing them. “The koala will be only one casualty of this disastrous scheme to roll back environment protection – every endangered species and precious place we love in Australia is up for grabs. "The Greens are the only party willing to stand up for our unique wildlife, our precious places, and the communities that want them protected across Australia.” The Greens are also planning to introduce a bill to better protect koalas before the Senate in the near future. * Greens
Sunshine Coast Koala Wildlife Rescue has called for an investigation to be opened into the death of a koala found decapitated last week after discovering his testicles had also been removed. In what was first thought to be a motor accident, brothers Ray and Murray Chambers now believe koala Sullivan met with foul play after his carcass was discovered at Weyba Downs by the side of Emu Mountain Rd. Sullivan, who had been rescued by the brothers late last year and nursed back to health from a bladder infection, was found with his head missing last week only five metres from his home tree. He was taken to Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital who said the injuries were consistent with a motor vehicle strike. Ray has now called the death into question. "A lot of things don't add up," he said. "When we picked him up we could see the body had been tampered with. "We checked the area as well. There was no blood on the road and no body fluids. "At first I thought he was hit by a car and it took his head off?...?but in my experience it was such a clean take that it just couldn't have been." Ray feared Sullivan could have met foul play at the hand of a person or persons. "There could be some sick person out there?...?there's no excuse in today's world to do anything like this," he said. "I believe in an eye for an eye with this kind of thing." Sullivan was first brought to the attention of the Koala Wildlife Rescue service after he was found with a bladder infection late last year. He was treated over a couple of months and released back into the wild. *SC Daily
Kangaroos
New research will determine the best way to euthanise orphaned joeys. When female kangaroos are shot and harvested for their meat, their joeys are not meant to be left to fend for themselves. Department of Primary Industries scientist Steve McLeod says new research is needed to work out the best way to kill the orphans. "We've been interested in this issue for a long time, it's only recent that we've able to secure funding to do this work and also more recently that we've found a spring loaded captive bolt gun which could be used to improve the welfare of euthanised in pouch young. "This is something that hasn't been used before in Australia, we've sourced them from Europe where they're used for rabbit sized animals and poultry." *ABC
Ed Comment; We understand that the use of captive bolt pistols to kill inpouch joeys was rejected by the Federal Committee that was set up in the 90's to overview the kangaroo killing Code of Practice, nicely named ( the National Code of Practice for the humane shooting of kangaroos and wallabies for commercial purposes. ). However, government bureacrats looking for money now appear to have got some funding to pursue this silly idea. To suggest that a kangarooo shooter, in the dark, in the middle of nowhere would take the time to ensure the bolt pistol was appropriately placed against the squirming joeys head is just laughable, if it wasnt so horrifying. Obviously they are looking for a more humane way of killing joeys, because of public backlash, but the reality is there is no humane way to do this, nor can it be justified for any reason. We all know the terrible way possums were killed with a captive bolt pistol in John Kelly's Tasmanian possum abbatoir......killing baby kangaroos with such a horrific weapon would be just as bad if not worse.
Dingoes
An injured juvenile dingo is believed to be roaming around Fraser Island, after rangers shot at the wild dog near K'Gari earlier this month. The dingo was one of two dogs earmarked by rangers to be destroyed, after they reportedly nipped a staff member in two separate attacks near the campground. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Great Sandy Strait regional manager Ross Belcher said the one of the dingoes had been humanely destroyed by rangers on August 6."A dingo with a history of aggressive and dangerous incidents on the north-east coast of Fraser Island was humanely destroyed," Mr Belcher said. "A second dingo was also identified for humane destruction on August 8, for its part in a similar attack." Mr Belcher said a QPWS officer had attempted to shoot the second animal, but was unsuccessful. The shooting of the island dingo has sparked an uproar among local community groups, with one group labelling the destruction of the animals as unacceptable. Save the Fraser Island Dingo spokeswoman Cheryl Bryant said the death of the first young dingo, and attempted destruction of the other was appalling.
"We were hoping that the culling of dingoes would stop while the review was under way," Ms Bryant said. "But one dog has already been killed, and the other apparently has a hole in its neck. "It's just not acceptable to have this poor animal wandering around with a hole in its neck." Indigenous members of the community had also contacted the group to voice their disgust over the death of the canines, Ms Bryant said. "These two dogs were young juveniles from last year's litter," she said. "They were camp dogs, who lived among the indigenous members on the island, and now one is dead and the other is injured. They were never considered dangerous by people living on the island." Ms Bryant said members of the SFID organisation were disappointed by the government's reaction to the incidents. * Chronicle
Kangaroos
Wildlife volunteers from across the state converged on Plenty Gorge Park in South Morang to stop a suspected kangaroo cull. Parks Victoria denied plans to shoot kangaroos but confirmed an ongoing fox control program took place every Tuesday and Thursday. Members of the Australian Society for Kangaroos patrolled the park on August 10-17 but said they only heard gunfire last Tuesday. The society believed a roo cull was cancelled at the last minute. Spokeswoman Fiona Corke said she was told by reliable sources that kangaroos would be shot on August 13 and 15 because they caused car accidents on Plenty Rd. "I'm even more suspicious now, because if that fox control program is that well known, where did those Monday and Wednesday dates come from?" she said. Ms Corke said controversial kangaroo culls in Eden Park (2011) and in South Morang (2009) made wildlife volunteers suspicious. "Kangaroos land-locked on McDonalds Rd (South Morang) were killed under the cover of secrecy while a relocation program was about to be approved by an animal ethics committee," Ms Corke said. "If the Government wants to start growth corridors, it needs to start finding ways to move wildlife non-lethally." Parks Victoria ranger-in-charge Barry Coombes said the fox program at Plenty Gorge Park had run for more than three years, with almost 200 foxes removed. He said the program would continue indefinitely and was conducted with the Sporting Shooters' Association of Australia, which was responsible for notifying nearby residents. * Whittlesea Leader
An adult kangaroo has been found shot through the neck with an arrow on the Mareeba Golf Course this morning. The kangaroo is thought to be about five years old. Golfer Jim Logan thought he saw three men walking along the golf course's fence line shortly before they encountered the injured kangaroo. "There’s no need for that in modern society," My Logan said. Another witness, John Pilbin, said the animal seemed distressed. "If you’ve got an arrow through your neck of course it would be distressing. You'd have to say he was in some pain," he said. RSPCA Queensland spokesman Michael Beattie said there had been a number of arrow attacks on animals across the state recently. "I just can't understand what possible enjoyment anyone could get from shooting an animal that is totally defenceless and normally stationary," Mr Beattie said. Mareeba Golf Course manager Jeni Duck said she was furious at the shooting. She said about 100 kangaroos on the course caused no harm and were in fact a tourist attraction.KThe animal is expected to survive and will undergo a procedure to remove the arrow later today. *Cairns Post
Kangaroo Meat and Preservatives
Aug. 20, 2012, 12:44 p.m.
THE RSPCA wants action over pet meat preservatives believed to have led to deaths of pet dogs and cats. The use of sulphite preservatives in fresh pet meat for cats and dogs is widespread, according to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences. "Where sulphite-treated pet meat is the sole or predominant source of food, pets risk nutritional deficiencies, particularly the potentially fatal thiamine deficiency," a recent ABARES report on the pet food industry said. The RSPCA agrees, saying thiamine deficiency causes severe neurological problems and can be fatal. It says sulphur dioxide in food can destroy thiamine. "The Australian Standard for Manufactured Pet Food contains clauses that address the sulphite issue by including a mandatory requirement that any product containing sulphur dioxide, sulphite or potassium sulphites must contain sufficient thiamine ..." However, the RSPCA remains concerned about raw pet meat products and other products not falling under the standard containing sulphite preservatives.
Vet and RSPCA Tasmania acting president Paul Swiatkowski said yesterday he had seen cases of pet death due to thiamine deficiency. Dr Swiatkowski said it had been mostly cats, which had a much higher need for thiamine than dogs. "If there's a better alternative I would support the banning of sulphites. "It's just some pets will only eat one type of food and that's where it becomes fairly critical. "If it's deficient in thiamine and they're eating it over a very long period, that's where you're going to see major problems develop over a long period of time."
ABARES said three options to fix the problem were: Add thiamine to pet meat; Ban the preservative; or, Adequate labelling. "Currently, no market or industry incentives exist to address the issues of sulphite preservatives in pet meat." *Advocate News
Ed. Comment, all pet meat including kangaroo carries preservatives that are illegal to use on meat for human consumption.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Wildlife Bytes Australia 21/8/12
Kangaroos
ABC Lateline are running a story about the kangaroo Industry on Lateline tonight (Tuesday 21st) ... dont miss it!!
Turtles and Dugongs
Bob irwin and colinwhocares shocked at GBRMPA report on turtles and dugongs
http://vimeo.com/47644686
Possums
Heres an interesting possum website...... http://www.ozpossum.com/
Wildlife Corridors
A Step in the right direction... Qld Gov plans to buy up land to create wildlife corridors...The Queensland Government wants to hear from landowners in south-east Queensland interested in selling properties that could become protected koala habitat. Environment Minister Andrew Powell said the Government wanted to purchase land identified as suitable for long-term protection and was inviting expressions of interest from property owners. The focus of the purchases will be land within the local government areas of Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay, Brisbane, Redland, Logan, Gold Coast, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim, Ipswich and Somerset. The land will be assessed against a range of habitat parameters and wherever possible, the land would also be available to the public for recreational use and increased opportunities for people to see koalas in the wild. With koalas listed as vulnerable to extinction in south-east Queensland, increasing the protection of their habitat through programs such as this is vital for the long-term survival of this iconic species. Expressions of interest opened on 14 August and will close on 31 October. * Courier Mail
Koalas
The Sunshine Coast Koala and Wildlife Rescue Service says the Queensland Government will need to spend more money to protect koalas. The Government has allocated $22.5 million over the next three years to buy land in areas where koalas are under threat. The plan applies to 10 council areas in south-east Queensland and rescue service president Ray Chambers says it is a step in the right direction. He says the money is likely to be exhausted quickly. "You have a look at Noosa, for example, you'd suck $10 million up straight away there, so it will go quick but they've really got to work on now whether the koala numbers are," he said. "Like Noosa is virtually the only coastal fringe on the coast, so that's going to be the high value area, the same through Redlands ... on the waterfront there, so it is going to go fast so we need to work out deals." *ABC
National Parks
The (previous) Queensland Government bought three Cape York cattle stations for $12.6 million, protecting 515,000ha of Aboriginal land and habitat for the endangered golden shouldered parrot. Dixie and Wulpan stations on central Cape York were bought in February, while Crosbie Station, to the southwest towards Kowanyama, was bought in 2009. All were pastoral leases and voluntary acquisitions. The land is to be divided between the Olkola people and areas deemed worthy of conservation. Negotiations were conducted before the election but it is a tricky issue for the State Government because National Parks Minister Steve Dickson said earlier this month he was looking at closing 875,000ha of newly-allocated parks so they could be used for grazing and logging. Mr Dickson's office was unable to say yesterday if the stations would be part of the review, if they would be returned to grazing or if they would go on to become national parks. Environment Department Cape York Peninsula tenure resolution branch director Buzz Symonds said the stations were bought as part of the Cape York Peninsula Tenure Resolution Program, set up to resolve tenure issues on 20 parcels of state-owned land. Negotiations were expected to be completed, tenure transferred and protected areas dedicated mid next year, he said. The Federal Government contributed $7.8 million and the Queensland Government $1.2 million for Dixie-Wulpan. Their combined area is 402,000ha. The Queensland Government paid $3.6 million for Crosbie. *Courier Mail
Spiders
Amateur cave explorers have found a new family of spiders in the Siskiyou Mountains of Southern Oregon, and scientists have dubbed it Trogloraptor - Latin for cave robber - for their fearsome front claws. The explorers sent specimens to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, which has the West Coast's largest collection of spiders. Entomologists there say the spider - reddish brown and the size of a half dollar - evolved so distinctly that it requires its own taxonomic family - the first new spider family found in North America since the 1870s. "It took us a long time to figure out what it wasn't," said Charles Griswold, curator of arachnids at the academy. "Even longer to figure out what it is. We used anatomy. We used DNA to understand its evolutionary place. Then we consulted other experts all over the world about what this was. They all concurred with our opinion that this was something completely new to science. "It's a good example of how science works - professional and citizen scientists share information," he added. The discovery is described in the Friday online edition of the journal ZooKeys.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/new-family-of-spiders-found-in-us-cave-20120818-24fan.html#ixzz242Yid45x
AZWH Patient of the Week .. Elmo Emu
Age: Hatchling Sex: Unknown Found: At St George, in central western Queensland, after his father and siblings were hit and killed by a car. Transported to: A local vet, who then transferred Elmo on to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital for specialised treatment and care. Veterinary Assessment: Dr Robyn assessed Elmo and found the little emu had a wound on the right foot, and was very weak and dehydrated. Orphaned, Elmo was also without a role model for vital pecking skills. Treatment: Dr Robyn administered Elmo fluids and pain relief, and cleaned the foot wound. A total of six ticks were also removed. Elmo remained under close observation overnight in the Nursery ICU, and was introduced the next day to.. a chicken! This chicken will show Elmo the correct way to peck and feed from grain. Future: Elmo will soon be transferred to a local bird carer, and will remain in care for the next five to six months until the foot is healed and is big enough to be released back into the wild. AZWH Statistic: Elmo is only the tenth emu to be ever be admitted the wildlife hospital! *AZWH
Underwater Forests at Risk
The Federal Government has listed the giant kelp forests near Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia as endangered. Under the listing, the giant kelp are considered an endangered ecological community. Any projects which could impact on the forests will now require assessments under national environment law. Giant kelp are mainly found from Eddystone Point in north-east Tasmania, and along the state's east coast as far down as Port Davey in the south-west. Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke says the move will ensure better protection for the forests, which are being threatened by warming oceans, invasive species and human activity on coastlines. Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson has warned the marine forests will remain under threat unless further action is taken to address climate change. "Everything helps in a situation like this but my understanding is that global warming and rising sea temperatures are the key problems for kelp," he said. "So unless we address the gases that cause global warming and take effective action on climate change, no listing in the world is going to help kelp forests." *ABC
National Parks
F0ourwheel drives, trail bikes and horses have damaged kilometres of Plunkett Conservation Park at Beenleigh, prompting calls for policing and surveillance cameras. Beenleigh resident Glenn Leiper said damage included smashed national park signs, barricades and gates. The park is renowned for its wildflowers. Mr Leiper claimed damage began about two years ago but had substantially increased since Premier Campbell Newman and National Parks Minister Steve Dickson announced national parks would be "opened up" for everyone. "Where tracks were formerly mostly one to two people wide and not used by vehicles, tracks are now badly eroded roads up to three cars wide, with new roads being bashed into surrounding bush," Mr Leiper said. A spokeswoman for Mr Dickson said the problem had occurred for years and there was nothing to indicate damage was increasing. She said the issue was being addressed by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service staff and police with regular patrols. Mr Dickson would not review his policy of opening up parks to mountain bikes and horses and did not agree the policy might encourage some people to do the wrong thing. Mr Leiper said although the Government claimed it would use only designated park roads and fire trails for mountain bikes and horses, the reality was this would be ignored. "Once they're in parks, they'll go wherever they like." *Courier Mail
Wildlife Trafficking
Squealing tiger cubs stuffed into carry-on bags. Luggage packed with hundreds of squirming tortoises, elephant tusks, even water dragons and American paddlefish. Officials at Thailand's gateway airport proudly tick off the illegally trafficked wildlife they have seized over the past two years. But Thai and foreign law enforcement officers tell another story: Officials working-hand-in-hand with traffickers ensure that other shipments through Suvarnabhumi International Airport are whisked off before they even reach customs inspection. It's a murky mix. A 10-fold increase in wildlife law enforcement actions, including seizures, has been reported in the past six years in Southeast Asia. Yet, the trade's Mr. Bigs, masterful in taking advantage of pervasive corruption, appear immune to arrest and continue to orchestrate the decimation of wildlife in Thailand, the region and beyond.
And Southeast Asia's honest cops don't have it easy. *AP Read More .. http://www.whbf.com/story/19280111/the-untouchables-asian-wildlife-traffickers
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 *
Brazil's Wildlife Vanishing
Animals living in patches of rainforest cut off from bigger expanses of jungle by farms, roads or towns are dying off faster than previously thought, according to an academic study published on Tuesday. "We uncovered a staggering rate of local extinctions," the British and Brazilian researchers wrote in the online science journal PLOS ONE. They visited 196 fragments of what was once a giant, intact forest in eastern Brazil on the Atlantic coast, now broken up by decades of deforestation to make way for agriculture. Each isolated forest patch, ranging from less than the size of a soccer pitch to more than 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres), had on average only four of 18 types of the mammals the experts surveyed, including howler monkeys and marmosets. White-lipped peccaries, similar to pigs, "were completely wiped out and jaguars, lowland tapirs, woolly spider monkeys and giant anteaters were virtually extinct," the British and Brazilian scientists said of their findings. Normal estimates of declining wildlife numbers, based on the size of isolated forest fragments, predicted higher survival rates, it said. But they had underestimated continuing human pressures such as hunting and fires. "This is bad news for conservation," Professor Carlos Peres, of Britain's University of East Anglia, told Reuters. Many animals had vanished even in what seemed big areas of forest with intact tree canopy, he said. The rate of species loss in the area studied - the Atlantic Forest region which covers 250,000 sq km (95,000 sq miles), the size of Britain or the US state of Michigan, was likely to be mirrored in other countries such as Indonesia, Ghana or Madagascar, Peres said. * TimesIndia
Whales
A fisherman has undeniable proof of the one that got away. It was so big it flipped his boat and left him all at sea. The fisherman survived a terrifying encounter in the deep blue, off Bribie Island, in Queensland, after his boat struck a whale and flipped early this morning. The boatie, in his 60s, was aboard the deck of his 10m fibreglass power cat in calm seas when the boat suddenly lifted out of the water and overturned. The fisherman was around 25 nautical north-east of the coast when he encountered the whale just before first light. AGL Action Rescue helicopter Air Crewman Jerm Cutelli said the fisherman was trapped underneath the boat for a period of time, luckily within an air pocket. "He said he was trapped under the vessel in an air pocket for a while and then got the courage to dive down and swim free," he said. "A nearby fisherman came to help and together they called the Coast Guard." Mr Cutelli said the boatie was unable to tell rescuers what had happened. "He said he doesn't really know what happened, it just flipped. He thinks that maybe it was a whale," he said. Local Volunteer Coast Guard found the fisherman and called for backup from the rescue helicopter when they realised he was suffering a number of other medical complaints, including some chest pain. The man was winched on board the AGL rescue helicopter mid-morning and taken to Nambour General Hospital, on the Sunshine Coast, in a stable condition. The incident came just a month after the VMR crew and rescue helicopter crew worked together in a number of simulated rescue training exercises. "The training meant today's real-life rescue was uncomplicated," Mr Cutelli said. "Everyone knew what they were doing, we were in and out in only a few minutes." *Courier Mail
Butterflies Mutate
A team of researchers have revealed that a specific species of local butterfly in Japan have mutated since the Fukushima disaster back in March 2011. The species and the massive changes in physical and genetic development suggest that radiation levels continue to be a threat in the region, and may also serve as indicator of how slowly the breakdown of radioactive materials might be. After over a year of research, the group published their findings in the scientific journal, Nature, and roundly concluded that, “radionuclides from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant caused physiological and genetic damage to this species.” Researchers had already been studying the delicate butterfly species for 10 years prior to the Fukushima incident, because the group of animals is extremely senstive to environmental changes, which could offer a way for scientists to measure environmental changes. As Prof Otaki, one of the researchers, told the BBC:
We had reported the real-time field evolution of colour patterns of this butterfly in response to global warming before, and [because] this butterfly is found in artificial environments – such as gardens and public parks – this butterfly can monitor human environments. The BBC notes that scientists collected 144 adult pale grass blue butterflies two months after the disaster from 10 different locations, including Fukushima. Researchers quickly discovered that the butterflies from areas with radiation developed startingly smaller wings and abnormal eye development. The study became even more surprising when scientists bred the butterflies. It was then that they discovered the genetic mutations that had occurred from exposure to radiation. Researchers noticed that the second generation, bred away from any radioactive exposure, developed strange antannae. Those butterflies bred from the Fukushima area showed a rate of mutation double that of butterflies that were taken from areas without radiation.
Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/mutant-fukushima-butterflies-reveal-effects-of-radiation.html#ixzz23ehdTo00
Kangaroos
During the recent school holidays a horrified family were confronted by a group of hunters driving into a camping ground in a south east National Park randomly shooting kangaroos. In front of the distressed family camped in the remote but popular National Park they shot a number of kangaroos and loaded some onto a vehicle before driving off, leaving dead and maimed animals behind. One of the campers photographed one of the vehicles and contacted the NPWS office. The investigating NPWS Ranger was required to euthanase one of the maimed animals left behind by the shooters. The incident is being investigated. The shooting occurred as the NSW Parliament was introducing a controversial Bill allowing hunting in National Parks. Since the media coverage that has followed the new Bill there have been a number of illegal shooting incidents in National Parks, leading to speculation that hunters are under the impression that it is now 'open season' in National Parks. It's understood that the 'Firearms Prohibited' sign at the entrance to the campground had been run over and smashed, but all other signs were intact.
However, while the Bill has been passed it has yet to be enacted, and when it is enacted hunters will be required to apply for a specific licence and adhere to regulations overseen by Game Council NSW. Two people found earlier this week bogged in the South East Forests National Park are being investigated regarding: carrying a firearm in a national park; driving off formal tracks in a national park; and damaging vegetation in a National Park. There have been reports of wombats being shot in National Parks and stories of shooters targeting kangaroos and wallabies on remote properties adjoining National Parks. The Public Service Association of NSW is compiling an audit of incidents from rangers and park staff across the state. "Reports of an alleged kangaroo shooting in a national park in the state's South East is consistent with what we're hearing from our rangers about incidents where shooters are entering our parks under the impression they are now open for hunting," said Geo Papas from the PSA. "We are concerned members of the public are jumping the gun and are creating a dangerous situation for rangers, other park users and wildlife. "The State Government should come clean about whether there has been a spate of illegal shooting taking place in our national parks and what the Minister will do to stop it."
The ABC has submitted a number of questions to the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage and will update this story when the responses are available. The PSA has directed its members not to assist with any activity involved with establishing recreational hunting in National Parks. PSA General Secretary, John Cahill, said "Our park rangers should not have to work in fear for their own safety. "Our members have expressed serious concerns about the danger to themselves and the community when shooting is allowed in bushland popular with walkers and picnickers." Game Council NSW Chairman John Mumford said that the Council, which will be responsible for overseeing hunting in National Parks, has already established a successful system for hunting in State Forests. "We have proven that this system works over six years, with strict licensing and accreditation, the Written Permission system, and a State-wide field network of Game Managers," said Mr Mumford.
Greens MLC David Shoebridge says that in answers provided to the Greens in Parliament, Game Council NSW confirmed that it employs only 4.2 full time equivalent staff to police the hunting in State Forests across the state and they will now have to police National Parks as well. He claims that Game Council policing of hunting in forests and parks is clearly inadequate. There has been widepsread criticism that the opening up of National Parks to hunting is part of a deal by the O'Farrell government to get Shooters and Fishers Party support for selling off the state's electricity generators. *ABC
Great Barrier Reef
Sawfish and snubfin dolphins on the brink of extinction are top priority in a plan to restore degraded coral habitats and reconnect coastal ecosystems along the Great Barrier Reef. The plan by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority comes as the CSIRO today will launch a report in Brisbane, warning increasing water temperatures are likely to send the reef's tropical fish southward. The Marine Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in Australia Report Card says climate change is having such a significant impact that there is striking evidence of extensive southward movements of tropical species. It says there are declines in abundance of many temperate species and the first signs of the effect of ocean acidification on marine species with shells, something scientists have warned of for years. Marine park authority chairman Dr Russell Reichelt said a dramatic 50 per cent loss of coral on inshore reefs had occurred from Cairns to Fraser Island, with more than a dozen marine species listed as highly vulnerable. He said the findings were part of a road map to protect the Reef's 2600km-long fragile ecosystem.
"There are no fishing dead spots, as such, but sadly the entire Reef system inshore and coral south of Cairns to Fraser Island is vulnerable," Dr Reichelt said. "The GBR is the size of Italy and one-third is marine national park and two-thirds is open to fishing. "It is these inshore areas where species and habitats are under the greatest pressure from a range of threats, including coastal development." Coral reefs, islands, the lagoon floor, mangroves, open waters and seagrass meadows are identified as some of the habitats at-risk. Dwarf minke whales, dugong, inshore dolphins, sharks, rays and snapper are some of the potentially at-risk species. Others include king and blue threadfin salmon, marine turtles, seabirds, sea snakes and grey mackerel. Poor water quality because of catchment run-off, loss of habitat by port development and illegal fishing were taking a heavy toll. Dr Reichelt said the priority was to improve inshore biodiversity. The draft Great Barrier Reef Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2012 is open to feedback until September 28. *Courier Mail
Kangaroos
Many people, particularly landowners and farmers grumble about kangaroos and how they are eating all the green stuff. Views and opinions are formed over the generations and myth becomes fact. So, it may be a surprise to learn that a mob of 30 kangaroos nibble away the equivalent of less than a single heifer – and the impact on the ground is very much less than stock animals. Some people see hundreds of kangaroos when there are only 30 or 40. In some areas kangaroos have been largely eradicated. Most family mobs seem to average around 25-30, but sometimes two or more mobs come together and form a larger group before dispersing again. Dry Sheep Equivalent (DSE) can be used to compare the grazing pressure of stock and other animals. In general terms a single kangaroo eats a third of a ‘dry’ sheep. Cattle on the other hand can have a DSE of around 12 – Jersey milking cows have a factor of 22 or more. Horses have a DSE of perhaps 10 or more and seem to eat 24 hours a day. There are many factors impacting DSE such as animal age, breed, growth rate, lactating, pregnant, topography, nutritional value, biomass and so on.
Importantly kangaroos are not contained and range over large areas. Stock animals on the other hand are trapped in paddocks and eat down to ground level and beyond. Look at agistment paddocks for horses or where cattle and sheep have been introduced and see the difference in grazing pressure. But it gets better. Kangaroos are soft-footed and do not impact the ground in the same way as heavier hoofed animals that compact the ground. Skippy is choosy about the native grasses they eat. Kangaroos do not graze down to ground level, thereby encouraging growth rather than destroying the pasture. Some scientists suggest mixed grazing with kangaroos can be beneficial and actually increase farm output. Convinced? If not, then think about the true impact of your local mob of kangaroos. Work on fact and not fiction. See a mob of kangaroos as the equivalent of a single, free-ranging heifer, drifting between your land and that of your neighbours - because this is what they equate to. And it doesn’t seem right to kill off kangaroos just because we ‘think’ they are the culprits in eating all the grass. * Braidwood Times
Altering the number of kangaroos culled each year will not avoid some young adults starving to death at the end of winter. The ACT Parks and Conservation Service director Daniel Iglesias said sightings of higher numbers of kangaroos happened at the end of winter every year because they had to forage further for food. After heavy frosts, what little pasture was left in nature reserves was of poor quality. 'Kangaroos are doing it tough between July and August. It is the highest time for morbidity, a lot of sub-adults [adolescents] die.'' He said this was a natural phenomenon. Motorists have reported more kangaroos along Hindmarsh Drive at O'Malley and near nature reserves in the south and north of the city. The Canberra Times previously reported last year's winter cull killed about 2440 kangaroos of the planned 3427 while this year, government shooters had hoped to kill more than 2000 but only about 1100 were shot. Mr Iglesias said increasing the number wouldn't help the kangaroos maintain their numbers over winter. The annual targeted conservation cull involved a small percentage of a particular grazing area, not a territory-wide cull.
Vicky Papas, who lives in Dalman Crescent, O'Malley, adjoining a reserve, said her family was extra careful coming home at night because kangaroos were jumping onto the road in pairs. In summer, her mother-in-law visiting from overseas had been mesmerised at dusk by large numbers of kangaroos grazing peacefully near homes. 'They were huge, now we are seeing a lot of babies,'' she said. 'I know early in the mornings, even in the middle of night, our ensuite faces the reserve, we see them hanging about.'' She said hares and native ducks were about as well. Her husband Paul photographed 25 ducks sitting on the front lawn. Mr Iglesias said reports of more foxes in Canberra was in line with cities the world over, including London, which had big fox populations because of their adaptability. The best way to avoid them was a tidy backyard that did not have food scraps lying about. Rangers could poison foxes in national parks, but could not do so in urban areas because of the danger to domestic animals. University of Queensland emeritus Professor Gordon Grigg said the kangaroo numbers could crash during drought and respond in good seasons. An NRMA check of claims data in 2011 found that Belconnen, with 23 collisions, was the worst hot-spot for kangaroos, followed by Hume (21) and Woden (12). Insurer AAMI said Canberra-Queanbeyan and the Hunter Valley region are hot spots for animal collision claims. *
Canberra Times
Ed Comment; We've never heard anything so preposterous... that "young kangaroo adults starve to death at the end of winter " .. and this clown Iglesias is in charge of the infamous Canberra kangaroo killing programs.....
Dingoes
Animal Welfare chair joins Fraser Island Dingo review committee. A prominent Tasmanian Zoologist and a highly experienced animal welfare researcher will join one of the world's top ecologists and a local marine scientist to cross-check the review of the Fraser Island Dingo Management Strategy. Chair of the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, Professor Clive Phillips, will join the committee along with Professor Chris Johnson of the University of Tasmania's school of Zoology. Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection, Andrew Powell, who is visiting the Fraser Coast this weekend for the Whale Festival, said the scientific committee would cross-check the review carried out by EcoSure. "We have said that this would be an independent, scientific, peer-reviewed process. Professor Possingham and his fellow committee members will carry out the peer-review of the work," Mr Powell said. "Committee members' selection has been based on their widely recognised expertise across these fields and their independence of any previous involvement with the management of dingoes on Fraser Island."
Professor Phillips has more than 25 years' experience researching the welfare of farm, companion and captive wild animals. In particular his research has focused on assessing adequate animal nutrition, health, housing, transport and reproduction, with emphasis on cattle and sheep. Having studied the ecology and conservation of mammals throughout Australia, from the northern tropics to Tasmania, Professor Johnson recently moved to the University of Tasmania focusing on the sustainable conservation of animals and causes and environmental impacts of extinction. The committee has met with EcoSure recently to work through the terms of reference and methodology of the review. The public will be updated as the review progresses, with EcoSure set to release its draft report later this year. *Ministerial Media Release
Flying Foxes
Scientists hope studies of bat urine will help them discover why the number of Hendra virus cases has grown in North Queensland during the past year. A resurgence of the virus in Queensland and NSW since the start of last year has seen the death of about 23 horses at Majors Creek, near Townsville and Hawkins Creek, north of Ingham. Most recently, a horse died in the Cairns suburb of Redlynch late last month. Biosecurity Queensland is reviewing each case, looking for a pattern that might suggest why some horses become infected and not others. To date, researchers have found that horses were camped under trees where flying foxes were feeding in the case of more than 80 per cent of affected properties. Virus researcher Dr Hume Field said almost 90 per cent of properties had evidence of recent flying fox activity, including food debris and urine under trees. He said it was still a mystery why there had been so many cases within a short period, compared to the previous 18 years since the virus's discovery.
"We're looking at things like the rate of excretion in flying foxes and it varies within each year, the climatic factors that make it more or less likely that flying foxes will get infected and will excrete viruses, and whether the virus will last longer on the ground," he said. "Those are the types of things we are exploring, but there's nothing conclusive yet." He said the findings so far showed the importance of property owners keeping horses away from fruiting and flowering trees that might attract flying foxes. "It's not always easy to do, particularly when you've got a large property and you've got a creek line that's got melaleucas that run for a couple of hundred metres," he said. "But the issue is when the trees are flowering or fruiting. "It doesn't have to be a permanent thing, but I think the recommendation that some fencing to exclude horses from such areas while they are fruiting would prevent the risk." He said property owners should also check at night for flying foxes. CSIRO has been working on a Hendra vaccine which could be released later this year before being commercially available in 2013. But Dr Field reminded horseowners the vaccine would not be a silver bullet solution to preventing the virus's spread. * Townsville Bulletin
ABC Lateline are running a story about the kangaroo Industry on Lateline tonight (Tuesday 21st) ... dont miss it!!
Turtles and Dugongs
Bob irwin and colinwhocares shocked at GBRMPA report on turtles and dugongs
http://vimeo.com/47644686
Possums
Heres an interesting possum website...... http://www.ozpossum.com/
Wildlife Corridors
A Step in the right direction... Qld Gov plans to buy up land to create wildlife corridors...The Queensland Government wants to hear from landowners in south-east Queensland interested in selling properties that could become protected koala habitat. Environment Minister Andrew Powell said the Government wanted to purchase land identified as suitable for long-term protection and was inviting expressions of interest from property owners. The focus of the purchases will be land within the local government areas of Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay, Brisbane, Redland, Logan, Gold Coast, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim, Ipswich and Somerset. The land will be assessed against a range of habitat parameters and wherever possible, the land would also be available to the public for recreational use and increased opportunities for people to see koalas in the wild. With koalas listed as vulnerable to extinction in south-east Queensland, increasing the protection of their habitat through programs such as this is vital for the long-term survival of this iconic species. Expressions of interest opened on 14 August and will close on 31 October. * Courier Mail
Koalas
The Sunshine Coast Koala and Wildlife Rescue Service says the Queensland Government will need to spend more money to protect koalas. The Government has allocated $22.5 million over the next three years to buy land in areas where koalas are under threat. The plan applies to 10 council areas in south-east Queensland and rescue service president Ray Chambers says it is a step in the right direction. He says the money is likely to be exhausted quickly. "You have a look at Noosa, for example, you'd suck $10 million up straight away there, so it will go quick but they've really got to work on now whether the koala numbers are," he said. "Like Noosa is virtually the only coastal fringe on the coast, so that's going to be the high value area, the same through Redlands ... on the waterfront there, so it is going to go fast so we need to work out deals." *ABC
National Parks
The (previous) Queensland Government bought three Cape York cattle stations for $12.6 million, protecting 515,000ha of Aboriginal land and habitat for the endangered golden shouldered parrot. Dixie and Wulpan stations on central Cape York were bought in February, while Crosbie Station, to the southwest towards Kowanyama, was bought in 2009. All were pastoral leases and voluntary acquisitions. The land is to be divided between the Olkola people and areas deemed worthy of conservation. Negotiations were conducted before the election but it is a tricky issue for the State Government because National Parks Minister Steve Dickson said earlier this month he was looking at closing 875,000ha of newly-allocated parks so they could be used for grazing and logging. Mr Dickson's office was unable to say yesterday if the stations would be part of the review, if they would be returned to grazing or if they would go on to become national parks. Environment Department Cape York Peninsula tenure resolution branch director Buzz Symonds said the stations were bought as part of the Cape York Peninsula Tenure Resolution Program, set up to resolve tenure issues on 20 parcels of state-owned land. Negotiations were expected to be completed, tenure transferred and protected areas dedicated mid next year, he said. The Federal Government contributed $7.8 million and the Queensland Government $1.2 million for Dixie-Wulpan. Their combined area is 402,000ha. The Queensland Government paid $3.6 million for Crosbie. *Courier Mail
Spiders
Amateur cave explorers have found a new family of spiders in the Siskiyou Mountains of Southern Oregon, and scientists have dubbed it Trogloraptor - Latin for cave robber - for their fearsome front claws. The explorers sent specimens to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, which has the West Coast's largest collection of spiders. Entomologists there say the spider - reddish brown and the size of a half dollar - evolved so distinctly that it requires its own taxonomic family - the first new spider family found in North America since the 1870s. "It took us a long time to figure out what it wasn't," said Charles Griswold, curator of arachnids at the academy. "Even longer to figure out what it is. We used anatomy. We used DNA to understand its evolutionary place. Then we consulted other experts all over the world about what this was. They all concurred with our opinion that this was something completely new to science. "It's a good example of how science works - professional and citizen scientists share information," he added. The discovery is described in the Friday online edition of the journal ZooKeys.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/new-family-of-spiders-found-in-us-cave-20120818-24fan.html#ixzz242Yid45x
AZWH Patient of the Week .. Elmo Emu
Age: Hatchling Sex: Unknown Found: At St George, in central western Queensland, after his father and siblings were hit and killed by a car. Transported to: A local vet, who then transferred Elmo on to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital for specialised treatment and care. Veterinary Assessment: Dr Robyn assessed Elmo and found the little emu had a wound on the right foot, and was very weak and dehydrated. Orphaned, Elmo was also without a role model for vital pecking skills. Treatment: Dr Robyn administered Elmo fluids and pain relief, and cleaned the foot wound. A total of six ticks were also removed. Elmo remained under close observation overnight in the Nursery ICU, and was introduced the next day to.. a chicken! This chicken will show Elmo the correct way to peck and feed from grain. Future: Elmo will soon be transferred to a local bird carer, and will remain in care for the next five to six months until the foot is healed and is big enough to be released back into the wild. AZWH Statistic: Elmo is only the tenth emu to be ever be admitted the wildlife hospital! *AZWH
Underwater Forests at Risk
The Federal Government has listed the giant kelp forests near Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia as endangered. Under the listing, the giant kelp are considered an endangered ecological community. Any projects which could impact on the forests will now require assessments under national environment law. Giant kelp are mainly found from Eddystone Point in north-east Tasmania, and along the state's east coast as far down as Port Davey in the south-west. Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke says the move will ensure better protection for the forests, which are being threatened by warming oceans, invasive species and human activity on coastlines. Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson has warned the marine forests will remain under threat unless further action is taken to address climate change. "Everything helps in a situation like this but my understanding is that global warming and rising sea temperatures are the key problems for kelp," he said. "So unless we address the gases that cause global warming and take effective action on climate change, no listing in the world is going to help kelp forests." *ABC
National Parks
F0ourwheel drives, trail bikes and horses have damaged kilometres of Plunkett Conservation Park at Beenleigh, prompting calls for policing and surveillance cameras. Beenleigh resident Glenn Leiper said damage included smashed national park signs, barricades and gates. The park is renowned for its wildflowers. Mr Leiper claimed damage began about two years ago but had substantially increased since Premier Campbell Newman and National Parks Minister Steve Dickson announced national parks would be "opened up" for everyone. "Where tracks were formerly mostly one to two people wide and not used by vehicles, tracks are now badly eroded roads up to three cars wide, with new roads being bashed into surrounding bush," Mr Leiper said. A spokeswoman for Mr Dickson said the problem had occurred for years and there was nothing to indicate damage was increasing. She said the issue was being addressed by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service staff and police with regular patrols. Mr Dickson would not review his policy of opening up parks to mountain bikes and horses and did not agree the policy might encourage some people to do the wrong thing. Mr Leiper said although the Government claimed it would use only designated park roads and fire trails for mountain bikes and horses, the reality was this would be ignored. "Once they're in parks, they'll go wherever they like." *Courier Mail
Wildlife Trafficking
Squealing tiger cubs stuffed into carry-on bags. Luggage packed with hundreds of squirming tortoises, elephant tusks, even water dragons and American paddlefish. Officials at Thailand's gateway airport proudly tick off the illegally trafficked wildlife they have seized over the past two years. But Thai and foreign law enforcement officers tell another story: Officials working-hand-in-hand with traffickers ensure that other shipments through Suvarnabhumi International Airport are whisked off before they even reach customs inspection. It's a murky mix. A 10-fold increase in wildlife law enforcement actions, including seizures, has been reported in the past six years in Southeast Asia. Yet, the trade's Mr. Bigs, masterful in taking advantage of pervasive corruption, appear immune to arrest and continue to orchestrate the decimation of wildlife in Thailand, the region and beyond.
And Southeast Asia's honest cops don't have it easy. *AP Read More .. http://www.whbf.com/story/19280111/the-untouchables-asian-wildlife-traffickers
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 *
Brazil's Wildlife Vanishing
Animals living in patches of rainforest cut off from bigger expanses of jungle by farms, roads or towns are dying off faster than previously thought, according to an academic study published on Tuesday. "We uncovered a staggering rate of local extinctions," the British and Brazilian researchers wrote in the online science journal PLOS ONE. They visited 196 fragments of what was once a giant, intact forest in eastern Brazil on the Atlantic coast, now broken up by decades of deforestation to make way for agriculture. Each isolated forest patch, ranging from less than the size of a soccer pitch to more than 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres), had on average only four of 18 types of the mammals the experts surveyed, including howler monkeys and marmosets. White-lipped peccaries, similar to pigs, "were completely wiped out and jaguars, lowland tapirs, woolly spider monkeys and giant anteaters were virtually extinct," the British and Brazilian scientists said of their findings. Normal estimates of declining wildlife numbers, based on the size of isolated forest fragments, predicted higher survival rates, it said. But they had underestimated continuing human pressures such as hunting and fires. "This is bad news for conservation," Professor Carlos Peres, of Britain's University of East Anglia, told Reuters. Many animals had vanished even in what seemed big areas of forest with intact tree canopy, he said. The rate of species loss in the area studied - the Atlantic Forest region which covers 250,000 sq km (95,000 sq miles), the size of Britain or the US state of Michigan, was likely to be mirrored in other countries such as Indonesia, Ghana or Madagascar, Peres said. * TimesIndia
Whales
A fisherman has undeniable proof of the one that got away. It was so big it flipped his boat and left him all at sea. The fisherman survived a terrifying encounter in the deep blue, off Bribie Island, in Queensland, after his boat struck a whale and flipped early this morning. The boatie, in his 60s, was aboard the deck of his 10m fibreglass power cat in calm seas when the boat suddenly lifted out of the water and overturned. The fisherman was around 25 nautical north-east of the coast when he encountered the whale just before first light. AGL Action Rescue helicopter Air Crewman Jerm Cutelli said the fisherman was trapped underneath the boat for a period of time, luckily within an air pocket. "He said he was trapped under the vessel in an air pocket for a while and then got the courage to dive down and swim free," he said. "A nearby fisherman came to help and together they called the Coast Guard." Mr Cutelli said the boatie was unable to tell rescuers what had happened. "He said he doesn't really know what happened, it just flipped. He thinks that maybe it was a whale," he said. Local Volunteer Coast Guard found the fisherman and called for backup from the rescue helicopter when they realised he was suffering a number of other medical complaints, including some chest pain. The man was winched on board the AGL rescue helicopter mid-morning and taken to Nambour General Hospital, on the Sunshine Coast, in a stable condition. The incident came just a month after the VMR crew and rescue helicopter crew worked together in a number of simulated rescue training exercises. "The training meant today's real-life rescue was uncomplicated," Mr Cutelli said. "Everyone knew what they were doing, we were in and out in only a few minutes." *Courier Mail
Butterflies Mutate
A team of researchers have revealed that a specific species of local butterfly in Japan have mutated since the Fukushima disaster back in March 2011. The species and the massive changes in physical and genetic development suggest that radiation levels continue to be a threat in the region, and may also serve as indicator of how slowly the breakdown of radioactive materials might be. After over a year of research, the group published their findings in the scientific journal, Nature, and roundly concluded that, “radionuclides from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant caused physiological and genetic damage to this species.” Researchers had already been studying the delicate butterfly species for 10 years prior to the Fukushima incident, because the group of animals is extremely senstive to environmental changes, which could offer a way for scientists to measure environmental changes. As Prof Otaki, one of the researchers, told the BBC:
We had reported the real-time field evolution of colour patterns of this butterfly in response to global warming before, and [because] this butterfly is found in artificial environments – such as gardens and public parks – this butterfly can monitor human environments. The BBC notes that scientists collected 144 adult pale grass blue butterflies two months after the disaster from 10 different locations, including Fukushima. Researchers quickly discovered that the butterflies from areas with radiation developed startingly smaller wings and abnormal eye development. The study became even more surprising when scientists bred the butterflies. It was then that they discovered the genetic mutations that had occurred from exposure to radiation. Researchers noticed that the second generation, bred away from any radioactive exposure, developed strange antannae. Those butterflies bred from the Fukushima area showed a rate of mutation double that of butterflies that were taken from areas without radiation.
Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/mutant-fukushima-butterflies-reveal-effects-of-radiation.html#ixzz23ehdTo00
Kangaroos
During the recent school holidays a horrified family were confronted by a group of hunters driving into a camping ground in a south east National Park randomly shooting kangaroos. In front of the distressed family camped in the remote but popular National Park they shot a number of kangaroos and loaded some onto a vehicle before driving off, leaving dead and maimed animals behind. One of the campers photographed one of the vehicles and contacted the NPWS office. The investigating NPWS Ranger was required to euthanase one of the maimed animals left behind by the shooters. The incident is being investigated. The shooting occurred as the NSW Parliament was introducing a controversial Bill allowing hunting in National Parks. Since the media coverage that has followed the new Bill there have been a number of illegal shooting incidents in National Parks, leading to speculation that hunters are under the impression that it is now 'open season' in National Parks. It's understood that the 'Firearms Prohibited' sign at the entrance to the campground had been run over and smashed, but all other signs were intact.
However, while the Bill has been passed it has yet to be enacted, and when it is enacted hunters will be required to apply for a specific licence and adhere to regulations overseen by Game Council NSW. Two people found earlier this week bogged in the South East Forests National Park are being investigated regarding: carrying a firearm in a national park; driving off formal tracks in a national park; and damaging vegetation in a National Park. There have been reports of wombats being shot in National Parks and stories of shooters targeting kangaroos and wallabies on remote properties adjoining National Parks. The Public Service Association of NSW is compiling an audit of incidents from rangers and park staff across the state. "Reports of an alleged kangaroo shooting in a national park in the state's South East is consistent with what we're hearing from our rangers about incidents where shooters are entering our parks under the impression they are now open for hunting," said Geo Papas from the PSA. "We are concerned members of the public are jumping the gun and are creating a dangerous situation for rangers, other park users and wildlife. "The State Government should come clean about whether there has been a spate of illegal shooting taking place in our national parks and what the Minister will do to stop it."
The ABC has submitted a number of questions to the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage and will update this story when the responses are available. The PSA has directed its members not to assist with any activity involved with establishing recreational hunting in National Parks. PSA General Secretary, John Cahill, said "Our park rangers should not have to work in fear for their own safety. "Our members have expressed serious concerns about the danger to themselves and the community when shooting is allowed in bushland popular with walkers and picnickers." Game Council NSW Chairman John Mumford said that the Council, which will be responsible for overseeing hunting in National Parks, has already established a successful system for hunting in State Forests. "We have proven that this system works over six years, with strict licensing and accreditation, the Written Permission system, and a State-wide field network of Game Managers," said Mr Mumford.
Greens MLC David Shoebridge says that in answers provided to the Greens in Parliament, Game Council NSW confirmed that it employs only 4.2 full time equivalent staff to police the hunting in State Forests across the state and they will now have to police National Parks as well. He claims that Game Council policing of hunting in forests and parks is clearly inadequate. There has been widepsread criticism that the opening up of National Parks to hunting is part of a deal by the O'Farrell government to get Shooters and Fishers Party support for selling off the state's electricity generators. *ABC
Great Barrier Reef
Sawfish and snubfin dolphins on the brink of extinction are top priority in a plan to restore degraded coral habitats and reconnect coastal ecosystems along the Great Barrier Reef. The plan by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority comes as the CSIRO today will launch a report in Brisbane, warning increasing water temperatures are likely to send the reef's tropical fish southward. The Marine Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in Australia Report Card says climate change is having such a significant impact that there is striking evidence of extensive southward movements of tropical species. It says there are declines in abundance of many temperate species and the first signs of the effect of ocean acidification on marine species with shells, something scientists have warned of for years. Marine park authority chairman Dr Russell Reichelt said a dramatic 50 per cent loss of coral on inshore reefs had occurred from Cairns to Fraser Island, with more than a dozen marine species listed as highly vulnerable. He said the findings were part of a road map to protect the Reef's 2600km-long fragile ecosystem.
"There are no fishing dead spots, as such, but sadly the entire Reef system inshore and coral south of Cairns to Fraser Island is vulnerable," Dr Reichelt said. "The GBR is the size of Italy and one-third is marine national park and two-thirds is open to fishing. "It is these inshore areas where species and habitats are under the greatest pressure from a range of threats, including coastal development." Coral reefs, islands, the lagoon floor, mangroves, open waters and seagrass meadows are identified as some of the habitats at-risk. Dwarf minke whales, dugong, inshore dolphins, sharks, rays and snapper are some of the potentially at-risk species. Others include king and blue threadfin salmon, marine turtles, seabirds, sea snakes and grey mackerel. Poor water quality because of catchment run-off, loss of habitat by port development and illegal fishing were taking a heavy toll. Dr Reichelt said the priority was to improve inshore biodiversity. The draft Great Barrier Reef Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2012 is open to feedback until September 28. *Courier Mail
Kangaroos
Many people, particularly landowners and farmers grumble about kangaroos and how they are eating all the green stuff. Views and opinions are formed over the generations and myth becomes fact. So, it may be a surprise to learn that a mob of 30 kangaroos nibble away the equivalent of less than a single heifer – and the impact on the ground is very much less than stock animals. Some people see hundreds of kangaroos when there are only 30 or 40. In some areas kangaroos have been largely eradicated. Most family mobs seem to average around 25-30, but sometimes two or more mobs come together and form a larger group before dispersing again. Dry Sheep Equivalent (DSE) can be used to compare the grazing pressure of stock and other animals. In general terms a single kangaroo eats a third of a ‘dry’ sheep. Cattle on the other hand can have a DSE of around 12 – Jersey milking cows have a factor of 22 or more. Horses have a DSE of perhaps 10 or more and seem to eat 24 hours a day. There are many factors impacting DSE such as animal age, breed, growth rate, lactating, pregnant, topography, nutritional value, biomass and so on.
Importantly kangaroos are not contained and range over large areas. Stock animals on the other hand are trapped in paddocks and eat down to ground level and beyond. Look at agistment paddocks for horses or where cattle and sheep have been introduced and see the difference in grazing pressure. But it gets better. Kangaroos are soft-footed and do not impact the ground in the same way as heavier hoofed animals that compact the ground. Skippy is choosy about the native grasses they eat. Kangaroos do not graze down to ground level, thereby encouraging growth rather than destroying the pasture. Some scientists suggest mixed grazing with kangaroos can be beneficial and actually increase farm output. Convinced? If not, then think about the true impact of your local mob of kangaroos. Work on fact and not fiction. See a mob of kangaroos as the equivalent of a single, free-ranging heifer, drifting between your land and that of your neighbours - because this is what they equate to. And it doesn’t seem right to kill off kangaroos just because we ‘think’ they are the culprits in eating all the grass. * Braidwood Times
Altering the number of kangaroos culled each year will not avoid some young adults starving to death at the end of winter. The ACT Parks and Conservation Service director Daniel Iglesias said sightings of higher numbers of kangaroos happened at the end of winter every year because they had to forage further for food. After heavy frosts, what little pasture was left in nature reserves was of poor quality. 'Kangaroos are doing it tough between July and August. It is the highest time for morbidity, a lot of sub-adults [adolescents] die.'' He said this was a natural phenomenon. Motorists have reported more kangaroos along Hindmarsh Drive at O'Malley and near nature reserves in the south and north of the city. The Canberra Times previously reported last year's winter cull killed about 2440 kangaroos of the planned 3427 while this year, government shooters had hoped to kill more than 2000 but only about 1100 were shot. Mr Iglesias said increasing the number wouldn't help the kangaroos maintain their numbers over winter. The annual targeted conservation cull involved a small percentage of a particular grazing area, not a territory-wide cull.
Vicky Papas, who lives in Dalman Crescent, O'Malley, adjoining a reserve, said her family was extra careful coming home at night because kangaroos were jumping onto the road in pairs. In summer, her mother-in-law visiting from overseas had been mesmerised at dusk by large numbers of kangaroos grazing peacefully near homes. 'They were huge, now we are seeing a lot of babies,'' she said. 'I know early in the mornings, even in the middle of night, our ensuite faces the reserve, we see them hanging about.'' She said hares and native ducks were about as well. Her husband Paul photographed 25 ducks sitting on the front lawn. Mr Iglesias said reports of more foxes in Canberra was in line with cities the world over, including London, which had big fox populations because of their adaptability. The best way to avoid them was a tidy backyard that did not have food scraps lying about. Rangers could poison foxes in national parks, but could not do so in urban areas because of the danger to domestic animals. University of Queensland emeritus Professor Gordon Grigg said the kangaroo numbers could crash during drought and respond in good seasons. An NRMA check of claims data in 2011 found that Belconnen, with 23 collisions, was the worst hot-spot for kangaroos, followed by Hume (21) and Woden (12). Insurer AAMI said Canberra-Queanbeyan and the Hunter Valley region are hot spots for animal collision claims. *
Canberra Times
Ed Comment; We've never heard anything so preposterous... that "young kangaroo adults starve to death at the end of winter " .. and this clown Iglesias is in charge of the infamous Canberra kangaroo killing programs.....
Dingoes
Animal Welfare chair joins Fraser Island Dingo review committee. A prominent Tasmanian Zoologist and a highly experienced animal welfare researcher will join one of the world's top ecologists and a local marine scientist to cross-check the review of the Fraser Island Dingo Management Strategy. Chair of the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, Professor Clive Phillips, will join the committee along with Professor Chris Johnson of the University of Tasmania's school of Zoology. Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection, Andrew Powell, who is visiting the Fraser Coast this weekend for the Whale Festival, said the scientific committee would cross-check the review carried out by EcoSure. "We have said that this would be an independent, scientific, peer-reviewed process. Professor Possingham and his fellow committee members will carry out the peer-review of the work," Mr Powell said. "Committee members' selection has been based on their widely recognised expertise across these fields and their independence of any previous involvement with the management of dingoes on Fraser Island."
Professor Phillips has more than 25 years' experience researching the welfare of farm, companion and captive wild animals. In particular his research has focused on assessing adequate animal nutrition, health, housing, transport and reproduction, with emphasis on cattle and sheep. Having studied the ecology and conservation of mammals throughout Australia, from the northern tropics to Tasmania, Professor Johnson recently moved to the University of Tasmania focusing on the sustainable conservation of animals and causes and environmental impacts of extinction. The committee has met with EcoSure recently to work through the terms of reference and methodology of the review. The public will be updated as the review progresses, with EcoSure set to release its draft report later this year. *Ministerial Media Release
Flying Foxes
Scientists hope studies of bat urine will help them discover why the number of Hendra virus cases has grown in North Queensland during the past year. A resurgence of the virus in Queensland and NSW since the start of last year has seen the death of about 23 horses at Majors Creek, near Townsville and Hawkins Creek, north of Ingham. Most recently, a horse died in the Cairns suburb of Redlynch late last month. Biosecurity Queensland is reviewing each case, looking for a pattern that might suggest why some horses become infected and not others. To date, researchers have found that horses were camped under trees where flying foxes were feeding in the case of more than 80 per cent of affected properties. Virus researcher Dr Hume Field said almost 90 per cent of properties had evidence of recent flying fox activity, including food debris and urine under trees. He said it was still a mystery why there had been so many cases within a short period, compared to the previous 18 years since the virus's discovery.
"We're looking at things like the rate of excretion in flying foxes and it varies within each year, the climatic factors that make it more or less likely that flying foxes will get infected and will excrete viruses, and whether the virus will last longer on the ground," he said. "Those are the types of things we are exploring, but there's nothing conclusive yet." He said the findings so far showed the importance of property owners keeping horses away from fruiting and flowering trees that might attract flying foxes. "It's not always easy to do, particularly when you've got a large property and you've got a creek line that's got melaleucas that run for a couple of hundred metres," he said. "But the issue is when the trees are flowering or fruiting. "It doesn't have to be a permanent thing, but I think the recommendation that some fencing to exclude horses from such areas while they are fruiting would prevent the risk." He said property owners should also check at night for flying foxes. CSIRO has been working on a Hendra vaccine which could be released later this year before being commercially available in 2013. But Dr Field reminded horseowners the vaccine would not be a silver bullet solution to preventing the virus's spread. * Townsville Bulletin
Monday, August 6, 2012
Wildlife Bytes 6/8/12
Editorial
In a story featured below, we note that again the Victorian government have issued Permits during the last year to kill many species of wildlife. The Victorian hit list is; Swamp Wallaby 2239 to be killed, Rainbow Lorikeets to be killed 910, Kookaburras to be killed 30, Emus to be killed, 538, Black Swans to be killed, 10, Common Wombats to be killed, 1612. Permits to kill 300 parrots were issued to protect golf courses. Of course we are all apalled by the slaughter, but its not just Victoria. Every State does the same...issueing Permits in many cases over the phone. At WPAA we've been monitoring this issue through FOI for many years, and its always been difficult to get any information about this out into the media....until now. The killing has made some media this time, but we notice that few of the major media newspapers have carried this story........which is why they continue to get away with it. Anyone who has anything to do with wildlife knows that most of our native species are going through population crashes, but it doesn't seem to worry the idiots in the government departments who are supposed to be looking after it. * WPAA
Birds
A multimillion-dollar resort planned for the Tweed Coast could be derailed by a rare bird. The beach stone curlew is officially listed as critically endangered, with just 16 known birds remaining in NSW, but Kingscliff locals claim at least one has been spotted living it up on prime real estate earmarked for a swank eco-resort. The bird sighting, captured by a local wildlife photographer, has ruffled the feathers of locals, who have long been campaigning against the resort, a project years in the planning. The resort, yet to be given final approval, will be assessed by the NSW Government's Planning Assessment Commission and the presence of a rare bird could have major implications. Known as Lot 490, the resort's proposed site is a vacant stretch of coastal land between Kingscliff and the Salt township that has long been sought after as blue-chip development land. The latest proposal, from development giant Leighton Properties, would feature 180 tourist bungalows and "a range of community facilities", but the project is no certainty to receive approval. *Courier Mail
Whales
A humpback whale and her calf were left injured after a collision with a ferry in Sydney Harbour this morning, with a witness saying the animals suddenly popped up in front of the boat.
They do have amazing powers of recuperation, so in all likelihood the animals will recover. The Collaroy, which was operating the 8.40am service from Circular Quay to Manly this morning, hit an unknown object, damaging its propeller blade. Aerial footage later identified a female humpback whale with a wound near its dorsal fin, and its calf with an 80-centimetre gash. Richard Ford, of Whale Watching Sydney, told smh.com.au one of his boat captains saw the ferry collide with one of the whales. "Then we saw the whale spend a little bit of time on the surface and then start swimming again.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/whale-watch/sydney-ferry-hits-whales-in-harbour-20120806-23p9z.html#ixzz22ngdSz7Z
Fish
A rare shortbill spearfish - usually found in tropical waters in the Pacific and Indian oceans - has washed up dead on Henley Beach in South Australia. The 175cm-long fish, which was discovered by Henley Beach South resident Stefan Thompson, are most commonly found in deep waters around Hawaii. Dr Paul Rogers, of the South Australian Research and Development Institute, said it was an "exciting'' find. "It's quite a rare species for gulf waters,'' said Dr Rogers, who collected the fish for testing. "We believe it may have gotten hooked on fishing gear and become disoriented and come ashore. "Finding a tropical fish in a temperate environment in the middle of winter is quite a rare occurrence.'' *SA News
The latest count of dead fish in the Swan River has grown to more than 4000 as an algal bloom continues to choke a section of the river from Ascot to the Causeway. More dead fish are expected to be scooped out of the river in the next few days as the bloom dies off, releasing toxic chemicals that smother fish by fusing their gills. The microalgae occurs naturally in the river but unseasonally dry and sunny conditions in Perth this winter have seen it bloom. The outbreak follows a similar bloom last month that killed 2500 fish. WANews
Planet Ark
The founders of environment group Planet Ark are speaking out about the charity they say has lost its way. Environmentalist Jon Dee and tennis great Pat Cash founded Planet Ark 20 years ago. It soon forged a high profile, thanks in part to the backing of celebrities like Olivia Newton John, Kylie Minogue and Pierce Brosnan. But times have been tough for Planet Ark lately. It has made substantial losses for three years running, sold some major assets and offered redundancies to staff. After National Tree Day at the weekend, Mr Dee and Mr Cash have told 7.30 they are particularly upset about Planet Ark's links with the timber industry. Planet Ark has allowed its logo to be used on advertisements for timber, paid for by Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA). It is part of a sponsorship deal in which Planet Ark gets $700,000 from the timber industry. *ABC
Read more .. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-31/planet-ark-founders-cut-ties-with-lost-organisation/4167146
Ed Comment; Both Pat Cash and Jon Dee have come out and publically supported the commercial kangaroo kill.
Seals
Last autumn, 162 dead harbour seal pups washed up on the beaches of New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In a paper published yesterday in the journal mBio, scientists reported that the pups were killed by a new strain of influenza. Their research indicates that the virus evolved from bird flu, gaining the ability to spread from seal to seal
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/animals/fears-new-strain-of-seal-flu-could-pose-risk-to-humans-20120731-23cry.html#ixzz22KLnq01a
Climate Change
Global warming could advantage one pesky marine species while disadvantaging its predator, a new study suggests. The study, of the eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) and its predator, the Australian bass (Macquaria novemaculeata), is published today in the Proceedings of the Royal Society. "Mosquitofish are very aggressive - they eat lots of tadpoles and eat or damage a lot smaller fish," says biologist Professor Frank Seebacher, of the University of Sydney. "Once mosquitofish come in, the biodiversity decreases quite sharply. They are much more of a problem than canetoads." Seebacher and colleagues wanted to investigate how increasing water temperatures could affect the relationship between mosquitofish and its predator. "Species respond really differently to the same changes in climate," says Seebacher. "This is the first study to that looks at the thermal effects on interactions [between species]." * ABC Read more .. http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2012/08/01/3557368.htm
Tree Protest
A woman has spent a second night chained to an 80-year-old tree on the Gold Coast. Lynne Hargreaves is calling on the Gold Coast City Council to abandon plans to remove two camphor laurel trees from Winders Park at Currumbin. The council is clearing vegetation around the protester to make way for a $700,000 pedestrian and bike way. Ms Hargreaves says there is an alternative. "I've asked for written confirmation that these two trees will not be chopped down," she said. "We are trying to get these two trees on the national tall trees register. "These trees are of importance to the community and should be preserved." * ABC Ed. The Council has since decided not to remove the trees.
10 of the most Polluted Places on Earth.
http://www.abc.net.au/environment/articles/2012/07/23/3549975.htm We note Gladstone Harbor is not included....yet!
Crocodiles
Scientists have found what they believe to be the jawbone of an ancient "monster" crocodile at a remote station in northwest Queensland. They estimate the extinct saltie could have been the length of a Brisbane City Council bus and may have once roamed as far south as the state's capital. University of Queensland palaeontologist Gilbert Price said the fossil was found by masters student Bok Khoo, from the University of NSW, during a dig last month. "It would have been a monster, bigger than anything we have likely seen before," Dr Price said. "Possibly the biggest in Australia. It did not have any teeth attached but the tooth sockets alone were 35mm-40mm wide so you can imagine the teeth it had." *Courier Mail
Wildlife Missing
About 100 animals were still missing from the Tasmania Zoo yesterday, after a violent break-in. Several people are believed to have broken into the Launceston zoo overnight on Thursday, cut the locks on enclosures and slaughtered about a dozen birds. "They've gone on a rampage," the co-owner of the private zoo, Rochelle Penney, said. "They have gone in there with the purpose of harming the animals." Several birds were found with their heads removed. "It’s baffled us," said Ms Penney, whose family opened the zoo nine years ago. "We're all in shock really." About 1000 birds were released from their cages but many have been recaptured. The missing animals included quolls and endangered swift parrots. 'People don't understand, a lot of those guys won't survive in the wild,'' Ms Penney said. Other unlocked enclosures were reported to house wallabies and monkeys. Two chainsaws were also stolen. *Age
Climate Change
Ocean acidification caused by climate change is making it harder for creatures from clams to sea urchins to grow their shells, and the trend is likely to be felt most in polar regions, scientists said today. A thinning of the protective cases of mussels, oysters, lobsters and crabs is likely to disrupt marine food chains by making the creatures more vulnerable to predators, which could reduce human sources of seafood. "The results suggest that increased acidity is affecting the size and weight of shells and skeletons, and the trend is widespread across marine species," the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) said in a statement of the findings. Human emissions of greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels, and some of that carbon dioxide ends up in the oceans, where it dissolves to form acid. The ocean acidification makes it harder for creatures to extract calcium carbonate - vital to grow skeletons and shells - especially from chill waters in the Arctic Ocean and around Antarctica, according to the study in the journal Global Change Biology.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/crustaceans-shellacked-by-climate-change-20120806-23pcx.html#ixzz22nh2c6AR
Firebugs
Emergency crews have contained a blaze on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. It started as a controlled burn in the Noosa National Park but flared early this afternoon. Coolum State High School was evacuated as a precaution, while David Low Way - which was closed due to a smoke hazard - was expected to reopen before 4:00pm (AEST). Incident controller Jason Spink says there has been no property damage. "The fire is under control at this stage," he said. "We have had some changing weather conditions but we believe that we'll be able to maintain that. "Fire crews are looking at possibly back burning a small section to ensure the fire doesn't have a path of egress later on, and crews will be mopping up out here into the night." *Courier Mail
Ed Comment; the Government employed firebugs are at it again. We thought the management of our special areas might change with the change of Government in Queensland but apparently not. They've just done another burnoff in the National Park at Deception Bay too, and another "prescribed burn" yesterday at Laidley that got away. We know that populations of small animals such as lizards and frogs are decreasing, and no wonder.
Turtles
Officials say 299 juvenile green sea turtles have died at a government-funded breeding farm in the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Turtle Farm in West Bay says the turtles died this week after a water line broke and affected water supply to several tanks. Officials said water stopped flowing as crews repaired the pipe and that a backup system failed. Officials said the turtles that died represent less than 5 per cent of the turtles at the farm. The farm has roughly 490 turtles for breeding and more than 7000 as part of a release program. *PerthNow
Meanwhile a live two-headed turtle hatchling has been found on a Florida beach.
Snakebite
Tiger snake bite victims are being given up to four times the amount of antivenom necessary and a commonly used snake venom detection kit is unreliable, according to a study published yesterday in the Medical Journal of Australia. The study, which reviewed tiger snake bite cases from October 2004 to June 2011, found doctors administered the required dose of one vial of antivenom in only 11 of the 53 cases in which antivenom was given. In some instances up to four vials were used. Paper author University of WA professor of emergency medicine Simon Brown said giving too much antivenom consumed limited supplies of the treatment and there had been instances where antivenom access was restricted and smaller hospitals and nursing posts could not get adequate supplies. Giving bigger doses also increased the risk of allergic reaction and delayed serum sickness, which can cause aches, pain and fevers. Of the 56 cases of bites reviewed by the study, 10 were in WA. The research also found a common kit used to determine the type of antivenom required was unreliable, with the test returning an incorrect result in five out of 44 cases in which it was used. In each of the five cases the test gave an incorrect positive result for brown snake rather than tiger snake venom. Doctors relying on the test could administer the wrong antivenom, Professor Brown said. * WA News
Koalas
How much more can a koala bear? Wild koalas will be extinct on the Sunshine Coast in less than five years unless recovery strategies are implemented immediately. Community stakeholders, government representatives and some of Australia's leading koala experts will come together for the first time today and tomorrow for the Sunshine Coast Koala Summit. Spokeswoman Carolyn Beaton said the summit stemmed from discussions between community stakeholders and Sunshine Coast Council in February. Ms Beaton said the council had since committed to progressing a foundation koala management plan for the region as part of its biodiversity strategy. "We're hoping to formulate some strategies to avert the extinction of koalas on the Sunshine Coast," she said. "It really is the 11th hour." Ms Beaton said today's snapshot was a far cry from the plentiful koala population on the Coast in 1999.
Read more .. http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2012/08/07/summit-last-hope-of-saving-koalas-carolyn-beaton/
National Parks
Those readers who wonder why more Federal funding is not being spent on National Park management, or wildlife protection issues, will be interested to know that the Australian Federal Government remains committed to big military spending – currently over $80 million every day. Australia’s military spending will continue to be the highest regionally and, per capita, second only to the USA, the world’s biggest military spender. Yet we are at war with noone.......* WPAA
Flying Foxes
Flying foxes won't be culled as part of the plan to rid Charters Towers of its decade-long bat plague. Charters Towers Mayor Frank Beveridge and Dalrymple MP Shane Knuth have both said a culling program would be needed as part of any measure to move on bats. But a spokesman for Premier Campbell Newman ruled out issuing lethal damage mitigation permits to remove bats in residential or urban areas. "It's up to the local councils to bring the solution to government and we will support them. They're the ones who ultimately have to deal with the issue on the ground," the spokesman said. Mr Knuth said the LNP Government was "no better than Labor". "People hoped a change would be a change but they have been totally lied to," he said. "They have said they are going to give more power to councils - then they should allow councils to take those initiatives. "Culling is the best and only real option. "And I'm pointing to to the Minister: the bats are still there despite the promise." *Townsville Bulletin
Ed Comment; Knuth may not be entirely stupid, he must know that any flying fox culling at Charters Towers will have to be approved by the Feds...and thats not likely. It looks as though he has campaigned against the flying foxes to gather local voter support, and now he can't deliver he's trying to pass the buck.....
A new virus closely related to the deadly Hendra and Nipah viruses has been found in black flying foxes at Cedar Grove near Beaudesert. The find by CSIRO and Biosecurity Queensland has excited scientists because it could help them unravel secrets of Hendra and Nipah viruses. The viruses kill more than 70 per cent of humans and animals they infect, yet little is known about how they interact with their hosts. There are no concerns about the new virus infecting humans, although it can't be ruled out. Gary Crameri, a CSIRO virologist at the Australian Animal Health Laboratory in Geelong, said bats carried more viruses than other species, perhaps because they were such a broad group of ancient mammals, ranging from micro-bats weighing a few grams to large flying foxes that lived in many different environments. Scientists were intrigued why they could carry deadly viruses but not become diseased themselves. If this could be worked out, bats could provide humankind with medicines to fight viruses and help weakened immune systems.
"They're an incredibly important group of animals and the risk of the virus spilling over to humans is incredibly low," Mr Crameri said. "Even if it did, it might go unnoticed - perhaps like a gentle cold. All experiments indicate Cedar's nowhere near as deadly as Hendra." Named for where it was found, the Cedar virus had not caused illness in tests on mice, guinea pigs and ferrets which were susceptible to Hendra and Nipah. Cedar had caused mild infections in laboratory animals but no signs of disease. A survey of flying foxes showed 25 per cent had antibodies to Cedar, a similar number to that seen with Hendra. Researchers were investigating how the virus might impact on domestic animals, including livestock. Its discovery would have no impact on the development of a Hendra horse vaccine. *Courier Mail
Hunting
The government's decision to allow hunting of feral animals in national parks has raised concerns that native animals will be caught in the crossfire. Chris McGregor, a wildlife carer from Colo Heights, found a wallaby shot with an arrow late last month on her property, which is next to a state forest. She is nursing the wallaby back to health after removing the arrow and says she is hopeful of him making a complete recovery. ''In the last few weeks the state forest opposite our property has been opened up for bow hunters to hunt feral animals,'' she said.
Ms McGregor said the joey's mother had been distressed and had been ''calling for him'' while he was being treated for his wounds. ''It took us two nights to catch the wallaby and [we] finally caught him with a net at 3am in the morning when he came to feed,'' she said. 'Infection is still a major problem and both legs are affected. The other leg without the arrow has had bone fragments removed from the wound, possibly, from frantic struggling. ''The NSW government wants to open up national parks for hunting, what chance do our native animals have?''
The opposition spokesman for the environment, Luke Foley, said the O'Farrell government's decision to open up national parks to amateur hunters had put the safety of native animals and humans at risk. 'We have lost all sense of balance when it comes to the regulation of hunting in NSW,'' he said.
''The photos of the joey are distressing. Unfortunately an irresponsible minority think it's open season under Mr O'Farrell's government. ''Rogue elements are getting a message they can do whatever they like.'' In response to questions from the Greens, the NSW Game Council has confirmed it employs four full-time staff to monitor hunting in more than 1.75 million hectares of state forests. The Greens MP and forestry spokesman, David Shoebridge, said over the past decade more than 1.75 million hectares of public forests have been opened up for amateur hunting, but fewer than five people were being employed to ensure that hunting was safe. "If it wasn't a real public safety issue, it would be laughable that the Game Council has less than five full-time positions to keep an eye on more than 15,000 licensed hunters in 1.75 million hectares of State Forests,'' he said. "On these figures each inspector is responsible for more than 400,000 hectares of State Forest. "This is an impossible task for hunting inspectors and means that, in truth, there is no one out there watching the hunters that roam our state forests.'' A spokesman for the Environment Minister, Robyn Parker, said it was investigating the joey shooting incident and could not comment further until the outcome of the inquiry was known. *Age
Ed Comment; Labor politicians have got short memories. They were going to do the same deal with the Shooters Party, but got kicked out first.
Dingoes
An owner of the K'Gari Education Centre camping ground says while dingoes are not being fed near her camp, a fence is still necessary to keep tourists safe. The fence will be fast-tracked in the wake of an attack on a German tourist on Saturday, about 800 metres from the site. Mally Clarke, who co-owns the Fraser Island camp, said the site was regularly visited by two dingoes which had been given the names Inky and Winky. "We've got camp dogs there, they're really good and they don't bite anyone," Ms Clarke said. "They're not really tame, but they're good dogs and they listen to me." She said while historically, the animals had been fed and had lived as companions to her ancestors, the camp strictly enforced the no-feeding rule and had recently agreed to for a fence to be built. "We're running a business and we have to keep people safe," Ms Clarke said. *Chronicle
For more than two decades, Nigel Freemantle spent his days interacting with Fraser Island dingoes without a single incident. Over those years, the species lost every major source of food in the move to becoming a national park when brumbies were removed from the island, scraps were no longer thrown in the bush and fisherman made their offal harder to reach. Mr Freemantle lived on the island for more than 25 years as founder of Fraser Island Taxi Service and has visited the island since the 1970s. He said major incidents between humans and dingoes, such as the mauling of a German tourist over the weekend and the death of nine-year-old Clinton Gage, have only happened since people were no longer able to feed the animals. "What Parks (and Wildlife Service) have been trying to do for 21 years isn't working," he said. Mr Freemantle is part of an increasing chorus of residents and activists calling for rapid change to the management of Fraser Island dingoes.
He said segregating the dingoes on to part of the island where tourists could pay a small fee to see them was the most viable option and has bought his views to the attention of Hervey Bay MP Ted Sorensen. "The tourists who go to the island want to see a dog," he said. Mr Sorensen is now encouraging people to turn to the Ecosure review of the Fraser Island Dingo Management Strategy. "There will be a lot of different ideas come out of that," he said. He said he would wait for the outcome of the review to form a personal opinion on issues such as separating the dingoes. Mr Sorensen said yesterday he may put in his own submission to the review, which is due to put out its draft report later this year. Visit ecosure.com.au for more information. * Chronicle
Recent press reports regarding an attack by dingoes on a German tourist, in many cases, have been misleading, it needs to be pointed out to newcomers to the Fraser Coast and some sections of the media that: There are no wild dogs on the Island, it is dingo territory and they are a threatened and unique species that should not be confused with the feral domestic dog. Previous to World Heritage listing in 1992 the dingoes lived in harmony with the local people, forestry workers and Indigenous Community, they were left scraps and fish, foraged at dumpsites and wormed regularly, they had their pups under the verandah's of residents, all without incident. Media reports suggesting the mauling of the tourist was 'unprovoked' are without basis. The fact is, the tourist was an intruder, obviously exhibiting erratic behaviour in the early hours of the morning in, what would be deemed as the dingoes backyard, this would be provocation for any self-respecting family dog, not just the apex predator of Fraser Island.
The Fraser Island dingoes are unique in that they have always associated with humans, the policy adopted by QPWS of trying to have them lose their scavenging instincts and not associate humans with food is not practical or logical. With over half a million visitors every year encounters are inevitable. Attempts to drive the animals away from their territory to accommodate tourists has only caused more problems and, according to media, has only increased encounters. Not all encounters need to be negative, if tourists act appropriately there is minimal risk. Once again it comes down to educating and monitoring the visitors, not hazing, trapping, tagging, collaring and destroying dingoes. The Butchulla people are not happy with their campground being fenced, will it stop careless and irresponsible behaviour? Why isn't an Indigenous ranger overseeing the backpackers who disturb and disrupt their K'Gari, that used to be paradise? The review is under way, let's hope there will be positive change and the focus will be on maintaining and sustaining the unique environment and unique wildlife of Fraser Island. * Cheryl Bryant. Save Fraser Island Dingoes Inc.
Kangaroos
The Bombala Council has thrown its support behind a move to extend the Cooma kangaroo harvest zone to include areas around Bombala. Mayor Bob Stewart said in the Southern Tablelands region the Bombala Livestock Health and Pest Authority (LHPA) was the only one not currently eligible for harvesting of kangaroos. He said the council had supported a move by the NSW Farmers’ Association to include Bombala in the harvest zone to control kangaroos. “Kangaroos compete with livestock for feed and can also cause damage to fencing and other infrastructure,” Cr Stewart said. “It’s a management tool that we want to implement to keep populations at a reasonable level.” President of the Bombala Delegate branch of the NSW Farmers’ Association, Jan Walker, said that an application was made in 2008 and has not progressed since then. Deferral of the application has become an increasing hindrance to the association with ongoing setbacks over the past four years. In an attempt to see the motion pass, the association has sought funding to assist in the application process from Member for Monaro John Barilaro.
Ms Walker said Commonwealth regulations require that a helicopter survey of kangaroo populations be carried out to establish population levels before commercial zoning will be allowed.
“Cooma already has a survey running later this year,” Ms Walker said. “For a small cost, we’re looking for Bombala to be a part of that survey.” She said Bombala was the only LHPA not zoned for the commercial culling of the animals, but surrounding areas were. Cr Stewart said the council was happy to support the move, as becoming a kangaroo harvest zone would put Bombala on par with other areas in the region. Currently farmers can apply to the National Parks and Wildlife Service for permits to reduce kangaroo populations on their property. However, the commercial zoning of the shire would allow the community to benefit from the sale of produce from the harvested animals. Cr Stewart said there had been local interest in the harvest of the animals. Ms Walker said it would not have a drastic impact in the short term, and would be advantageous for the community in the long term. She echoed Cr Stewart’s sentiment saying the zoning would be a humane control option to keep populations at a manageable level, with a quota that is determined and tightly controlled under intensive government monitoring. The zoning could see reduced instances of illegal shootings, which have become an issue throughout the area* Bombala Times
Choosing whether to fund a management plan for Nelson Bay Golf Club's iconic Kangaroo population will be one of the first challenges faced by a newly elected Port Stephens Council in September. The club has a kangaroo and wallaby population of about 400 and has recently put together a control program with researchers from the University of Sydney. The project will be headed up by Dr Catherine Herbert from the university as well as two research assistants and will involve implanting fertility control drugs into some of the animals, as well as kangaroo tagging, health checks and DNA analysis. The program will cost about $24,000 and according to Phil Murray from the club's kangaroo working party the club hopes to split funding with Port Stephens Council. "The golf course has committed $12,000 and we're asking for dollar-for-dollar funding with council," he said. "It seems a reasonable request to council given that the kangaroos attract many overseas tourists to the area and help the tourist based economy of Port Stephens. "Controlling the population might also assist locals by reducing road accidents involving kangaroos within the area." The club has made two presentations to councillors and Mr Murray said the response had been positive, however with the council now in caretaker mode until the next election mayor Bob Westbury said it would be a job for the next group of councillors. "I'm sympathetic [but] I don't know, it's a hard call...I think personally they'd [the new council] would have to think very carefully before they did something." *Port Stephens Examiner
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has reminded locals that shooting kangaroos is illegal unless you have obtained a licence from the NPWS to do so. NPWS area manager Franz Peters said that the NPWS understands the dilemmas landholders face with kangaroo populations. There is a simple process which can provide landholders the ability to reduce kangaroo impacts on their properties without breaking the law and it is a free service. Mr Peters said increasing numbers of kangaroos can be a hazard on local properties. “For landholders this can be a problem as larger numbers of roos damage fences and crops and eat fodder. “If a landholder can demonstrate economic hardship is being caused as a result of an over abundance of kangaroos, then the NPWS will consider providing a licence that will allow for a specified number of kangaroos to be culled. “When we receive an application we undertake a simple assessment based on our knowledge of landholders location and the overall roo population and balance that against any other applications to cull from neighbours on adjacent or nearby properties,” he said. “Then we may provide the landholder with a licence and a number of tags that will allow subsequent culling to be conducted legally and humanely.
“Each property requires a separate licence and all shooters involved in any subsequent culling operation must be licensed; this includes the landholder. “Killing any kangaroos without a licence is illegal and people caught doing so are liable to a fine as high as $11,000 and/or six months in jail,” Mr Peters said. Licences and tags are free and the application form is simple and can be obtained from the local NPWS office or downloaded from the web www.environment.nsw.gov.au/wildli felicences/OccupierLicences.htm.< p>There is a national code of practice for humane shooting of kangaroos and wallabies for non-commercial purposes, which must be adhered to. This is available from local NPWS offices or the Federal Government environment website www.environment.gov.au/biodiversi ty/trade-use/wild-harvest/kangaro o/pubs/code-of-conduct-non-commer cial.pdf “If anyone has information regarding kangaroo drives or illegal shooting then I would urge them to contact us immediately. "All calls will be treated with the strictest confidentiality. Information can also be provided anonymously,” Mr Peters said. *Bombala Times
Whaling
Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson has accused Japan of hunting him down in revenge for his attacks on its whaling operations, in his first comments since he jumped bail and fled Germany. The militant environmentalist who is in hiding, says he felt betrayed by Germany, where he was under house arrest for 70 days, because it had negotiated with Japan to extradite him to Tokyo. "I am very disappointed with the German government. For me it is obvious that the German government conspired with Japan and Costa Rica to detain me so that I could be handed over to the Japanese," he said on Tuesday in a message to his supporters. Mr Watson, who for years has harassed Japan's annual whale hunt off Antarctica, was arrested in Germany in May for extradition to Costa Rica on charges stemming from a high-seas confrontation over shark finning in 2002. He was detained for a week before being released on bail. He was ordered to appear before police twice a day. But the 61-year-old skipped bail on July 22. Mr Watson said Costa Rica and Germany had been "pawns in the Japanese quest to silence Sea Shepherd", which has for close to a decade clashed with harpoon ships in the Southern Ocean.
"This was never really about Costa Rica. It has been about Japan all along," he said. "We have confronted the Japanese whalers for eight seasons and we have humiliated them at sea and more importantly we have frustrated their illegal profiteering from the killing of whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. "This is not about justice; it is about revenge." Mr Watson, a white-haired Canadian national known as "Captain" to supporters, refused to reveal his location and said that if he was extradited to Japan he would "never be released".
"I am presently in a place on this planet where I feel comfortable, a safe place far away from the scheming nations who have turned a blind eye to the exploitation of our oceans," he wrote. But he indicated that he would continue to harass Japanese harpoonists. "I can serve my clients better at sea than in a Japanese prison cell and I intend to do just that," he wrote, saying that Sea Shepherd would sail on its ninth campaign against Japanese whalers in December. Australia is the launch site for Sea Shepherd boats each year as they chase the Japanese whalers. * AFP
Wildlife Killing
Permits to kill thousands of native animals, including black swans, kookaburras and more than 1500 wombats were issued by Victoria's Department of Sustainability and the Environment last year in a move that has outraged animal rights activists. Authorities also gave the nod for more than 32,000 kangaroos and wallabies to be killed. In two cases, permits to kill up to 300 parrots were issued to protect golf courses. Authorities also granted permits for wildlife officers to kill up to 10 Australian fur seals. Other Australian animals marked for death included eastern rosellas, rainbow lorikeets and sulphur-crested cockatoos. The kill list was obtained under the Freedom of Information laws by Victorian Greens leader Greg Barber who has been campaigning to have all animal killing permits made public. In June, Mr Barber attempted to have all permits to cull wildlife tabled in State Parliament, a move that was frustrated after Environment Minister Ryan Smith said it would involve an unreasonable diversion of his department's resources. Other documents obtained under FOI show authorities gave permission to shoot 100 brushtail possums in the Geelong Botanic Gardens, while Avalon Airport was allowed to kill 10 magpies, 20 galahs, 40 ravens and two Cape Barren geese that were interfering with aircraft.
The documents also reveal wildlife officers at Parks Victoria's Serendip Sanctuary applied to kill an emu that had become aggressive and was threatening human safety. They were also given the right to destroy 80 emu chick nests to control population numbers. Permits to kill more than 500 emus were issued statewide last year. Felicity Andersen, a spokeswoman for Animal Liberation Victoria, which opposes all animal killing, said she was shocked at the scale of the slaughter. "It's obscene," Ms Anderson said. "There is no justification for this killing whatsoever." Mr Barber said there needed to be more transparency over the issuing of permits to kill native animals. "This all happens under the cloak of secrecy," he said. "'If the full extent of the slaughter was known there would be outrage." DSE spokesman Nick Talbot said all native wildlife was protected in Victoria but where it was significantly affecting agriculture or primary production or posing a threat to public safety and health, people could apply for a permit to control it and in some instances, this permit allowed for its destruction.
He said the permits to kill fur seals were issued to wildlife officers in case they needed to euthanise an animal for welfare or public safety reasons. "Destruction of wildlife under an authority to control wildlife permits only occurs after all other options have been considered and each application is assessed by a DSE wildlife officer," he said. "Should this be necessary, ATCW conditions specify the maximum number and permitted method. "This ensures it is carried out in an ethical and humane manner and that the sustainability of the species is not compromised." The DSE killing practices were condemned by John Kelly, head of the Kangaroo Industry Association of Victoria, which has long campaigned for a kangaroo meat industry in Victoria. "In a protein-starved world, it's a criminal waste of meat," he said. "It's highly likely the same number are being killed without permits." Emily Broadbent, a spokeswoman for Environment Minister Ryan Smith said that following disagreements last year between landholders and other residents over applications to cull kangaroos, he had created a committee of experts to advise the secretary of DSE on the most appropriate management options for wildlife.
Victorian HIT LIST
Swamp Wallaby PERMITS ISSUED: 128 No. TO BE KILLED: 2239
Rainbow Lorikeet PERMITS ISSUED: 20 No. TO BE KILLED: 910
Kookaburra PERMITS ISSUED: 3 No. TO BE KILLED: 30
Emu PERMITS ISSUED: 37 No. TO BE KILLED: 538
Black Swan PERMITS ISSUED: 1 No. TO BE KILLED: 10
Common Wombat PERMITS ISSUED: 134 No. TO BE KILLED: 1612
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