Monday, April 26, 2010

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tasmanian Wallabies

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

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


Fraser Island Dingoes

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

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

Koalas

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

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

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


Marsupial Training Course

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


Flying Foxes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wildlife MiniBytes

Dolphins

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

Climate Change and Wildlife

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

Cheetahs

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

Birds and Bats

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

Tadpoles

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

Green Politics

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

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Wildlife Bytes 14/4/10

Wildlife MiniBytes

Ship Stranding
Apparently the stricken Shen Neng 1 has been successfully refloated last night, and the Bligh Government has moved to "get tough" with reef polluters. The attempt began about 6pm, ahead of the high tide and by 8pm the vessel was floating off Douglas Shoal. Ms Bligh has announced the maximum penalty for corporations involved in oil spills in Queensland waters will increase from $1.75m to $10m while the maximum fine for individuals will increase from $350,000 to $500,000. We would have thought it was more inportant to ensure that ships DIDNT pollute the GBR, rather than fining them afterwards. If every ship inside the GBR was forced to put an Australian pilot on board, that risk woud be cut dramatically. Meanwhile the Age reports toxic paint from the hull of the Shen Neng 1 is killing coral in protected reef waters off Queensland. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority says the Shen Neng 1 has left a column of damage about one kilometre long. It says toxic anti-fouling paint from the hull is killing coral around Douglas Shoal. * WPAA

Sealing

As Canadian anger over the recent EU seal product ban grows, potentially putting an EU-Canada trade pact in danger, Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian hunters who legally cull seal but have to bury or burn the cadavers consider the ban to be a waste of a good resource. Between the years 2000 and 2007, coastal regions in the three Nordic states received money from Brussels to come up with new techniques to make use of the seal carcasses which are culled every year in order to protect the local fishing industry. Nordic chefs received EU money to come up with new seal dishes The project, named "Seal: A common resource," received over €300,000 from the EU Interreg Programme (for inter-regional co-operation), and included, among other things, workshops on how to treat seal skin after culling and DVDs on hunting techniques. Read More http://euobserver.com/9/29803/?rk=1

Flying Foxes

An influx of flying foxes landing in Moreland backyards over the past two months has stunned residents. Moreland Council has received numerous inquiries about the bats, with some residents grumbling about their fruit trees being plundered. Melbourne's flying fox population surged by some 20,000 after recent floods in northern NSW and Queensland destroyed their food sources pushing them south. Department of Sustainability and Environment wildlife management project leader, Ian Temby, said more than 50,000 of the threatened species were now based at Yarra Bend Park in Melbourne's east, up from the park's summer average of 31,000. A further 31,700 bats were currently in Geelong. ``Residents will be seeing bats from the colony at Yarra Bend as they will travel up to 50km looking for food,'' Mr Temby said. ``We ask that residents do not take matters into their own hands and try and remove the flying foxes as they are a threatened species and can't be culled.'' Mr Temby said the bats would likely move on as other food sources became available. In the meantime residents could protect fruit trees by covering them with knitted netting, available from some nurseries. Monofilament netting should not be used because it could entangle birds and bats, Mr Temby said. He said there was no special health risk associated with having flying-foxes visit trees. ``Australian Bat Lyssavirus, a rabies-like disease, can only be transmitted to people via a bite or scratch from an infected animal. * Leader. Meanwhile the management of the Sydney Botanical Gardens are still pushing to try to relocate the flyingfoxes there. A decision to move the flying foxes or not, will soon be made by Environment Minister Peter Garrett.

Late April Fools Joke?

We understand Federal Environment Minister Peter Garret has been awarded an environmental award by WWF, which has prompted some of our readers to ask if this was a late April Fools joke!

Kangaroos

Yearly Commercial Kill Totals. 1991 2,912,823, 1992 2,816,649, 1993 2,976,198, 1994 3,293,227, 1995 3,260,448, 1996 3,101,123, 1997 2,289,687, 1998 2,592,776, 1999 2,600,139, 2000 2,746,132, 2001 3,392,259 2002 3,905,277, 2003 3,474,483, 2004 2,992,071, 2005 3,112,344, 2006 3,289,367, 2007 2,986,470, 2008 2,193,207, 2009 1,950,002 (11% down on 2008).

These figures were released (2009 figures) to the California Govt BEFORE they released them to us........ I think we all know why these figures are so low despite what they tell us that for the last three years populations are increasing. If that is so why the decline in animals shot? Or could part of this be due to the effect the Russian ban has had? *Network Item

Invasive Lionfish

Belize Marine authorities are waging an all-out war against the dreaded Lionfish, which has invaded Belizean waters. Since late last year when this voracious predator was discovered in Belize waters, more than 400 have been caught and destroyed. Still a vigorous campaign is in effect today to rid the Caribbean of Lion fish (genera pterois) before it does serious damage to commercial fisheries. Its plan is to educate stake-holders on how they can become involved in protecting the fisheries resources of Belize from the depredations of one of the most poisonous creatures of the ocean. It is believed that lionfish were introduced into Caribbean waters after a hurricane destroyed an acquarium in South Florida where they were being kept. Lionfish are native to Indo-pacific region, but they have spread to many other areas of ocean. *The Reporter, Belize

Turtles

The recent posting of a graphic video showing a turtle having its flippers hacked off while still alive has prompted RSPCA Qld to call for a review of traditional hunting. The RSPCA would also like to find out where the video was actually filmed so they can investigate the incident. “We’re committed to ensuring that any breaches of the Animal Care and Protection Act are fully investigated while at the same time taking into consideration traditional hunting rights,” RSPCA Qld chief inspector Michael Pecic said. RSPCA Qld chief executive Mark Townend said that until now cruelty to animals using traditional hunting methods has been “put in the ‘too hard’ basket by governments”. “We can’t do this alone. We’re a charity and yet it appears we’re the only organisation that is taking this matter seriously.” He emphasised that the RSPCA’s stance was not an attack on the indigenous community. “Far from it,” he said. “We have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island elders who support us on this issue. Hunting from tinnies with rifles is not traditional. Leaving turtles and dugongs to be butchered alive and left to die on the beach is not traditional.” *Qld Times

Fisher Protection Likely

Wildlife advocates have filed suit seeking legal protection for the fisher -- a weasel-like Sierra Nevada predator that kills porcupines. It qualifies as endangered but is stuck in regulatory limbo. By nature, the fisher keeps a low profile. Even researchers who study the speedy, weasel-like creature in California old-growth forests say they rarely see it. But now environmentalists are forcing the shy fisher into the spotlight. In a lawsuit filed last week, the Sierra Nevada predator is being made a poster critter for scores of rare animals stuck in what advocates say is regulatory limbo: They qualify as endangered species but remain on a waiting list. Read more... http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fisher12-2010apr12,0,5586570.story

Dolphins

Almost 30 dolphins have died following a mass stranding on Tasmania's west coast. Parks and Wildlife Service staff and marine specialists from the Resource Management and Conservation Division of the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment are helping in the management of dolphins stranded in the Pieman River. PWS Incident Controller Chris Arthur said staff have been on site near Corinna since reports of 50 dolphins in the river were received late on Sunday. The dolphins are in groups above and below the village of Corinna. Approximately 12 dolphins died on Sunday afternoon. A further 34 stranded on a beach at the mouth of the Pieman River. Seventeen have since died. Mr Arthur said the conditions are proving challenging for the dolphins and the crew on site. "We are having to use the river as transport because heavy rain has made parts of the area inaccessible," he said. The rescue continues today. *Mercury

Dugong

Black market dugong and turtle meat was regularly being transported in eskies from the Torres Strait to Cairns, the Opposition has claimed. Opposition frontbencher Glen Elmes today claimed in Parliament that that the illegal meat load was sent on commercial flights from Horn Island and fetched $50 a kilogram. Mr Elmes also highlighted a YouTube video of the dismembering of a live turtle, saying the practice was “brutal’’ and inhumane’’ but being ignored by authorities. The October 2009 video shows a large turtle being dragged out of the water on its back while several Indigenous men hack off the animals flippers. “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are entitled to hunt using traditional methods for their own consumption, the LNP recognises, acknowledges and supports that entitlement, Mr Elmes said. “But no one is entitled to transport kill, no one is entitled to sell the meat.’’ Comment is being sought from the State Government. *Courier Mail

Wildlife Bytes

Possums

Tasmanian possum products could soon feature in menus and on fashion catwalks worldwide. The Federal Government is considering a draft management plan for the commercial harvest and export of Tasmanian brushtail opossums. The proposal outrages animal rights groups who say it is exploiting a native animal. But it has been welcomed by farmers who say they are sick of possums destroying their crops. It is also welcomed by Lenah Game Meats proprietor John Kelly who says he could sell $1 million worth of possum fur to New Zealand tomorrow if he could access them. Last year an estimated 376,000 opossums were slaughtered for crop protection but possum products have not been exported since 2004, when the last management plan expired. The new management plan aims to "assist in reducing the adverse impacts of brushtail possums on primary production while ensuring the ecological sustainability of brushtail possum harvesting in Tasmania". Populations would be closely monitored and quotas would be decided year by year.

But Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania co-ordinator Chris Simcox said the plan was a clear exploitation of wildlife for commercial gain. "Any industry that is built around the killing of animals is of concern, but even more so when it is our native animal," Mr Simcox said. "In Tasmania our wildlife are treated with contempt and this is a further indication of that." RSPCA president Paul Swiatkowski said native animals should stay in their environment. "The RSPCA believes each animal has its own integrity and place in its environment," Dr Swiatkowski said. "If this goes ahead the RSPCA will be concerned about the welfare of the animals as they are caught, transported and slaughtered." Hamilton farmer Tim Parsons said he would be among the first to volunteer his property for a sustainable management plan if it went ahead. He said possums had killed many eucalyptus trees on his property, Curringa Farm, and they regularly damaged his poppy crop. "Their numbers are out of control," he said. "Irrigation and cropping in farming areas has caused their numbers to swell to false and unsustainable levels."

Mr Kelly, who previously operated a possum abattoir at Highclere, said he believed possums could become a big earner for Tasmania. "I could sell $1 million worth of skins to New Zealand tomorrow because they have built up a market," he said. "[And] there is definitely a market for possum meat in China." *Mercury The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts has received an application for approval of a Wildlife Trade Management Plan under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.


You are invited to comment on the Draft Management Plan for the Commercial Harvest and Export of the Common Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) in Tasmania, 2010 - 2014 Submissions must be in by 23rd of April. http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/trade-use/invitecomment/brushtail-possum.html The Australian Government's authority on this matter relates to approval of the plan for export of common brushtail possum products. In accordance with the provisions of section 303FR of the Act, you are invited to comment on this proposed management plan. Please submit your comments by Friday 23 April 2010. Please include your full name, postal address and email address in your submission. Remember that the EPBC Act has a requirement to address humane issues. A decision to stop the possum kill by Garret's Department will be only made by law, under the EPBC Act, and not by emotions.

Comments should be addressed to: The Director, Wildlife Trade Assessments, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, GPO Box 787, Canberra ACT 2601 or can be emailed to: wta@environment.gov.au To assist the Minister in considering comments, the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts encourages you to provide comments under the following headings: Sustainability of the Harvesting Regime, Monitoring, Quota Setting Regime, Licensing Regime, Welfare, Other.

There is a very distressing video of the possums being inhumanely killed in Mr Kellys processing plant. We are trying to get it put online for people to use in their submissions, but there are some legal issues to work through first. The comments below are taken from the Animal Lib SA website. We may be able to give you the link to teh video footage in a couple of days.

A video was taken in the Lenah Valley possum slaughterhouse in January 1999, over 6 months after the Senate Committee report was published, with its endorsement of the industry. The video clearly showed: Several possums were not rendered unconscious by the first hit of the captive bolt pistol. The stunner then slowly walked over to reload the pistol, and slowly returned to the possum for a second shot. Since the possum was hit by the first shot, it is likely to have suffered pain during this time. A disturbing number of possums were not unconscious when their throat was cut. Some were sufficiently mobile to leap out of the trough onto the floor. Problems occurred when the slaughterman stopped to sharpen his knife, and stunned possums coming through the chute piled up. In some cases the slaughterman had trouble holding a struggling possum still while he tried to slit the throat. Pouch joeys were picked up and bashed against a metal trough, then dumped in a waste bin. *


Flying Foxes

The relocation of the Flying Fox colony at Burdekin Park will be abandoned. A meeting of the Flying Fox Steering Committee saw members agree unanimously to abandon the relocation project and that the steering committee itself be dissolved because the project is not achieving the results desired and the costs are increasing. According to community representative at the meeting Jack Francis, the committee has been frustrated by the constant battle with State and Federal government red tapes. "Maybe we do need to close it and bring a focus onto the bureaucratic mess that way,” Mr Francis told The Singleton Argus yesterday. The Federal Governments department of Environment Water Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) has continued to make the licence application for the relocation project harder and harder. Council has had the consistent battle with approval of licences on a state level, but then hearing that they do not have approval on a federal level. The licences also have an expiration date. In the minutes Cr Val Scott said the expiration date of the state licence would come before the approval of the federal licence would be granted.

For Mr Francis, bringing as much attention to the red tape issues as possible is the next step. “I will be going to the current affairs programs to bring this issue to light,” Mr Francis said. “I don’t know what else to do. “It is not about the trees and bats anymore and we need to make people aware that government bureaucracy is running and ruining our lives.” Mr Francis said at the meeting that there needs to be a new tactic given that there are not endless funds to continue to be spent on the problem and that he believes it is through the media. In the minutes Mr Francis further said that the motion to disband the committee is not about giving up, it is about accessing other avenues that could not be done through the committee.

Bright lights, loud noise and fake gunfire will be used to move on a colony of up 10,000 flying foxes in the central Queensland town of North Eton. Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Kate Jones said Mackay Regional Council had been given the green light to start moving the flying foxes from April 12. Ms Jones said the council had been granted a permit at the end of 2009, but they had to wait until the breeding season was over. "I know the colony has been a real concern for the North Eton community, but it was important to wait until the breeding cycle was over so that the young flying foxes were mature enough to be dispersed with the rest of the colony," Ms Jones said.

State member for Mackay Tim Mulherin said patience had been the key to moving on the colony. "This has been a huge problem with between 6000 and 10,000 flying foxes at any one time affecting residents and I sincerely hope the relocation efforts will be a success," Mr Mulherin said. Ms Jones said there was several methods for the council to disperse the mammals. "I understand the council will trim the trees in which the flying foxes have been nesting overnight while the animals are away," she said. "If that doesn't do the trick then the council will try fogging the trees as well as using noise, bright lights and BirdFrite, a non-lethal 12-gauge cartridge which simultaneously produces a loud noise and flash to move them on." Officers from DERM and the RSPCA will be on hand to ensure that the dispersal is carried out as humanely as possible. *News.com.au

Ed Comment; This is really bad news, as this may weaken the attempts of wildlife groups to stop the planned "dispersal" of the Sydney Botanic Gardens flying foxes.


Kangaroos

The Defence Department has hit back at Queenscliff golfers over their claims an “out of control” kangaroo population is tearing up their Swan Island course. A spokesperson said the department had “no current plans” to answer the golfers’ call for a cull of kangaroos. The spokesperson also rejected claims the defence department was responsible for introducing kangaroos to Swan Island. “There are no records indicating that the introduction of kangaroos was officially carried out or sanctioned by defence,” the spokesperson said. “It is believed the kangaroos may have been introduced by residents of the island a number of decades ago.” The Defence Department spokesperson estimated about 150 kangaroos were on Swan Island. The department did not regard the kangaroos as an “environmental or safety risk”, he said.

Queenscliff Golf Club’s Kevin Cameron, who told the Independent last week that the kangaroos were costing the club members and money, said the department’s response had left the club “disappointed and surprised”. “The army keeps saying it will get back to us and fix the problem but we feel like we’re beating our heads against the wall because they aren’t doing anything,” Mr Cameron said. Club president Glenda Werrett said directors had heard nothing from the department since last year. “They sent us a letter saying they were considering contraception late last year but we haven’t heard anything else,” Mr Werrett said. Queenscliff Mayor Bob Merriman said the department’s response to the golf club was “disappointing”. But he believed a solution was “still in the pipeline”. “I have a real concern about the impact of the damage to the area. Kangaroos are virtually destroying all the flora and fauna, so it’s really a serious environmental and animal-welfare matter,” Cr Merriman said. “On that basis, I think we need to do something because it’s continuing to cause difficulty not only for humans but also for other species.” Cr Merriman said he had contacted State Government about the kangaroos and was awaiting a response. *StarNewsGro

Pet Wildlife

Australia's wildlife is becoming extinct faster than had been expected, and there is criticism that the old way, "lock it up" conservation, is not working. Native animals are no longer safe in the bush; a deadly onslaught of ferals - foxes, goats, pigs, cats, canetoads and exotic weeds - are out-gunning native species. Now, Australia may trial a new paradigm - market forces - as a way to combat extinction. A soon-to-be-released rural industry report suggests giving endangered species like the eastern quoll (or marsupial native cat), hopping mice and sugar gliders an economic value, in order to save them. Ideas being floated are that people be encouraged to keep the native creatures as pets, rather than cats or dogs, or that Australians can trade in them, have many more backyard captive breeding programs that earn an income and even export them. In the United States, Australian sugar gliders are captive bred and marketed as "pocket pets". One entrepreneur alone sells 20,000 sugar gliders each year.

The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation has completed a feasibility study into the pros and cons of encouraging people to have native mammals as pets, the sale of which might fund captive breeding programs to help future re-release of some species in the wild. One of the report's investigators, Rosie Cooney, says having more native mammals as pets will raise their profile and make sure more people care about their plight in the wild. "The vast majority of Australians know very little about the vast majority of our species, so there's no possible way they can value them," she said. "The better we know our species, the more chance we've got that people are going to care about their long-term conservation." It is a red hot debate and there are many complex problems: one is the "cuteness factor". Many people are only likely to be interested in the pretty new pets. Another is whether a selective breeding program should be allowed, so that the antisocial aspects of some native animals are bred out, to make them more acceptable as domestic additions to our homes. *ABC

Ed Comment; If its such a "redhot" debate, one has to wonder why they didnt talk to someone from the wildlife groups.

They don't bark, bite or scratch the furniture: now the native turtle is to become a household pet, under a NSW Government plan to make it easier to own wildlife . Spurred by the Bindi Irwin phenomenon, Environment Minister Frank Sartor is seeking ways to help children own native animals such as turtles. Pet reptiles are soaring in popularity, with almost 16,000 licensed owners of snakes and lizards in NSW, up from 500 only 12 years ago. Under existing laws, a licence is required to keep any one of more than 440 species of native birds, reptiles, frogs and mammals. The pet industry is lobbying the NSW Government to allow many native animals, including other reptiles, to be sold in shops. The Government is expected to reject the plan, but Mr Sartor said he would consider cutting red tape over ownership of some ``child-friendly'' animals. Breeder Debbie Weeding said some turtles made great family pets. *Sunday Telegraph

Ed comment; I happen to know that the Irwin family do not support wildlife for pets.


New Nature Reserves
Thousands of acres of old quarries could be turned into nature reserves to support wildlife such as natterjack toads, otters and nightingales, campaigners claim. Conservation experts have produced a plan to work with council planners, landowners, quarry operators and local communities to help turn sites into habitats such as woods, wetlands and heathlands. Under the plan the majority of quarries in England could be turned into wild areas, creating thousands of acres of space for threatened species, the RSPB said. It is also supported by the Minerals Products Association which aims to establish high quality habitat on former quarry sites. The RSPB believes almost 56,000 hectares of active mineral sites in England alone would be suitable for restoring into one or more of 17 different habitats which the Government listed as priorities for conservation.

Focusing efforts on sites close to existing habitat could mean targets to increase the amount of nine different landscapes including lowland heathland, wet reedbeds and grazing marshes could be met or even exceeded, the charity said. But the RSPB's conservation director Mark Avery said conversion to wild habitat could become ''mired in bureaucracy'', and some councils needed to do more to help minerals sites become nature reserves. ''Quarries can have a major impact on the landscape - but once they have reached the end of their life they have a fantastic potential to deliver habitats for threatened wildlife," he said. ''There are some wonderful nature reserves up and down the country which have been created in former quarries, with wetlands for otters and wading birds, woodland for nightingales and woodpeckers, heathland for natterjack toads and grayling butterflies and much more besides. ''We will now have a small team of officers on the ground working with operators, planners, landowners and the local communities to ensure restoration plans for former quarries become reality and I am confident they will make a real difference.''

He added: ''Some county councils, like Surrey for example, are thinking very proactively in this area and making real headway. But sadly the same cannot be said everywhere. ''Turning a gravel quarry into an area of lakes, reedbeds and meadows is a major planning exercise which can take years and get mired in bureaucracy. ''Councils are often not doing enough to get these plans through quickly and smoothly and as a result we may be missing vital opportunities to provide habitat for wildlife.'' AAP


Whaling

The last ship of Japan's Antarctic whaling fleet has sailed home with the lowest catch in years and whalers have blamed the shortfall on high-seas clashes with environmental group Sea Shepherd. The Nisshin Maru, the last of five whaling ships to return to Japan, sailed into Tokyo harbour with its hull splattered with blood-red paint thrown by the protesters. The fleet's catch of 507 whales was down sharply on last year's cull of 680 and below the target of about 850, said Japan's fisheries agency, which blamed harassment by the Sea Shepherd group for the shortfall. It was the smallest catch on record except for the 2006-07 expedition when the fleet caught only 505 whales after a fire aboard a ship hampered whaling operations.This season's confrontations in icy Antarctic waters saw the sinking of a Sea Shepherd vessel, the Ady Gil, and the arrest of one of its activists, Peter Bethune, who faces trial in Japan for assault, trespass and three other charges. Whalers and their opponents also blasted each other with water cannons, while activists hurled rancid butter stink bombs and the whalers targeted the environmentalists with a sonic crowd-control device.

"I am furious," the whaling fleet's leader, Shigetoshi Nishiwaki, said. He says the activists "say they want to protect the ocean, but they don't care about leaking oil or leaving pieces of a broken ship behind" - a reference to the group's sunken powerboat, the Ady Gil. Commercial whaling has been banned worldwide since 1986 but Japan justifies its annual hunts as lethal scientific research while not hiding the fact that the meat is later sold in shops and restaurants. Tensions have risen between whaling nations including Iceland and Norway and anti-whaling nations such as Australia, which has threatened to take Japan to the International Court of Justice over the issue. The International Whaling Commission, which meets in June in Morocco, is considering a plan to allow whaling nations to hunt the ocean giants openly if they agree to reduce their catch "significantly" over 10 years. Japan and Australia have rejected the plan, while New Zealand has voiced support for the compromise. * AFP


Gazing past the rolling whitecaps in the middle of San Diego's whale-watching season, boat captain Bill Reese was dismayed by what he wasn't seeing. "Where are the whales?" said Reese. "Where are the whales?" Long held as an environmental success story after being taken off the endangered list in 1994, California gray whales draw legions of fans into boats or atop cliffs to watch the leviathans lumber down the coast to spawning grounds in Baja. But whale-watching skippers became alarmed after sightings dropped from 25 a day in good years to five a day this season. Such anecdotal evidence has left conservationists and state officials worried about the whale's future, especially now. The federal government's monitoring of the mammals has fallen off in recent years. And the International Whaling Commission in June will consider allowing 1,400 gray whales to be hunted over the next decade. The decision will rely on a report that says the population is flourishing — a study critics say is spotty and outdated. "If you count 2,500 animals, all you really know rock solid for sure is there are more than 2,500. Beyond that you're using models and assumptions," said Stanford University marine biology professor Steve Palumbi. "The problem comes when you say, 'We do know how many whales there are and we're going to start making unalterable management decisions on that basis.'"

The study draws on annual population estimates dating from 1967, but in the past decade only three census counts have been released, the most recent in 2006. Since than, the estimated number of calves has plunged from more than 1,000 in 2006 to 312 in 2009. In addition, the species suffered a die-off of several thousand whales in 2000. "You can't set specific quotas for 10 years based on 2006 data," said Sara Wan, a California Gray Whale Coalition member who is also a state coastal commissioner. "It's irresponsible." In January, the California Coastal Commission pressed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for an updated gray whale study. The count is done but the analysis won't be finished until long after the whaling commission's decision. NOAA scientists say their population estimates are reliable because the numbers have remained relatively consistent over time. They say the drop in calf numbers may reflect nature thinning out the herd. The population is still more than double what it was in the 1960s and has been fairly stable of the past couple decades, said Paul Wade, one of the study's co-authors and a member of the commission's scientific committee. "If it truly does go into an important decline, it's not going to happen overnight. We're going to see it," he said.

The gray whale's success has created a complex dynamic for NOAA researchers, who recently have focused on more threatened, less charismatic whales such as the North Atlantic Right whales, whose population may be as low as 30. Over the years, scientists have been able to do a great amount of research on gray whales because they are so accessible and popular with the public. Any indication of trouble galvanizes countless fans. "Gray whales are our pets, they're in our backyard," said David Rugh, a NOAA biologist who oversaw gray whale counts for years. "Of course we have a concern about them going through so many environments from Mexico to the Arctic but there are other species out there that we're also concerned about." Gray whales migrate thousands of miles each fall from Alaska to Baja, then back north between February and May. They spend summers in the Bering Sea and Arctic. Biologists sit in a little stand on California's central coast, counting adult whales as they swim south. Calves are counted as the whales make the return trip north. The counts are used to extrapolate overall population and monitor reproduction.

When gray whales were listed as endangered in 1970, an estimated 12,000 remained. A moratorium on commercial hunting and close monitoring helped the population rebound to more than 20,000. Deemed recovered, the whales only needed to be monitored every five years, instead of annually, and there was no longer dedicated funding for the whale, which cost about $170,000 a season to count. The 2006 count yielded about 2,500 whales, leading researchers to calculate about 20,000 whales total. The most recent calf count of 2009, however, revealed the fewest since 2001. "These are troubling numbers," said Randy Reeves, chair of the Cetacean specialist group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. "If they're being reinforced by comments from whale watching guys, then it gets that much more troubling." Wayne Perryman, who oversees NOAA gray whale counts, said he believes there is a correlation between lower reproduction rates and colder winters when lingering ice blocks whales from getting to feeding grounds. He also does not see reason to panic. "I think it's like in a room when someone yells 'fire!'" Perryman said.

The whaling commission allows the Russian Chukotka people and the Makah Indian tribe in Washington to hunt 140 gray whales per year. While they typically revisit the issue every five years, the panel is considering limits through 2020. Douglas DeMaster, the U.S. delegation's deputy commissioner, the number is about half of 1 percent of the current estimated population. "This is a very conservative number and provides subsistence needs to aboriginals," he said. But Liz Alter, a marine biologist with the Natural Resources Defense Council, said, "Given that we have very little ability to predict what climate change, ocean acidification and other threats will mean to the whale population for the coming years, it seems reckless to me to set catch limits for that length of time." *sify.com


Microbats

First there were bats in the trees and skies, now Charters Towers residents are being urged to keep an eye out for microbats heading into winter. The tiny microbats are in a feeding frenzy as they fatten up on insects to see them through winter. The Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife reminded people to keep a look out for the microbats that can take up residents in the roof or walls, with autumn described as a good time for gentle bat eviction. Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife CEO Leonie Gale said microbats are much more common than people may think. She said right now they are eating as much as 40 per cent of their own body weight in a single night or several hundred insects per hour. `Many of our microbat species are hollow-dependent which means they live during the daylight hours inside the hollows of trees or branches,'' she said. ``Competition from birds, possums and gliders, along with the clearing of many old trees, means that microbats may find the roof or walls of your home the perfect roosting place.

The smallest microbat weighs only three grams about the same as a single serve sugar sachet or a single A4 sheet of paper. If these tiny bats cannot find a suitable hollow, they can slip into gaps as small as 5mm and snuggle down in the roof and walls of buildings. This is why artificial roost sites are important as they provide an alternative. Ms Gale said fortunately for the little bats, there are humane ways to evict them and now is the time. In Australia, microbat babies are born in late spring and remain with their mothers until the end of January. Gentle autumn eviction attempts after February and before June make certain that the young are independent. ``Charters Towers microbats are fully protected which might raise the issue of offences and penalties if any are in fact harmed,'' Ms Gale said. ``If done correctly, walls can become bat free and the little bats provided with an alternative roost site and retained in the backyard to go about their insect feeding work which is of great benefit to all of us.'' If you have microbats in your walls or roof, visit Bat Rescue Inc at www.batrescue.org.au for detailed information on how to remove them. *Northern Miner


Fraser Island Dingoes

Recently Wildlife Bytes ran the story about Jennifer Parkhurst, the photographer who had her house invaded by DERM thugs early one morning last year. Jennifer now faces a maximum two years' jail or up to a $300,000 fine under the Nature Conservation Act and Recreation Area Management Act, for allegedly interfering with the Fraser Island dingoes. The real reasons for the raid were that, like many others, Jennifer has been highly critical of the Fraser Island dingo mis-management strategies. Anyway, a rally or two are being planned, and Fund has been set up to help Jennifer and the dingoes. People can contribute to the fund at Westpac Bank, Pialba, Hervey Bay. Save Fraser island Dingoes Inc. BSB 034-136 Acct 303196.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Wildlife Bytes 4/4/10

Kangaroo Campaign Update

The commercial kangaroo kill is now one of the most wellknown Animal Welfare issues in the World, along with the Canadian harp seal kill and the whaling. This awareness didn't happen by accident, it happened entirely due to the efforts of many groups and individuals around the World. There are now dozens of groups working on ending the commercial kangaroo kill, and there are now dozens of websites about the killing, and there are many online Petitions. While governments, many academics, and some wildlife and conservation groups worked hard for years to hide the horrors of the commercial kill, persistent work by other wildlife and animal welfare groups and individuals for over 40 years, has finally seen this Industry being publicly condemned for what it really is.

Recent bans on kangaroo imports into Russia has seen the Industry almost collapse. But this didn't happen by itself either. It happened because Australian groups have been working with Russian animal welfare groups for several years, providing them with photos, information and support. It was easy for Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, in a highprofile public relations exercise, to fly to Russia and talk to Russian Agriculture Minister Yelena Skrynnik thru an interpretor for an hour or so, to try to salvage the Industry. But Russian animal welfare groups for some years have been able to sit down with their own politicians, in their own constituencies, and in talk their own langauage, show them photos and documents, and give them the real truth about the kangaroo industry.

There has also been some bureacratic talk about importing kangaroo meat into China, and some protocals to do so have been apparently developed. But our groups talk to the Chinese too, with several meetings at the Russian Embassy at both Sydney and Canberra. What the media is not saying is that both China and Russia are trying to develop more export industries, China in particular has many thousands of square kilometres of organic tea, rice, and vegetable gardens, and manufacturing Industries too. They dont want to damage those fledgling Industries.

Both Russia and China know that many people around the World refuse to buy Japanese products because of the whaling, and that many people around the World refuse to buy Canadian products because of the harp seal kill, and that many people around the World refuse to buy Australian products because of what we do to our kangaroos. This is something that seems to have escaped our Australian politicians too. Our understanding is that neither Russia or China want anything to do with something as controversial as the commercial kangaroo kill.

A proposal by animal welfare groups has been presented to the European Union to ban the import of kangaroo products into Europe, a State with 27 countries, most with different languages. Work has been underway for several years now, to help local animal welfare groups to lobby their own politicians, and again to sit down with them, in their own constituencies, and talk in their own langauage, and give them the truth about the kangaroo industry. Both the EU President and VicePresident have come out recently and publically supported a ban on kangaroo product (meat and skin) imports into the EU.

There are still campaigns against the commercial kangaroo kill ongoing, some we know about, but cant talk about yet, and some that various community groups are undertaking "under the radar" that we dont yet know about.

And nobody ever asked the Aboriginal people if we could kill millions of their kangaroos every year and send the meat around the World for people to eat, so some Aborigonal groups have entered the campaign too, and I have a photo of one Aborigonal elder campaigning and protesting against the kangaroo kill taken in Melbourne in 1970. Steve Irwin always said if we can close the markets, we can stop the kill. With the Australian Federal and State Governments knowingly turning a blind eye to what's really happening to the kangaroos, our campaigns have focused on closing down the markets for kangaroo products.

We are very confident we can close this Industry down. If it wasn't for Coles, Woolworths, and Adidas, the Industry would be dead now. We know for some it can be difficult, because there may be no other option, but if anyone shops at Coles or Woolworths, they are helping this rotten Industry stay afloat, and causing more kangaroos and joeys to be brutally killed every year. The kangaroo Industry is very nearly a dead Industry, and for all of us who love wildlife, it's our job to ensure that it dies properly, and stays properly dead! *WPAA

Was I there? No, but I know it is morally wrong. A statement from Councillor R Whitehouse - Wolverhampton City Council, UK.

“At the turn of the last century Americans completely wiped out the American bison from the vast plains of that country. Today in darkest Africa apes of all kinds are being killed to the point of extinction, for bush meat. In the southern oceans some species of whales have been wiped off the face of the earth whilst others are also near extinction. Now the marsupials of Australia are being barbarically killed, joeys being slaughtered by the millions just because they are a “by-product” of a cruel trade in which skins are traded for sports footwear and body parts as meat and novelty items. Was I there? I don’t think so, but I know it was morally wrong. Have I been to the African forests to see this? No, but I know it is morally wrong. Have I been to see this slaughter of joeys in Australia? No, but I know it is morally wrong. If it weren’t for the few dedicated people, morality would be lost.

Peter Hain MP, as a young Liberal, took direct action against the apartheid regime in South Africa, he did it because he believed the regime was morally wrong. William Wilberforce took political action to stop the slave trade; he did so because he knew it was morally wrong. Today we have the opportunity to take a small piece of action against what is morally wrong. I urge everyone to sign the petition calling for kangaroo products to be banned in Europe. This is just the start. What is at the moment a concern for a small core of citizens will, like a snowball, gather momentum, grow, and eventually stop the genocide of marsupials in Australia. Today, you have the opportunity to do something marvellous and save the lives of these animals.” Sign the petition at :- www.440000joeys.eu *Media Release


Press Alert 1/4/10

Unknown disease outbreak confirmed by NSWNP is killing kangaroos in Northwest NSW while 'harvesting' for domestic human consumption and exports continues. Mark Pearson, Executive Director of Animal Liberation said today, "An unknown disease is threatening to decimate the kangaroo population of northern New South Wales. The disease which has been confirmed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service could also threaten the health of people who eat kangaroo meat because of cross contamination caused by poor carcass storage conditions in the field. "Recent laboratory tests conducted by Animal Liberation on kangaroo meat for human consumption at several leading supermarkets showed unacceptable levels of bacteria.

Dr. Dror Ben-Ami, Ecologist and author of A Shot in the Dark a report critical of the kangaroo industry said. “Fatal epidemic episodes are known to occur in kangaroo populations regularly after flood events. This is one of the kangaroos’ known natural population regulation mechanisms that have evolved over time. Claims of kangaroo population explosions fail to consider that there are a number of such natural population control mechanisms that regulate the population boom and bust cycles of kangaroos.”

In calling for an immediate end to the culling of kangaroos in the infected areas Mark Pearson said, "If cattle and sheep started to die in significant numbers due to an undiagnosed disease then the transport and slaughter would be immediately halted. So why is the kangaroo meat industry allowed to kill and transport kangaroos from contaminated areas, cross contaminating carcasses in processing plants and still selling meat domestically and through exports. Outrageous". The sale of kangaroo meat for human consumption is currently banned in Russia, Australia’s biggest recipient of such meat because of health concerns and the European Union is considering a ban. Further information Dr. Dror Ben-Ami: 0458 759 075, Mark Pearson: 0417


Kids for Kangaroos

The first point of action from KIDS FOR KANGAROOS - is an online petition. Yes another one!!! This one is targeted to the supermarket chains, their aim is to achieve 5000 names..... I know its going to be a long road for them, considering how many we are getting for the others - but can we please add this to our list to forward.... http://www.thepetitionsite.com/10/stop-selling-kangaroo-meat

Another kangaroo Petition is still running, this one is hugging along at 6,800 we need to reach at least 10,000, so if you havent signed this one http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/kangaroo-extinction.html there is stiill time. Another kangaroo website is here http://www.nokangaroomeat.org


Another Oil Spill

Everyone will now know about another ship stranding on the Great Barrier Reef, and yet another oil spill. From late last century until today, conservation and wildlife groups have argued for compulsory Australian pilots on all ships inside the World Heritage listed GBR. The Queensland government did nothing, stating it would cost $10,000 per ship. So what? This time we were lucky the weather was good, if it had happened two weeks ago, in bad weather, it would have been a nightmare. If the weather does worsen, or the refloat planned for today goes belly up, and a serious spill hits Shoalwater Bay, it would be an unmitigated disaster on a scale never seen in Australia before.

I've scuba dived on the Douglas Shoals (where the ship is stuck) several times, its a place of amazing underwater beauty. Ascidians, sea squirts, sea stars, red and black coral, fish everywhere, its the equal of any underwater dive site in the World, including the famous Poor Knights Islands in New Zealand. It's the last place any coal ship should be. And if a major spill happens, the beaches of Shoalwater Bay would be savaged. Unlike the recent Stradbroke Island oil spill, Shoalwater Bay beaches are unaccessible by road, and many beaches are only accessible by boat, and then in only good weather. By virtue of its size (bigger than the ACT), largely undisturbed, and it's tropical/temperate flora and fauna overlap zones, Shoalwater Bay is in our view, the single most important conservation site in Australia.

I've seen large mobs of dugong there, mangroves that had never been seen on the Capricorn Coast before, marine turtles by the hundreds, extensive wetland areas, a few large crocodiles, even broaching whales, and streams of pure fresh water bubbling up through the sand on the beaches. I've done numerous lowlevel flyovers, a couple of helicopter trips, and sailed there many times on my own boat. Again, I believe Shoalwater Bay is the single most important conservation site in Australia, and whose fault is this incident? The Queensland Government of course. It's interesting now to see the various politicians on TV trying to blame someone else, but the bottom line is that the Queensland Government, years ago, should have put legislation in place to ensure that mandatory Australian pilots were on any ship travelling inside the Great Barrier Reef. It has had the opportunity many times, after several oil spills, but has failed to do so. *Pat O'Brien


Fraser Island Dingoes

The RSPCA says it does not believe feeding stations for dingoes on Fraser Island, off south-east Queensland, are a viable option. Dingo preservation groups and the Queensland Opposition says some dingoes are malnourished and a pup died last week from starvation. The Opposition wants the State Government to set up feeding stations but Sustainability Minister Kate Jones says it is inappropriate because dingoes are wild animals. RSPCA spokeswoman Tracey Jackson says the stations can have several effects. "We know that in past years when dingoes have been fed artificially - and that is not sourcing their food from wildlife on the island - we have had huge population explosions," she said. "Once the numbers or the populations increase, the chances of interaction with humans increases obviously. So there are all sorts of implications for things like feeding stations."

Ms Jackson says wild dogs should be lean and there is no evidence of starvation. The RSPCA says it plays a vital role in the management of dingoes on Fraser Island. She says the RSPCA works with government agencies and they are satisfied the State Government's strategy is working. "Whilst we do work with DERM [the Department of Environment and Resource Management[ and QPWS [Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service] it doesn't mean that we don't have our differences," she said. "But what it does mean is that we have a positive working relationship and that's definitely the best thing for the dingo, especially the dingoes on Fraser Island." *ABC


Wombats

A wombat which may have been suffering from mange attacked a man in his sixties as he stepped from his caravan early today. The ABC and The Age report the 60-year-old camper - whose name was not released - was bitten on the arms and legs as he stepped out of his caravan this morning at Flowerdale, north-east of Melbourne. He was taken to the Northern Hospital where he was in a stable condition. Jeff McClure from the Department of Sustainability and Environment told the ABC it was highly unusual for a wombat to attack a person. "Wombats that are in an advance stage of mange will become very agitated from the suffering and the irritation of the mange," he said. We understand the wombat was killed by a neighbor with an axe. There is something very wrong about the whole incident. *WPAA


Wildlife Warriors Recognised

Terri Irwin today recognised the efforts of the next generation of Wildlife Warriors by honouring Australian singing sisters Jess and Lisa Origliasso, better known as The Veronicas, and young Chloe Tsangaris for their conservation efforts, naming them ‘Australia Zoo’s Wildlife Warriors’ for 2010. The awards were presented at Australia Zoo’s VIP Breakfast held this morning and attended by over 400 supporters and special guests of Australia Zoo. The annual event is an opportunity for Australia Zoo to thank family, friends, suppliers and sponsors for their continued support over the past year. It is also an opportunity to celebrate the Zoo’s achievements of the previous year, and to recognise the achievements of very deserving award recipients in Jess, Lisa and Chloe. A Wildlife Warrior recognised for raising awareness among young people is seven-year-old Chloe Tsangaris. Chloe is a passionate and dedicated Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors Joey Ambassador, and was the highest individual fundraiser for Steve Irwin Day both in 2008 and in 2009, having raised close to $20,000 for Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors’ conservation projects.

Chloe Tsangaris receives her award from Bindi, Bob & Terri Irwin As well as writing and performing their hit songs as Australian duo The Veronicas, Jess and Lisa have a passion for wildlife, and are Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors ambassadors, bringing awareness for wildlife and conservation efforts to youth around the world. Terri Irwin expressed her appreciation for the work that Jess and Lisa have done to bring awareness to the work that dedicated staff do at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors – Australian Wildlife Hospital, and also with raising awareness of Steve Irwin Day. This year’s VIP Breakfast was also an opportunity to celebrate Australia Zoo’s 40th anniversary, with a special presentation on the Zoo’s history, and an exclusive look at historical memorabilia that has helped to shape the Zoo’s culture and success. Terri Irwin spoke of her excitement at the milestone, and encouraged everyone to join in the celebrations throughout the year.

And while the morning was an opportunity to walk down memory lane, it was also the opportunity for Terri Irwin to talk of grand plans going forward. These include an Australia Zoo in Las Vegas Nevada and a African themed resort as part of the expansion to the existing Beerwah site. mWouldn't be a party without a cake. Crocodile cake! The ideas were part of the 10 year plan put in place prior to Steve Irwin's passing. Project 'Vegas' will showcase Australian wildlife to the potenially 37 million visitors to Las Vegas each year as well as providing employment for up to 1000 people, hundreds of these being Australian. The 300-350 room resort project will expand the existing workforce at Australia Zoo by another 1000 people, over and above the current 600 plus, mainly local workforce. The proceeds of these ventures will continue to be fed back into wildlife conservation predominately in Australia and also selected projects abroad. *ViewNews


Sugar Glider Pets

Australia's iconic sugar gliders are being bred and traded as domestic pets in the US where they sell for about $US220 ($A240) each. Vets are treating malnourished gliders for broken bones and chronic lethargy as clueless owners feed the creatures classic American fare - soft drink and hotdogs - instead of insects. Companies are charging a small fortune for glider accessories and spruiking the tiny marsupials as Easter pets. "Sugar gliders are exploding right now but wild animals generally are not recommended as pets," Humane Society captive wildlife specialist Beth Preiss said. "It's difficult caring for wild animals in captivity." Florida is the commercial breeding hub, fuelling a sophisticated trade that is booming online. News Limited found dozens of examples of caged gliders being fed unusual foods such as ham, hotdogs and soft drinks. The tree-dwellers are made to entertain their owners by riding toy motobikes or leaping off ironing boards and curtain rods.

The biggest glider retailer in the US is Cape Coral company Pocket Pets , which is running Easter promotions and selling glider accessories such as tote pouches and running wheels. Unlike some breeders, they supply detailed nutrional advice to buyers and refuse to ship the creatures as air freight to online buyers. Pocket Pets regional manager Adam Wayne last night defended the trade, saying the group had sold "thousands" of the animals across the country over the past seven years and has 90 percent of the market. "It's not like we pull them out of the wild - they are all bred here for domestic use," Mr Wayne said. "In the wild, their average life expectancy is six to eight years. In captivity it's 10 to 15 years," he said. Vets say too many owners are ignorant of proper care requirements.

Syracuse wildlife vet Cheri Capparelli described their typical captive diet as "terrible", saying too many owners failed to feed the animals a specialty formula that mimicked their native menu of eucalyptus nectar and insects. "I don't condone a lot of exotic ownership because it is difficult to have these guys in captivity," she said. Despite federal licensing requirements, the trade goes largely unchecked across the US. A backyard dealer selling gliders out of shoeboxes at a Syracuse mall over Christmas only shutdown his stall after fielding complaints from Dr Capparelli's surgery. "It was appalling," she said. Keeping gliders as pets is outlawed in California and at least one other state. Elsewhere in the US, it's regulated by permits or goes completely unchecked. Owners in Australia must have permits. *News.com.au


Harp Seals

Thousands of seal pups die as sea ice fails in Canada. There may be mass mortality of seal pups as the ice fails in the Gulf of St Lawrence. Worst ice year on record leads to harp seals' demise. March, 2010. Thousands of harp seal pups are presumed dead in Canada's Gulf of St Lawrence and starving pups are being found abandoned on the beaches of Prince Edward Island, tragic victims of the worst ice conditions recorded in eastern Canada. With the opening of Canada's cruel annual commercial seal hunt imminent, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) reports that the Gulf of St Lawrence, the annual birthing ground of hundreds of thousands of harp seals, is essentially devoid of both ice and seals. Sheryl Fink, a senior researcher with IFAW, said: "The conditions this year are disastrous for seal pups. I've surveyed this region for nine years and have never seen anything like this.

"There is wide open water instead of the usual ice floes, and rather than the hundreds of thousands of seal pups that we normally encounter, only a handful of baby harp and hooded seals - animals that are normally found on ice - remain on the beaches." Extremely high pup mortality is expected this year, making this one of several such occurrences in the past decade. In 2007, 99% of harp seal pups born in the Southern Gulf of St Lawrence are thought to have died due to lack of ice. In 2002, 75% of pups are thought to have suffered the same fate. Scientists with IFAW are concerned that the cumulative effects of high pup mortality due to the poor ice conditions, and high numbers of pups killed during Canada's commercial seal hunt could be devastating. Fink added: "Finding these ice-dependent seal species on land is extremely unusual, and should be considered a warning signal. The seal pups we have found on shore are thin and unable to defend themselves or escape from land-based predators. It is highly unlikely that any of these pups will survive long enough for there to be a seal hunt in the Southern Gulf this year."

Earlier this month, Fisheries Minister Gail Shea increased the total allowable catch of harp seals (TAC) by 50,000, to 330,000 animals. The Minister's announcement was loudly condemned by animal welfare organisations, conservationists and sealers, in a rare moment of agreement. Last year, the European Union voted to ban the commercial trade in seal products from commercial hunts. Robbie Marsland, UK Director of IFAW, said: "It is reckless and irresponsible for the government to allow the hunt to proceed this year, given the high pup mortality that is expected. Under a precautionary approach, we should be protecting the few pups that might escape the devastating effects of climate change this year. "Given the almost complete lack of demand for seal skins, allowing the commercial slaughter of these survivors to proceed is simply adding insult to injury." *Wildlife Extra


The Strange Story of Irish Kangaroos and Rolf Harris

Relations between Australia and Ireland have hit an all time low. Seething Aussies, living in Ireland, are disgusted that kangaroos are being used to keep weeds at bay in Kilkenny's famed Castle park. Three marsupials, including the legendary Skippy, star of the tv series, of the same name have been imported under licence to the park by the OPW to eat the weeds which are threatening so many native plants. Junior minister Mary White of the Green Party is the woman behind the 'earth friendly' move which has been sponsored by local Pet shop, PetMania on the city's John Street. She said that kangaroos are noted for their weed eating ability. She claimed that it would save money and the environment in the long run by doing away with the need to use pesticide to get rid of the unwanted vegetation. However, one woman who had her sandwich stolen and eaten by one of Skippy's friends is not impressed. "I come to the park every day to eat my lunch and wile I was on the mobile phone the pest just put his paws into my bag and stole my lovely beef sandwich from Blueberry. Sarah Lovelater who comes originally from Darwin was hopping mad. She is livid with Minister Mary White and the Greens for robbing the kangaroos and has launched a campaign to have them returned to their native country. "These kangaroos have been stolen as far as I am concerned and they should be sent back to Australia as soon as possible. Minister White explained that she had received written permission from Rolf Harris to take the kangaroos and support Operation Marsupial. *Kilkenny People


Still Tourism Australia

Ads promoting Australia tourism almost invariably feature boomerangs, crocodiles or kangaroos. But Tourism Australia got into hot water when it used a real live kangaroo, which it caged and left on a busy street in Beverly Hills in January. Footage of the stunt posted on YouTube by a passer-by showed a kangaroo that seemed to be in distress, rocking back and forth as if trying desperately to leave. Animal rights advocates pounced. Bob Irwin, father of the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, condemned the promotional event, telling The Sydney Morning Herald, “It is a terrible image for Australia to send to the world, seeing a magnificent kangaroo treated in such a cruel way.” Even Prime Minister Kevin Rudd weighed in on the matter. You “want to make sure our national symbol is being properly respected in the way that Australia projects itself abroad,” he told a Perth radio station. After the uproar, Tourism Australia announced it would ban the use of animals in future campaigns. Almost on cue, the agency began a new campaign for Facebook that was boomerang-themed. *Media Report

Ed Comment; More hypocracy.....it was Kevin Rudd who authorised the Belconnen kangaroo kill.


Wedgetailed Eagles

King Solomon the Wedge Tailed Eagle found shot in Springsure in July of 2009 was released on a Central Queensland Grazing Property towards the end of March this year after almost eight months in rehab. The bird’s body was riddled with shot gun pellets and the pellets had caused three breaks on the one wing. The pellets remain within the bird. Under normal circumstances this bird would have been euthanased.to prevent suffering. However it appears that the parents of the Juvenile bird had kept the bird quiet and safe in the bush by dropping food on the ground. This I have seen many times. Wedge tailed eagle parents are extremely nurturing and protective of their young. While the bird was kept hidden in the bush on the ground the three breaks in that three week period, healed. The bird was only discovered when the parents had led the Juvenile to water and a dam. It was not until the bird was x-rayed that the truth was revealed. All three breaks had healed and vets advised that they could not do a better job with surgery, and considering that any suffering was no longer an issue for the bird, it was advised to give it a go.

It also appeared that none of the pellets had damaged air sacs or major organs, and to remove them would be an almost impossible task and risky. The bird was placed in a specially designed flight enclosure for Raptors and at times it appeared that learning to fly again took one step forward and two steps backwards. The bird had lost its confidence. Two days before Christmas of 2009 I shed a few tears when 'The King' began to fly and each day got better and better. It also became obvious in that time that the pellets throughout the bird’s body were not going to cause any problems. It ate its way through over a thousand dollars worth of food which was especially transported in. After such a long time in care the release is a soft release with the bird being support fed for a period of time with food being dropped at intervals throughout the property. The bird has been temporally marked for spotters in the area and already two wedgies have been seen in the area he was released, however a positive identification has not been made of our bird as yet.. Wedgies have been known to adopt an unrelated young bird. ‘Every now and again Wildlife gets a win against attempts by some members of the Human race to destroy what does not belong to them. *Central Queensland Carer


Whaling

The Federal Government says it is very concerned by New Zealand's compromise proposal with Japan to allow a set number of whales to be killed. New Zealand has agreed to a plan that would give whaling countries the right to kill 1,500 whales a year, and its whaling commissioner plans to put forward the proposal at international talks in June. But Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett says Australia will strongly argue its case for a blanket ban on hunting. Mr Garrett says New Zealand's proposal would destroy the moratorium on commercial whaling. "We think it's flawed and we're particularly concerned that it legitimises commercial whaling," he said. "That's why we're very concerned about a proposal of this kind being put forward by any country, including New Zealand. "This proposal effectively destroys the moratorium on commercial whaling that has been held together by like-minded nations, including Australia and New Zealand, for many years. "We don't see merit in a proposal which is just about numbers, but which would see whales killed in order that others wouldn't be."

New Zealand's whaling commissioner and former prime minister, Sir Geoffrey Palmer, says the plan is the only way to control large numbers of whales being hunted. "The problem here is that there is no effective international control over the number of whales that are being killed," he said. "If that could be secured, that would be very good. An emotional attachment to a moratorium that isn't working is not in my view realistic." Sir Geoffrey concedes whaling is an emotional issue. He says accepting the plan will not be a popular decision but it has to be done. "I've been the whaling commissioner for eight years and it's the only issue I've ever been involved in where people at the golf club say, 'now what are you doing to the Japanese this week?'" he said. "There's a great deal of unhappiness in New Zealand about killing whales. But the truth of the matter is that not all cultures or all nations see that issue the same way. "And because of that you have to arrive at an international accommodation. We have a treaty; it's defective. Over time, we think it could be fixed."

Japan, Norway and Iceland are currently allowed to kill 3,000 whales each year. The proposal New Zealand supports would halve that quota. The New Zealand government says there would be checks and balances in place to ensure the whaling nations do not exceed the new quota. The international adviser to New Zealand's foreign minister, Gerard Van Bohemen, says the deal is similar to already-implemented fishery agreements. "The agreement is that if you take whales under this arrangement, you don't take them any other way, and it's supplemented with monetary and supervision requirements of the same sort that apply to fishery agreements," he said. But environment groups in New Zealand are outraged, saying the plan legitimises commercial whaling.

Greenpeace's Karli Thomas wants the New Zealand government to take a tougher stance, more like Australia. "We're not against the idea of using diplomacy to try and get out of the difficult situation that the International Whaling Commission is in but we're extremely concerned about the draft document," she said. "The idea of capping a figure and - at the same time as perhaps reducing the number of whales killed - also trading away the greatest protections that the whales have is extremely worrying to us." Australian conservation groups want a blanket ban on all whaling. Nicola Beynon from Humane Society International says New Zealand is selling out. "There's been a ban on commercial whaling since 1986 and the New Zealand government is promoting a return to commercial whaling now," she said."It would be a disaster for whale conservation and the New Zealand people need to be shouting at their government to back away from this compromise." While Japan and New Zealand are doing deals on catching whales, there is no deal being done to free an anti-whaling activist. New Zealander Peter Bethune was already facing charges of trespassing on a whaling ship in the Southern Ocean. Now he is likely to face another charge of injuring a crew man. *ABC

A ship unloaded seven containers, believed to contain meat from endangered fin whales bound for Japan on Friday, after Greenpeace activists chained themselves to its anchor line to prevent it leaving Rotterdam harbour. Greenpeace spokeswoman Arja Helmig said the organisation had acted after receiving a credible tip that the ship NYK Orion was carrying meat, shipped by whalers from Iceland to a Japanese customer. The 15 activists unchained themselves after the contested meat was unloaded. NYK Lines spokesman Robin de Puij said the company is debating what to do next. "The refrigerated containers which led to a Greenpeace protest on the NYK Orion in Rotterdam this morning have been investigated by Dutch authorities," he said in an emailed statement. "As a result of this investigation, the cargo in the seven containers has been cleared as legal and duly authorised to be shipped."

Most nations oppose hunting the fin whale, but Iceland and Japan do not accept the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species' provisions on whales. Commercial whaling is also banned by the International Whaling Commission, but Iceland, Japan and several other countries continue to hunt whales, exploiting exemptions for scientific research. Icelandic whalers are believed to have killed more than 100 fin whales in 2009. Rotterdam police spokeswoman Tine De Jonge said the company had voluntarily unloaded the containers and nobody was arrested. "It's an absurd situation," said Helmig, the Greenpeace spokeswoman. "It's illegal to import this meat into the Netherlands, but the authorities turn a blind eye when it passes through." It is unclear what will happen with the meat now. Helmig said the containers have been moved to a part of the harbour where Greenpeace is unable to track them further. She said police had promised the meat would not leave the port, but De Jonge said that was in the hands of customs officials.

The Rotterdam Customs office did not return calls seeking comment. De Puij said a decision "on whether to load the cargo will be made later today following further discussions with the cargo owners". He declined to identify the meat's owner. Fin whales are the second-largest species of whale, growing to a length of about 22 metres in the Northern Hemisphere. They are listed as an endangered species on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List, meaning they are at high risk of becoming extinct in the wild. The International Whaling Commission is meeting in Morocco in June and countries are expected to vote on lifting the moratorium on whaling that has been in place since 1986. Supporters of the idea say it would reduce the number of whales being hunted by closing the "scientific research" loophole and imposing quotas. It is fiercely opposed on principle by many nations, Greenpeace and other environmental groups. *AP


Groper

Australian scientists are baffled as to why enormous Queensland groper fish are washing up dead on North Queensland beaches without a scratch on them. The Townsville Bulletin reported today researchers have determined the Queensland gropers - the largest reef-dwelling fish in the world - were dying from septicemia caused by bacterial infections but are at a loss to explain why, a Fisheries Queensland spokeswoman said. Mystery surrounding the deaths continue after a 1.7m groper washed up on Saturday morning at Rowes Bay, a Townsville coastal suburb 1363km north of Brisbane, Queensland. Field Officer Jeremy Thompson said he and officer Vaughn Heath were alerted to the gargantuan fish on the beach by residents from a nearby caravan park.

Mr Thompson said the public then helped the officers get the fish on to the back of their truck and they brought it back to their office to freeze it for Biosecurity Queensland to collect and research. "The members of the public who saw it seemed a bit excited about the size of it," he said. "It would have to be about 70kg." A fisheries spokeswoman said although it was rare for the monster fish to wash up in Townsville, it was common in the far north. The problem became so bad between Cairns and the Daintree, the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries began researching why the problem occurred. In the past two years, more than 50 gropers have washed up dead on North Queensland beaches, mainly north of Cardwell, all infected with the bacteria Streptococcus agalactiae. * Townsville Bulletin


Exotic Marine Pests

More infestations of marine pests were discovered last weekend in local waters by volunteer divers participating in a Reef Watch event coordinated by the Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Board’s Coast and Marine Program. The 22 participants were split into two groups, with snorkellers travelling to the Bay of Shoals and SCUBA divers heading for the Kingscote Jetty.Prompted by the discovery of European Fan Worms (Sabella spallanzanii) on a yacht moored in the Bay of Shoals in late 2009, the snorkellers set about checking mooring lines and boat hulls, primarily for more fan worms. Despite forewarning, participants were nevertheless shocked to uncover yet another yacht with at least 100 Sabella stuck to its hull. These specimens were successfully removed, bagged and later disposed of by Steve Leske from Reef Watch.

Meanwhile, the SCUBA divers at the Kingscote Jetty, as well as seeing a host of marine creatures including leafy sea dragons, cuttlefish and wobbegong sharks, uncovered four more mature Sabella, which were also removed and bagged for later disposal. This serves as a reminder to all boaties to “check their bottom for worms” - a message that will be promoted through a new boat sticker, developed by the Board, that will be distributed at the American River fishing competition and the Penneshaw Farmers Market this Easter. *The Islander


Fraser Island Dingoes

Recently Wildlife Bytes ran the story about Jennifer Parkhurst, the photographer who had her house invaded by DERM thugs early one morning last year. Jennifer now faces a maximum two years' jail or up to a $300,000 fine under the Nature Conservation Act and Recreation Area Management Act, for allegedly interfering with the Fraser Island dingoes. The real reasons for the raid were that, like many others, Jennifer has been highly critical of the Fraser Island dingo mis-management strategies. Anyway, a rally or two are being planned, and Fund has been set up to help Jennifer and the dingoes. People can contribute to the fund at Westpac Bank, Pialba, Hervey Bay. Save Fraser island Dingoes Inc. BSB 034-136 Acct 303196.