Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Wildlife Bytes 14/7/10

Wildlife MiniBytes

From the Editor;

We are still having some troubles with our IT servers, last week we noted that links in Wildlife Bytes only work if cut and pasted into your browser. We are working on fixing this.

Fraser Island Dingoes

Save the Fraser Island Dingoes organisation is having a Dingo Charity dinner at Hervey Bay on the 4th September, at the Hervey Bay RSL Function room. For Reservations phone 41241979, great guest artists, including Keri McInerney, Stevie T, Riverhead with special guest Mark Nuske, k'gari performers and more! Tickets are $50 each or $90 for a couple.

Meanwhile a couple of months ago we wrote a long letter to Opposition Environment spokesperson Greg Hunt, about the sad State of Fraser Island, and expressing concern about the mangement of this World Heritage Area, and particullarly of the dingoes. He sent our letter to Peter Garrett, and we recently received a reply from Garret's Department, stating the Island was being managed well, and there was nothing wrong with the Fraser Island dingoes. It appears that the Federal Labor Government also supports the starving of the Fraser Island dingoes. *WPAA

Hunting

A man from New Zealand is recovering from surgery after being shot in the buttock by his dog. The animal is believed to have stood on the trigger of a .22 bolt-action rifle in a freak accident, reports the Telegraph. The dog's owner was getting into the back seat of a four-wheel drive vehicle with the rifle alongside him when the animal jumped in. The 40-year-old was among a group of four people who had slaughtered a pig at Te Kopuru, 90 miles northwest of Auckland. They told the police that they thought the gun was unloaded, but it had contained five shells. The victim was airlifted by rescue helicopter to Whangarei Hospital where surgeons removed the bullet and he is now in a stable condition. Mark Going, a St John Ambulance manager, said paramedics who attended were told the rifle had been fired through the seat, lodging a bullet in the man's left buttock. *

Mangroves Destroyed

The Queensland Government has allowed one thousand hectares of mangroves to be removed or trimmed in a new highrise development on the Brisbane River, to allow coffee shop drinkers to have a view of the river. 585sq m of mangroves would be removed and a further 506sq m trimmed. The Government plans to replant some more mangroves further down the river as an "offset". But obviously, if the new area doesnt have mangroves now, that area doesnt suit them anyway. Most people are outraged, mangroves are protected, but if you are a developer, with a "mate" in the Government, or need space for a harbor development, anything goes in Queensland. *WPAA

Pardalotes

As the cold weather settles in, little pardalotes in Fairfield are digging their homes for winter. The tiny birds can be found in gardens, along roadsides or in parks and golf courses, excavating their nests out of soft, sandy soil. Australia's Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife 's Backyard Buddies program encouraged residents to make their backyards a haven for native animals like the pardalotes, CEO Leonie Gale said. `While most birds nest high above the ground in the branches of trees, these cheeky little locals prefer to go subterranean,'' she said. ``Pardalotes spend most of their time feeding in the canopies of tall eucalypts, making them difficult to see. Right now, as they are nesting, they become quite oblivious to our presence, making it an excellent time of year to watch their antics.'' Pardalotes form pairs or small groups of up to six birds during breeding season. The birds carefully select soft strands of grass to line their dug out burrows, which can reach up to 60cm long. *Fairfield Advance

China Fish Kill

China's Fujian province will take legal action against government officials and executives of Zijin Mining Group Co., the country's largest gold producer, accountable for a toxic leak from a copper mine, state-run Xinhua News Agency said. Police detained three Zijin managers on July 15 after waste water from the plant poisoned 1,890 tons of fish at a waterway near Shanghang county, home to half a million people. County chief Qiu Heqing and top environmental official Chen Junan were fired and two other officials were ordered to resign, Xinhua report yesterday. Operations at the copper plant must remain halted until it meets safety and waste-management standards, Xinhua reported today, citing a ruling by provincial officials yesterday.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/07/17/bloomberg1376-L5OX961A74E901-2O8H45LB78BGCMVVJPGUBQ44CP.DTL#ixzz0uA53KUjP

Green Politics

The Australian Greens have confirmed they have reached agreement with Labor over preferences for the August 21 federal election. Details of the deal will be announced later on Monday, just a day after Greens leader Bob Brown admitted he was "at odds" with his own party over preference negotiations. Senator Brown on Sunday refused to say whether the Greens would direct preferences to Labor in lower house seats, just as the minor party did at the 2007 election. Under the deal, the Greens will direct preferences to Labor in lower house contests in return for receiving Labor in the upper house race, paving the way for the minor party to hold the balance of power in the Senate in its own right from July 1, 2011. Of course, noone can tell voters where to place their preference vote, the concept of preference vote is that you say ..."okay, if I cant have THAT person, I'll have THIS person. Its all up to the voter, but many voters don't know that, and will blindly follow what the Party they are voting for recommends. Its all about political wheeling and dealing. As Bob Brown said himself, it's a rotten system, but its all we have! * WPAA

Noxious Fish Found

Two Adelaide men have been fined but not convicted for illegally keeping banned fish at an aquaculture business at West Beach. Adelaide Magistrates Court was told almost 6,000 koi carp were found at the barramundi hatchery when Primary Industries officers searched the business in February 2008. The ornamental fish are directly related to european carp and are outlawed in South Australia despite being legal in some other states. The defence said employee Jared William Nichol, 22, started out with 20 fish in 2003 but they bred and five years later he moved them to the hatchery with the approval of his boss, Andre Perez. The court heard Nichol tried to get a permit from the Primary Industries department but never heard back. The two men were fined $12,000 each after pleading guilty to breaching fish management laws. *ABC

Platypus

Platypus spotters are reporting an increase in sightings in the Yarra River. The Australian Platypus Conservancy Yarra platypus monitoring program's latest results report that platypus sightings have risen by almost 90 per cent in the past year in one area of the Yarra. Australian Platypus Conservancy biologist Geoff Williams said the result was pleasing, but there was still room for improvement. ``The numbers are still capable of being improved,'' Mr Williams said. ``Last year was probably a tough one for platypuses, with very low water flows occurring along the Yarra for much of that period. Consequently, we suspect that the population shrank a bit, particularly in the lower parts of the river. ``The numbers have been strengthened this year with better river flows; there has been a bit of rain and a bit more water has been released from the upper Yarra River.'' Mr Williams said this was the second year the conservancy had switched to community-based visual survey techniques rather than live trapping to gauge population numbers. ``The platypus count has made it possible to collect reliable information about this population for the first time,'' he said. Mr Williams said the conservancy needed more volunteers to help spot platypuses. ``Many people walk, jog, cycle or fish along the Yarra on a fairly frequent basis. We are hoping that some of them will be prepared to scan for platypus,'' he said. Stonington Leader

A platypus was rescued after being trapped in a holding tank for several hours at the Penrith sewage treatment plant yesterday. A contractor working at the plant noticed the animal about 9am and informed the Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service (WIRES). It dispatched a rescue team to the Sydney Water site on Castlereagh Rd. WIRES volunteers worked alongside National Parks and Wildlife Service staff to take the animal to safety. `It is very rare to have a platypus in Penrith,'' a WIRES spokeswoman said. `We don't know how it ended up in the area or where it has come from. ``There are a few of them in the Blue Mountains and the Central Coast.'' A Sydney Water spokesman said this was the first time they'd had a platypus in the sewage plant. ``The platypus will be released to its natural environment once they determine it is fine,'' he said. *Penrith Press

Endandgered Species Rescued

Malaysian officials have seized hundreds of endangered radiated tortoises, tomato frogs and chameleons days after a major wildlife bust of thousands of rare birds. Customs officials at the Kuala Lumpur international airport found the wildlife in the hand luggage of two women from Madagascar, the Star daily reported. Wildlife and National Parks department head Abdul Rasid Samsuddin told the paper they found 369 radiated tortoises, five Madagascar tortoises, 47 tomato frogs and several chameleons. "The tortoises were bound with masking tape to prevent them from moving, while the chameleons were stuffed into socks to prevent detection," he told the Star, adding that the animals were worth 250,000 ringgit (about $89,600). Malaysian police stumbled across a massive haul of endangered wildlife, including a pair of valuable birds of paradise, as they raided a warehouse of stolen cars on Wednesday. More than 20 protected species were found in the "mini zoo" in the capital's suburbs. * AFP

Abbott's Booby Protected

The Federal Government has knocked back an application to expand mining on Christmas Island for a second time. Phosphate Resources applied three years ago to clear more than 250 hectares of rainforest in order to access fresh deposits. Environment Minister Peter Garrett says he has refused the application because it would have had an unacceptable impact on threatened native species and migratory birds. Mr Garrett said species such as the Christmas Island hawk-owl and the abbott's booby are already under threat due to development on the island. Former environment minister Malcolm Turnbull made the same ruling three years ago, but his decision was overturned by the Federal Court because of administrative mistakes. *ABC

Snail Race

"Ready, steady, slow!" - Sidney the snail stormed to victory at the World Snail Racing Championship in Norfolk. He beat off stiff competition over the 13-inch course to win a silver tankard stuffed with lettuce. The event at Congham near King's Lynn has been running for nearly 40 years, and although there are a number of imitations it's the only recognised World Championship. This year's winner belongs to 62-year-old Claire Lawrence, from Litcham in Norfolk, and crossed the line in three minutes 41 seconds. "I'm shell shocked my mum has won, as it's the first time she has entered," her son Harry Lawrence told Rex. "She selected Sidney a couple of days ago and she has been training him in our garden and feeding him on a diet of rocket salad."The world record stands at two minutes and was set by a snail called Archie in 1995. Unfortunately this year's windy conditions meant times were much slower than usual. *

Monkey Thief Caught

An 18-year-old Baulkham Hills man was charged on Thursday with stealing eight monkeys from a wildlife park last month. Four cotton-top tamarins (two pictured) and four pygmy marmoset monkeys were stolen from the Symbio Wildlife Park at Helensburgh sometime early on May 30. Two days later, police recovered three of the tamarins in a cage dumped in an Auburn park. On June 2, the four marmosets were also recovered after being left in the care of an Auburn veterinary clinic. Investigations into the whereabouts of the remaining tamarin are continuing. Police from Wollongong arrested a 17-year-old youth at Parramatta on Thursday. He was issued with a youth caution for being an accessory before the fact to a serious indictable offence. Officers arrested the 18-year-old in Baulkham Hills a short time later. He was taken to the Castle Hill police station where he was charged with concealing a serious indictable offence, receiving stolen property and disposing of stolen property. The charges relate to a period between 4.30pm on May 30 and 8.20am on June 2 He was granted conditional bail and ordered to appear before the Parramatta Court on August 6. *Hills Shire Times


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Crocodiles and 'gators

A Irish backpacker drowned in a crocodile infested billabong in Kakadu National Park on Saturday night - and he wasn't drunk. The 27-year-old man was on a tour with 20 other backpackers when he decided to go for a swim in a billabong near the Kakadu Highway at 7pm on Saturday, police said. The alarm was raised when he failed to surface. Police and park rangers found his body just after 10pm in two metres of water. Police spokeswoman Theresa Kuilboer said she was "sorry to ruin a great NT News front page story" but no bite wounds had been found on the man’s body and there were no indications of a crocodile being involved in the man’s death. But saltwater crocodiles were known to inhabit the area of Malanbanjbanjdju Billabong, Ms Kuilboer said. "There were no signs of a crocodile being involved — he got into trouble and didn’t surface," she said. "But when there are croc signs up, people shouldn’t go for a swim in the first place, and when you're not a good swimmer you should only swim in a safe place." Police said they did not believe the man was drunk when he went for a swim in the billabong, 16km from the Arnhem Highway and Kakadu Highway intersection. He is believed to have been the only one of the group to go swimming. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death. *

Meanwhile in Florida, one week after an alligator bit off the left hand of a Golden Gate Estates man, a few locals still visited the swimming hole, known as the Crystal, where the attack occurred. They all insisted the swimming hole will continue to be a popular destination. “As long as I am around, I am going to be coming here,” said one. * Ed Comment; They wont learn will they?

A 4.1 metre saltwater crocodile has been removed from a trap in Darwin Harbour - the largest croc removed from the harbour region this year. The crocodile was caught in a permanent trap set up in Blessers Creek, behind the East Arm Wharf. "This is another reminder to people to be extremely cautious about any waterways in the Top End, because estuarine crocodiles can move around throughout the year," Parks and Wildlife Service ranger Robbie Risk said. A 2.1 metre saltie was also caught today in a trap in the Katherine River at Taylors Park, west of Katherine. In total, 161 saltwater crocodiles have been caught in the Top End this year. *ABC

A fisherman used a flare to alert rescuers to his broken-down boat after spending three nights stranded in a crocodile-infested river near Weipa. The man, who was on a camping trip with his partner, was found about 10am yesterday at the mouth of Pine River Bay, northwest of Weipa. *Cairns Post


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Noxious Weed Found

Hardware retailer Bunnings has been fined $15,000 without conviction after it was caught selling a noxious weed in its Victorian stores. Bunnings and four suppliers - Ball Australia, Oasis Horticulture, Summerhill Nurseries and Regal Blooms - all pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates Court to charges of buying and selling the weed, Mexican feather grass. The offences took place between January and May 2008. The grass is a state-prohibited weed, the highest category for noxious weeds under Victoria's Catchment and Land Protection Act. The agriculture department was also awarded costs in the case. As part of an out-of-court settlement with the department, Bunnings has agreed to pay $50,000 in compensation and has taken steps to ensure it never again sells noxious weeds. Agriculture Minister Joe Helper said the prosecutions were a warning to the garden and nursery industry. ''While the vast bulk of the industry do a fantastic job and is aware of its responsibilities, this prosecution is a timely reminder of the risks associated with the importation and distribution of non-native horticultural plants,'' Mr Helper said. ''It's up to the nursery industry to stop this happening again.'' The department's director for invasive plants and operations, Brendan Roughead, said estimates suggested the economic and environmental impact of a statewide outbreak of a noxious weed such as Mexican feather grass could cost the state more than $10 million a year to control. Anyone who may have bought the weed, which might have been labelled Stipa capillata or Stipa lessingiana, should phone 136 186. A spokeswoman for Bunnings could not immediately be contacted. *Age

One of the most invasive weeds in Australia is threatening wildlife and plants in the Top End. Olive hymenachne is regarded as one of the worst weeds in Australia because of its invasiveness, its potential for spread and its economic and environmental impacts. NT Parks and Wildlife rangers and members of the Field and Game Association have now joined forces to fight the weed that threatens the wetlands around Harrison Dam, about 60km southeast of Darwin. ``If it continued to spread, the area wouldn't be a viable wetland for waterbirds any more,'' NT Field and Game president Bart Irwin said. Mr Irwin, 48, of Howard Springs, said the weed would totally exclude all birds from access to the water. ``It already covers up a big area of water and blankets all the area around the Window to the Wetlands,'' he said. ``Only a few open water areas are left for birds.'' Hymenachne, a stock pasture grass ``gone wrong'', first escaped in the 1990s from a research farm. Its sticky seeds are transported by flooding and birds and have a 98 per cent viability, making the grass a dangerous threat for flora and fauna. ``It needs constant attention, as all weeds do, and due to the enormity of the job Field and Game has made an effort in assisting Parks and Wildlife with the hands-on work, as well as with organisational aspects and through a grant system assisting with funding,'' Mr Irwin said. With a helicopter and an air boat the first joint forces spraying recently took place at Harrison Dam. * NT News

Ed Comment; Hymenachne was illegally imported and deliberately released in Queensland by the Queensland DPI in the late "80's as a cattle fodder for use in ponded pastures, and has now spread throughout tropical Australia. It grows along creekbanks and in shallow water, and displaces all native vegetation, which impacts on native wildlife. It's a tall, dense, impenetrable and invasive plant that has done much damage to wildlife habitat. Its almost impossible to remove, without heavy chemical spraying, which of course impacts on frogs and other species. *


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Morriset Kangaroo Kill Mooted

Kangaroos may have to be culled at Morisset amid rising fears for public safety, with the animals said to be increasing at an unsustainable rate. Residents have concerns about people getting too close to kangaroos in and around the grounds of Morisset Hospital, where hundreds of the animals dwell. Wildlife experts conceded a cull would have to occur some time to rein in numbers. With kangaroos going further into nearby residential areas than ever before, authorities have urged the public to stop feeding them. Native Animal Trust Fund carer Margaret Howley said her organisation discussed a cull with state authorities after a four-wheel-drive mowed down and killed eight kangaroos at the hospital in 2008. ‘‘A cull will have to happen in the future,’’ Mrs Howley said. ‘No one is getting hurt and they’re not attacking people, but if that started to happen they would get moving on a cull.’’

They venture between the hospital, the adjacent Lake Macquarie State Recreation Area and nearby houses. Morisset Park resident Steve Mason said kangaroo numbers had increased significantly in 40 years. Mr Mason said residents loved the kangaroos and most did not mind them being in and around their properties. ‘‘They’re superb, they eat grass in my backyard,’’ Mr Mason said. ‘‘But from a conservation point of view, they will have to do something about it at some point.’’ Resident Gayle Hamilton said tourists, including children, were feeding the animals as if they were pets. ‘‘A big grey could seriously injure somebody with one kick,’’ Mrs Hamilton said. A National Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman said it had advised the hospital on how to make the site less appealing to kangaroos. ‘‘Any culled or relocated animals would be very quickly replaced by more animals because of the ideal conditions of the area for kangaroos,’’ she said.

Hunter New England Health director of mental health, Dinesh Arya, said the department wanted Morisset Hospital to be open to the community. ‘We want people to enjoy the great environment, but we don’t want them to put themselves or anyone else at risk,’’ Dr Arya said. ‘Kangaroos are wild animals and people need to maintain a safe and respectful distance from them.’’ The wildlife service said it ‘‘can’t stress enough how important it is for people not to feed the kangaroos’’. Feeding kangaroos anything other than their natural diet caused health problems and was ‘‘potentially dangerous for people as the animals can be aggressive or cause accidental injuries, especially to children’’. *Newcastle Herald

Local Protest Planned

Protest Date and Time: Monday 26 July 2010, 12noon to 4pm On the side of Dora Street - main street running through Morisset, past shps and Railway Station, just past the railway overpass. Pls see maps link below, with a blue marker dot showing the Protest location.



Protest Purpose: To show support for the local kangaroo population that spends a lot of its time on the grounds of Morisset Hospital, and to spread the word that a 'kind' 'cull' aka cruel mass-murder and stomping to death of baby kangaroos should be the last things being considered. To promote 'rootourism' following The Kangaroo Trail, as at www.rootourism.com in order to show that kangaroos have more value as tourism drawcards than as pet- or human food. To impress this on local business people. To identify the local kangaroos as the Kangaroo People, valued true-blue citizens of Oz.
To hand out fliers, postcards, and other kinds of informative materials. To enjoy a day out, meeting new people, both kanga and human.
Protest Format:
The protest will mostly be a quiet sit-and-stand by the roadside, holding our placards, waving at motorists, handing out fliers to passers by, having petitions signed, etc.
We may walk to and fro along the footpath past the shops, if felt appropriate at the time. It is anticipated that the group will pay a visit to the kangaroos after the Protest has concluded. Eary birds to Morisset can of course visit the kangas in the hospital grounds in the morning before the Protest. Any and all caring persons are welcome to attend, to participate, or just to chat, for all four hours or just for whatever time you can spare. What to bring: Happy smile & enthusiasm, If coming by car, folding chairs and card tables. Placards, fliers, petitions....Food, drink, umbrellas, warm clothing, a blanket, etc. But shops, cafes nearby.

Please note: This protest has been organised 'on the fly' in response to a Newcastle Herald article of Friday 16 July titled "Cull to be kind":
http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/morisset-hospital-kangaroos-may-be-culled/1886931.aspx Please notice the great lot of comments posted under this article by caring, informed people. The Protest is confirmed as taking place as advised above, but please keep watch for updates. It may be cancelled or postponed pending further talks with NPWS and others during subsequent days. Phone Contacts: Les Hutchinson (02) 4933 8907 or 0423 012 305 Call anytime, leave a message on either number if not answered. A text is fine - I have my mobile on me at all times. *Network Item

Morriset Development Likely

WPAA had a call from a Morriset hospital doctor a few years ago, expressing concern about Morriset Hospital, and the fate of the kangaroos. She claimed that there was pressure from a developer to have the State and Federal governments to close Morriset, which is a hospital for the criminally insane. Apparently it is a prime development site if it could be transferred to development hands. She was also concerned they might release some of the patients if it was closed. However someone else has suggested some of the patients have already been released, and are now working in Government. She may be right. *WPAA


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Boxing Kangaroo Again

For a kangaroo forced to wear human clothes and fight in front of screaming audiences, this must have been a rare moment of satisfaction. Rocky, a kangaroo which has long been used as part of a travelling circus based in Texas, is seen in a new video knocking a woman into a bin and then attempting to mount her. But despite Rocky's apparently unnatural actions, Australian animal expert Tim Faulkner said it was actually a proud display of dominance over the humans involved. "It's certainly something we wouldn't condone but it is actually naturalistic behaviour," said Mr Faulkner, who runs the Australian Reptile Park on the NSW Central Coast. "Because what happens in the wild is that kangaroos fight for territory, and the winner gets the girls." "It's normal for the alpha male to copulate with a female after a fight."

Rocky is the same kangaroo that was forced to fight a man in a clown costume at the Kraft-sponsored Texas festival Borderfest in March. That clip sparked controversy across Australia and forced Borderfest to dump the show from their event. This morning ninemsn contacted Rocky's owner, Javier Martinez, who said that the circus continued to operate with the kangaroo as their star attraction. But he became defensive when asked whether it was cruel to force Rocky to perform at the circus. "I don't have [anything to say] about it over the phone," he said before hanging up. On the Rocky Show Circus website Martinez is seen grappling with the kangaroo, which is clad in full boxing gear. Martinez is known to US animal welfare authorities, having been on their watch list since 2003, when two kangaroos he was caring for died within four months. *NineMSM


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Flying Foxes

Flying foxes are going a little batty this year in search of food. They're turning up in unusually high numbers around the Parramatta Park area, causing concern for local residents many of whom fear for their fruit trees which will shortly offer ripe pickings. Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water spokesman, Roger Bell said flying foxes were found in abundance on both sides of Parramatta River. ``This is due to food shortages in northern NSW and southern Queensland because of unfavourable weather conditions, such as floods and cyclones,'' Mr Bell said. However he said residents did not need to worry because the bats would not hang around for long. ``The grey-headed flying fox is a threatened species and is protected under NSW legislation,'' Mr Bell said. ``People musn't interfere with flying foxes and if they are concerned they should talk to council or the National Park and Wildlife Service.''

Parramatta Park Trust director, Christopher Levins said the colony of bats was not causing significant problems. ``There are up to 7000 bats occupying the north eastern section of Parramatta Park along the banks of Parramatta River,'' Mr Levins said. ``They inhabit both Parramatta Park Trust and Sydney West Area Health Service land.'' Details: Contact Parramatta Park Trust on 8833 5000 or go to www.ppt.nsw.gov.au

Flying Fox Facts * Flying foxes are large bats, weighing up to 1kg, with a wing span which may exceed 1m. * They sleep during the day and feed on pollen, nectar and fruit at night. * They are important pollinators and seed dispersers of native trees. * Seeds are discarded in the faeces or fall where the fruit is being eaten. These seeds germinate when conditions are suitable and ensure that dispersal occurs in a wide area. * Parramatta Leader

Wildlife Bytes14/7/10

Wildlife MiniBytes

From the Editor;

We are still having some troubles with our IT servers, last week we noted that links in Wildlife Bytes only work if cut and pasted into your browser. We are working on fixing this.

Fraser Island Dingoes

Save the Fraser Island Dingoes organisation is having a Dingo Charity dinner at Hervey Bay on the 4th September, at the Hervey Bay RSL Function room. For Reservations phone 41241979, great guest artists, including Keri McInerney, Stevie T, Riverhead with special guest Mark Nuske, k'gari performers and more! Tickets are $50 each or $90 for a couple.

Tasmanian Possum Kill Plan

The new feature on the Tasmanian possum kill proposed plan is now live on the Animals Australia website – you can see it directly here - http://www.animalsaustralia.org/take_action/save-tassie-possums/ But it is also on the front page so that everyone will see it. We are sure it will result in hundreds of emails to the Minister, so lets hope he is listening. If an election is held soon of course he will be in caretaker mode and not able to sign off on the management plan – so there may be a reprieve. *Animals Australia

Wildlife Sale Cancelled

Following our May report about the animals being captured in Hwange National Park for the purpose of being sold to Pyonyang Zoo in North Korea, we are now delighted to announce that the shipment has been cancelled. We would like to thank everybody who participated in protesting against the removal of these animals from Zimbabwe. We do not yet have accurate information on what will now become of the animals that have already been captured but we have an unconfirmed report that the 2 young elephants will be sent to Wild Horizons in Victoria Falls for rehabilitation before being released back into the wild. Although we are very grateful that the shipment was cancelled, we are still concerned because at a National Parks press conference last month, the Director General of National Parks stated that there were a further 5 countries who had placed orders to buy animals from Zimbabwe. We do not know whether or not National Parks are planning to fulfill those orders. * Johnny Rodrigues, Chairman of Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force

RSPCA Seminar

The proceedings from the latest RSPCA Seminar can be downloaded here http://www.rspca.org.au/what-we-do/science-and-policies/science-seminar.html We havent had time to read the proceedings yet, but many of our readers will be interested in the subjects below.......

Is kangaroo management justified and humane? What are the concerns and how can they be addressed? by Steve McLeod, Industry & Investment NSW (He ran the commercial kangaroo program for years) and

Hunting & feral animal control: conservation or con? Carol Booth, Invasive Species Council

Oil Spill

A text from Newsweek reads: "As BP makes its latest attempt to plug its gushing oil well, news photographers are complaining that their efforts to document the slow-motion disaster in the Gulf of Mexico are being thwarted by local and federal officials -- working with BP -- who are blocking access to the sites where the effects of the spill are most visible. More than a month into the disaster, a host of anecdotal evidence is emerging from reporters, photographers, and TV crews in which BP and Coast Guard officials explicitly target members of the media, restricting and denying them access to oil-covered beaches, staging areas for clean-up efforts, and even flyovers." One magazine story concludes with this surprisingly blunt statement: "The very idea that government officials are acting as agents of BP (of all companies) in what clearly seem to be unconstitutional acts to intimidate and impede the media is infuriating. Obviously, the U.S. Government and BP share the same interest -- preventing the public from knowing the magnitude of the spill and the inadequacy of the clean-up efforts -- but this creepy police state behavior is intolerable. " As one journalist has said, "There is a conspiracy under way right now. It's a conspiracy between the U.S. government and British Petroleum to cover-up all evidence of what's really happening in the Gulf Coast. "Conspiracy" is precisely the correct word to describe their behavior in all this, and I can only wonder how long it will take before the mainstream media reluctant utters the "C" word on air. * Newsweek

Meanwhile the Unified Area Command keeps a tally of animals collected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other authorities in the impact area of the Deepwater Horizon spill. The official causes of death or injury have not yet been determined. As of Monday the following animals had been collected: Live birds, visibly oiled: 1,085, Dead birds, visibly oiled: 654, Dead birds, no visible oil: 1,126, Live sea turtles, visibly oiled: 139, Dead sea turtles, visibly oiled: 14, Dead sea turtles, no visible oil: 82, Live mammals, visibly oiled: 2, Dead mammals, visibly oiled: 3, Dead mammals, no visible oil: 51. Independent observers believe the wildlife toll is much higher.

Kangaroos and Dingoes....heres an interesting uTube video of a kangaroo and a Dingo facing each other off..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdT5vRMvEig&feature=fvw

Physic Octopus

World Cup phenomenon Paul the octopus has predicted that Spain will beat Holland in Sunday's final. The psychic cephalopod was presented with two boxes containing mussels at the Sea Life centre in Oberhausen, the Spanish flag on one and the Dutch flag on the other. After lengthy consideration Paul snaffled the mussel from the tank bearing the Spanish flag. 'Das Krakenorakel' has correctly predicted the winners of each of the six games Germany played at the 2010 World Cup, including their semi-final defeat to Spain which prompted death threats against the English-born oracle. However, shortly before the main draw he boosted his chances of avoiding the paella pan by tipping Germany to win their third-place play-off against Uruguay on Saturday night. *

Mouse Plague Update

Farmers on Eyre Peninsula in South Australia have been burning their hay because of the region's mouse plague. Mice are often keen to nest in the hay. Poochera farmer Trevor Feltus says he had no option but to burn some of his supply. "Too many mice in it, you couldn't handle it, you couldn't pick it up," he said. "The mice had broken all the strings and everything, ate through the strings. "Anyhow they sort of soil it, you know." *ABC

Alligators

Florida wildlife officials say a 10-foot alligator bit off a man's hand while he was swimming in a canal with friends. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman Gabriella Ferraro says 18-year-old Timothy Delano of Naples is recovering at a hospital. Officials managed to catch the gator and retrieve the hand from its stomach, and doctors may be able to reattach the hand. Ferraro says Delano was swimming with three friends around 9:30 p.m. Sunday when the alligator attacked. The men swam to shore and drove to a gas station, where they called 911. Delano was flown by helicopter to a hospital. Wildlife officials say people should stay out of freshwater canals and lakes this time of year because alligators are more active, especially around dawn and dusk. *AP

Birds

Conservationists from the Coorong region have trekked across South Australia to Lake Torrens in the outback to track a vulnerable bird species. A flock of banded stilts nests at the Coorong's southern lagoon and has been breeding there at times since 2006. The birds only breed around hyper-saline water and conservationists, along with the Environment Department, have noticed birds tagged at the Coorong are breeding at salty Lake Torrens. A member of the Coorong conservation group, Maureen Christie, says the sightings will help map the life cycles of the birds. "When we were there, the department saw one of the Coorong-flagged birds accompany a group of chicks to the water, so we're very excited about that," she said. "There was a breeding at Lake Torrens in 1989 and afterwards there were some seen back in the salt hills back around Adelaide. "Because they're so spectacular when they're in such large numbers, they do excite a lot of interest and we've been trying to track them as they move about." *ABC

Whale Meat

Ulsan (Korea) is the place to be if you are craving a plate of whale meat. The number of restaurants offering the dish in the southeastern metropolitan city has increased sharply over the past year, exceeding 100, the city government said Sunday. The figure is up nearly four times from a year earlier and the highest since the International Whaling Commission adopted a worldwide moratorium on commercial whaling in 1986. City officials say minke whale is the main item on the market. Catching whales for commercial purposes is banned around the world unless they are caught accidentally in fishing nets. Korea is one of the countries strictly prohibiting the catching of the endangered species for profit. However, whale meat is a traditional local delicacy for people living in the city. A 6-meter-long whale usually sells for 25 million won ($21,000) when demand is high and supply is short. An illegally caught one sells for about 16 million won on the black market. Illegal trading of the endangered species is the reason behind the mushrooming restaurants selling whale meat. As a result, environmental groups are calling for the government to monitor illegal hunting and trading more tightly. *Korea Times

Sealing

Canada is on the verge of implementing a gruesome plan to slaughter beautiful grey seals. A proposal calls for killing more than 220,000 seals on Sable Island. The cull and disposal program would run at birthing time each year for five years. Take action to stop this plan and prevent 220,000 Sable Island seals from being killed » The proposal itself is horrific. Baby seals would be shot, their carcasses would then be loaded onto dump trucks and incinerated. Here>> http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/883/975/627?z00m=19864932 Why is the Canadian government even considering this plan? The seals are being blamed for depleted fish populations -- even though scientists have pointed the finger at commercial over-fishing, not wild seals.

Tigers

Vietnam's Environmental Police have confiscated two frozen tigers and a frozen panther in the central province of Nghe An. The animals, along with 5kg of suspected tiger bones, were confiscated from the home of a 53-year old man in Dien Chau district early last week, who has been arrested. The confiscation resulted from a co-ordinated effort between enforcement authorities, including the recently established Environmental Police. Despite their protection under Vietnamese and international law, tigers and panthers continue to be illegally hunted and traded across Vietnam and South-East Asia for their meat, as souvenirs, and for their bones, used in traditional Chinese medicine and to make tiger bone wine. In March this year, Lao Bao Border Guard Police seized a body of a tiger and a black panther being transported across the border to be sold in Vietnam. In October 2009, Vietnam Environmental Police seized two frozen tiger carcasses weighing a total of 130kg and arrested five suspects in Ha Noi. As few as 30 wild tigers are estimated to survive in Vietnam. * Network Item

Feral Fish

With the country’s attention riveted on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the news in late June that a live Asian carp had been caught in the Chicago Area Waterway System, just six miles from Lake Michigan, registered only a blip on the radar of the national news media. But for state and local officials in the Great Lakes region, the arrival of the carp on the doorstep of Lake Michigan is an environmental crisis. “The Great Lakes are on the brink of a great ecological and economic disaster that states in the region may never overcome,” Gov. Ted Strickland of Ohio wrote in a letter to President Obama on Thursday. “We need immediate, decisive action.” The impact of an invasion of Asian carp could be overwhelming. The fish are prolific breeders and can grow to over four feet and weigh up to 100 pounds. The climate of the Great Lakes region is also a close match to their native Asian habitats, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. * NY TimesRead more http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/12/doom-feared-as-asian-carp-advances/?partner=rss&emc=rss


Giant Turtle

A British angler was left with a nasty surprise when he caught a giant turtle in a Midlands reservoir. The huge turtle is now in quarantine Steve Bellion, 23, was angling for carp when he hooked the 57lb (25kg) reptile at Earlswood Reservoir, near Birmingham. He eventually hauled the 2ft-long creature on to the bank, and it was identified as an 80-year-old alligator snapping turtle, normally found in the eastern corner of the US. The catch has solved a long mystery in local fishing circles - tales had abounded for a decade of a giant creature biting through lines and savaging ducks. The ancient female was transferred by British Waterways to West Midland Safari Park, where it is being kept in quarantine for 30 days and checked by vets. The turtle - which has yet to be named by its new keepers and can live to 160-years-old - will be housed in a vivarium with a male companion.

Bob Lawrence, director of wildlife at the safari park, said: "It's looking fine, but so it should be having had half of Britain's fish stocks at its mercy. They have been known to attack small domestic pets or children, but I don't think this one would have drifted too far from the water. "If it grew any larger it would have been a danger to shipping." He said it highlights the danger of introducing alien species into Britain's waterways, in the same way that American signal crayfish have caused such depletion to fish stocks and the UK's native crayfish. And he said the problem is only likely to get worse with global warming. "Thankfully alligator snapping turtles are a rarity in British waters - they can create havoc for native species," he told Sky News Online. "It was probably dumped by its owner after it grew too big or became a nuisance. "They have been known to attack small domestic pets or children, but I don't think this one would have drifted too far from the water. "Because it has no natural predators, it could have lived to a ripe old age and grown to up to 80kg. I just hope there was only one and it didn't have any offspring." *Sky News


Water Weeds

Two of the world's worst water weeds are on the loose in Adelaide. There are fears the weeds could spread from backyard ponds and water features into creeks and rivers, where they smother native wildlife. The Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board is running a campaign to seek and destroy the weeds, spurred on by reports the plants were offered for sale at northern suburbs markets and garage sales. Three investigations are under way, as authorities crack down on the illegal trade. Salvinia and water hyacinth are both declared pests. Their movement or sale can incur fines of $10,000 to $50,000, says Michael Garrod from the NRM Board.

"Both of these plants grow very quickly, and form dense mats that reduce water quality, increase evaporation, impede water flow, block irrigation channels and threaten aquatic ecosystems," he said. "If they get into our waterways, we could expect to see the deaths of many native fish, crustaceans and other aquatic animals, as well as serious damage to our water supply infrastructure." He said the weeds had been "circulating for a while through personal networks" but the fact the plants were now being offered for sale was of "great concern, as the circulation increases dramatically". "We encourage people to purchase, preferably natives, from reputable nurseries, which will minimise the risk of purchasing and spreading rogue plants."

David Newble from West Lakes Shore said his wife became concerned about the plants in her pond when she saw an advertisement in the paper. The authorities were called in and the suspects identified as water hyacinth, "the world's worst aquatic weed". "It just floats on the surface and seems to reproduce quite rapidly, which of course was quite good as far as we were concerned, but not so good for the waterways of Australia," he said. He said they'd picked up the weed from friends, "they say `We've got a good weed that grows in the pond, would you like some?". *Adelaide Now


Birds and Aircraft!

Nearly 400 Canada geese and goslings that had been living at Prospect Park were captured and euthanized last week as part of an ongoing effort to reduce the goose population in the New York City region. Early on Thursday morning, wildlife biologists and technicians descended on the park and netted the birds. The biologists, who work with the wildlife services division of the United States Department of Agriculture, then packed the geese two or three to a crate and took them to a facility where they were gassed with lethal doses of carbon dioxide, said Carol A. Bannerman, a spokeswoman for the wildlife services division. The wildlife specialists had taken advantage of the fact that the birds were in the middle of molting season, when they shed their feathers and are unable to fly. On Monday morning, only four geese were seen out on the lake in Prospect Park, according to one nearby resident, and it was not clear if they had avoided the roundup or arrived in the days since it occurred.

Last summer, 1,200 geese from 17 sites around the city were euthanized. The authorities have been trying to thin out their ranks since two geese flew into the engines of US Airways Flight 1549 in January, 2009, causing it to splash down in the Hudson River. Everyone on board survived. The absence of the birds was noticed by park enthusiasts and landscapers, though officials at Prospect Park were not notified of the specifics about their removal. Two of the park’s birds gained some notoriety because of their disabilities – one was missing the top part of its beak, and another had a crossbow bolt speared through its neck. The Prospect Park geese were not the only ones removed in the last month. The goal is to remove all geese within seven miles of La Guardia and John F. Kennedy airports. *NY Times


Another Maria Island Kangaroo Kill

Parks and Wildlife says the operation is in the interests of animal welfare but kangaroo advocates say it is backward and cruel. The Parks and Wildlife Service said the island's forester kangaroo, Tasmanian pademelon and Bennett's wallaby population had increased 30 per cent since 1994 and the cull was based on monitoring by a consultant ecologist. But the Australian Society for Kangaroos, which has also condemned kangaroo slaughter in Canberra and Bathurst, said natural selection would thin population numbers in times of low feed. "This slaughter is happening on an island which uses these animals as part of its lure as a tourist destination," society co-ordinator Nikki Sutterby said yesterday. "Some of our members visited Maria Island in 2008 after a cull removed almost 500 marsupials and they reported there were very few left. "Where is Tasmania's long-term solution to stop this annual slaughter? "What about a sterilisation program involving the alpha males? "Joeys at foot will be orphaned through this process and those in pouch are decapitated or bashed to death."

Parks and Wildlife said the cull was conducted in line with a national code of practice and pouch young were euthanised in a swift and humane way by a vet or experienced wildlife management officer. The Parks and Wildlife Service said the island's marsupial population needed to be culled to stop animals becoming sick and distressed. Two teams carry out the cull. One team shoots while the other checks that the animals die quickly. An acting Southern Region manager, Shane Breen, said 600 animals would be removed from the island during the two-week operation which had begun yesterday. The island will be closed to the public until July 23. "The decision to remove these animals is based on biological monitoring directed by a consultant ecologist," Mr Breen said.

The kangaroo society recently condemned the ACT Government's decision to kill another 1890 kangaroos in its nature reserves and has filed a formal complaint over allegations the Bathurst Council killed 88 joeys illegally at Mt Panorama in preparation for the Bathurst 1000 car race. Ms Sutterby said Tasmania was the only state that did not use professional shooters to cull kangaroos. "Parks and Wildlife has used the cheapest and most brutal method of wildlife management in the form of annual massacres using in-house staff and causing horrific suffering and cruelty," Ms Sutterby said. She said dozens of kangaroos died inhumanely in the 2006 cull because many were shot in the body instead of the head.

Mr Breen said Maria Island was a unique environment which had been significantly altered by human use and the past introduction of species including kangaroos and wallabies presented ongoing management challenges. At the same time, an investigation into setting up an insurance population of Tasmanian devils on Maria Island continues. The Maria Island Translocation Project will be carried out over the next 12 months. Baseline surveys will be conducted first to ensure it is appropriate to release devils on Maria Island. *Mercury

Ed Comment, Talk about 18th century wildlife management practices! To read more about Maria Island and previous kills, visit http://www.kangaroo-protection-coalition.com/mariaisland.html Dr David Obendorf comments ......"So far from the truth - the island is a managed as a convict gaol for introduced macropods -a free-range zoo where they annually kill ~70% of the inmates! Is this Van Diemen's Land of the 1800s or Tasmania of the 21st century! Appalling public policy from a state government mega-Department that is out of control".

More Hobart Kangaroos Killed

More native animals have been slaughtered at a rubbish tip in Hobart's northern suburbs. The number of animals found clubbed, shot or savaged by dogs at the Glenorchy tip and nearby Tolosa Park has doubled in the past six weeks. Council workers have found the carcasses of more than 200 wallabies and kangaroos. Some have been left propped against fences, others within metres of homes. A public appeal launched by police in May to catch those responsible has had little effect. Glenorchy Police Sergeant Ian Shepherd says it is frustrating. "We have dedicated fairly significant police resources to this operation which is adding to our frustration because it's resources that could probably be better spent elsewhere," he said. "We've had police on overtime, we have had police there all night."

Glenorchy Council waste management co-ordinator Joe Duncan says the sight greeting workers each day is sickening. "They come in every morning and it's a body count really, how many got killed last night, and it is well and truly beyond a joke," he said. "They're not any threat at all to anyone and it's just frustrating to see them killed in this manner and in these numbers." Police believe the killing is taking place in the early hours of the morning by someone familiar with the area. Sgt Shepherd says there is a handful of suspects, but he hopes more information from the public will help focus investigations. However he fears witnesses may be too scared to come forward. "There is a strong link between people who commit acts of animal cruelty and people who are violent in their personal lives," he said. He has reminded anyone with information that they can contact Crimestoppers anonymously. * ABC

Kangaroos and Fluoride

Fluoride emissions, that deformed the bones of kangaroos in Portland, will increase in Anglesea with a trial to start about 800m from the town's new primary school. The Alcoa power station will process a waste product called HiCal 40 carbon fuel to determine whether it can be used as an alternative to brown coal. Alcoa and the Environment Protection Authority maintain the increase in airborne fluoride will be minimal and non-harmful to humans, animals and vegetation. "The alternative-fuel trial is safe and will see emissions for all substances remain well within the EPA guidelines," Anglesea power station manager Stephanie Pearce said. But Dr Mark Diesendorf, University of NSW environmental studies deputy director, is concerned about the trial. "I would certainly be worried about building a primary school near there," he said. "(Children) will be more sensitive than adults because, with any toxin, you're interested in the amount of toxin that enters the body in relation to body weight."

Dr Diesendorf said EPA approval did not necessarily mean the trial would be safe. "A lot of these standards are set in a way that allows polluters to continue operating," he said. "The health hazards of airborne fluoride produced by aluminium smelters, brick works and steel works, which settles on vegetation have been well known for 50 years. "It's just ridiculous that authorities like the EPA are aligning themselves with industrial polluters." Autopsies have revealed kangaroos that grazed near Alcoa's Portland smelter, and populations near Austral Bricks in Craigieburn, developed fluorosis as a result of ingesting fluoride emissions. The fluorosis caused bone growths in the paws, ankles, jaw and calves.

But EPA director Matt Vincent said fluoride emissions at Anglesea would be 10 times lower than those produced at Alcoa's Portland and Point Henry sites. "In granting approval, EPA assessed Alcoa's application and took into consideration recent research into the impacts of fluoride on kangaroos at other locations in Victoria," Mr Vincent said. "EPA is satisfied that Alcoa's fluoride emissions for this trial sit well within the State Environment Protection Standards and do not pose an environmental risk." Wildlife Victoria CEO Sandy Fernee cared for the kangaroos affected by fluorosis at Craigieburn. "They're in a serious amount of pain because of it and their mobility is completely taken away," she said. "Immobilisation then leads to starvation and the animals have to be euthanased." But Dr Ian Beveridge, a professor of parasitology at the University of Melbourne, said the effects were less severe. "I think there is some degree of concern because a high proportion of them had changes in their teeth but they were very, very minor," he said. *Geelong Advertiser


Wildlife Corridor Mooted

The establishment of a conservation corridor spanning 2800 kilometres along the east coast of Australia, which would allow wildlife to relocate as the climate warms, is vital for the survival of many species, a report has found. The report, commissioned by the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water, outlines the scientific basis for a continuous conservation area, which will stretch from just outside Melbourne to the Atherton tablelands in North Queensland and link national parks with state forests and privately owned land. Brendan Mackey, an environmental scientist and the author of the report, said although there were many conservation areas along the east coast, both private and publicly owned, many remained isolated. "One of the impacts of climate change is that species will have to move around to find suitable habit resources. We need to make the whole landscape more biodiversity friendly." The aim of the corridor, called the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative, is to protect endangered and threatened species, and ecosystems as a whole.

Ian Pulsford, from the Department of Climate Change and Water, said NSW was the first state to implement the corridor. The NSW section will be more than 1200 kilometres long and is home to two-thirds of the state's threatened species and three-quarters of its vegetation. It also contained most of the headwaters linked to the state's water supply, he said. Although almost half of the state's section was national park and reserves, there were important eco-systems on private and public land. "We are trying to move away from ad hoc bits of conservation," Mr Pulsford said. In areas identified to become part of the corridor, a program facilitator would act as a broker, visiting private landholders to request they become part of the program, he said. "The corridor is voluntary but there has been a good response from private landholders, and there are incentives to make your land part of the conservation area," said Mr Pulsford, who managed the initiative on behalf of DECCW.

The program involved partnerships between local and state governments, industry, conservation groups and private land owners and could take decades to complete. The report compared the benefits of a connected corridor with the conventional approach to environmental protection, which focused attention on particular areas and threatened species. "The conventional thinking is wait until things are really bad and then desperately try to save things at the last minute," said Professor Mackey. Australia has an very poor record of wildlife extinction. Close to half of all mammal extinctions that occurred on the planet in the past 200 years have occurred in Australia. Three bird species, four frog species and 61 species of flowering plant have become extinct since European settlement, detailed the report. *SMH


Marine Reserves

T he Gulf of Mexico oil spill is proving to be one of those environmental events that could significantly change the oil and gas industry. Just as the Exxon Valdez spill reformed oil tanker shipping and the horrifying Bhopal toxic disaster affected the chemical industry, a major shift in community confidence and potentially enormous regulatory changes could affect the petroleum industry operating in the United States. In Australia, however, it's been a different story. Late last year, we witnessed our own oil catastrophe: the explosive blow-out on the Montara rig off the Kimberley coast, which then pumped oil into our seas for more than 10 weeks. As we wait for the findings of the inquiry into the Australian spill and we watch the drama in the Gulf unfold, the question remains whether the Australian Government is willing to take the steps needed to ensure that critically important marine areas off our own shores are protected from risky extractive uses.

The majestic Kimberley coastline is awash with life. A virtual marine super-highway for migratory species, the area is home to a wide array of sea turtles, fish, seabirds and whales. Twenty-one species of whales and dolphins can be found in the region, including 28,000 humpbacks who arrive every year to calve. It's hard to imagine a worse place for an oil spill. Yet last spring, countless barrels of oil poured into the Timor Sea off Australia's north-west coast. Satellite images show the Montara spill eventually spread over 6000sqkm. Fishermen as far away as Indonesia reported finding contaminated fish and it's still uncertain how much oil was released into the environment. We can no longer afford to ignore the devastating reality of the risks involved in quenching our national thirst for oil and gas. To truly protect our oceans we need a more balanced approach to such offshore development, with stronger environmental safeguards. One of the best ways to minimise such risk in the future is to expand the number of marine sanctuaries around Australia, particularly in iconic and important areas such as the Kimberley, the south-west marine region and the Coral Sea.

The Government is considering establishing new marine sanctuaries. Marine scientists worldwide agree on the need to create a network of large sanctuaries in areas that marine life rely on for feeding and breeding. The more we separate offshore drilling from our most critical marine ecosystems, the more virtual insurance the public receives in protecting valuable assets. Blessed with an array of unique wildlife species above and below the waves, Australia claims the planet's third largest area of ocean. Yet efforts to protect our marine environment have been few, with less than 5per cent of our waters highly protected. Since the Kimberley oil spill, 31 new oil and gas lease areas have been opened up, but nothing has been done to safeguard our marine life and coastal communities from the high risks associated with this sort of industrial development. It's time for us to take the same sort of precautionary action being considered in the US. Putting in place a network of large marine sanctuaries in Australian waters would provide a prudent investment in the future health of our nation's ecologically important ecosystems. Dr Barry Traill is the director of the Pew Environment Group's Wild Australia Program. *Canberra Times


Tassie Devils

Barrington Tops in the NSW high country is a long way from the wilds of Tasmania, but it is about to become a significant new component of the fight to save the Tasmanian devil. The Australian Reptile Park near Gosford will today announce plans to build the first free-range enclosures (FREs) for devils on the mainland, on land donated by billionaire casino owner James Packer. Until now, the only FRE has been in Bicheno in Tasmania, while three more are in construction in the island state as part of a broader devil ``insurance'' population. Being bred in zoos and wildlife parks around the country, insurance devils would be used to reintroduce the carnivorous marsupial to Tasmania after extinction in the wild. Experts believe extinction in the wild is likely within 10 to 25 years because of a unique contagious cancer that has wiped out an estimated 80 per cent of the species.

Reptile park owner John Weigel told The Australian construction would begin next month on an initial 13 new FREs, each ranging from 0.5ha to 4ha, and costing about $500,000. ``We have the perfect site, 350ha of high-altitude bushland up at Barrington Tops (about 260km north of Sydney),'' he said. ``It's perfect for the job -- big snowfalls, very cold and good habitat for devils. We're very excited.'' Subject to planning approval by the Upper Hunter Shire Council, the 13 enclosures would be ready for 48 ``founder'' devils -- selected for their genetic stock -- in November. Mr Weigel said it was expected that, by 2016, the ``Devil Ark'' project at Barrington Tops would have bred to a population of 360. This would add to an existing insurance population breeding in 19 zoos and wildlife parks nationwide, which stands at about 250 devils. *The Australian

Wildlfie Bytes 6/7/10

Wildlife MiniBytes

From the Editor

We appologise for this late Wildlife Bytes, but we are in the process of changing WPAA servers. In the unlikely event that our contact WPAA email addresses go down for a couple of days next week, we can be contacted at wpaa.info@gmail.com * Editor

Canberra Kangaroo Kill

The manager of Animal Liberation ACT was "worried about people's lives" at Mt Painter last night as activists illegally entered the nature reserve in a bid to stop sharpshooters killing kangaroos . The ACT Government has closed eight nature reserves until July 31 so contract shooters can cull 1890 kangaroos . Animal Liberation ACT president Jo Morgan and at least 10 other protesters drove to Mt Painter last night, where they believed shooting would take place. At 9.40pm Ms Morgan said some of the activists had already "made contact" with the shooters. She said the activists did not intend to confront the shooters. But Animal Liberation ACT manager Bernie Brennan, not at the scene, said the activists planned to confront any shooters they could find. "I really am concerned for the people who are going in tonight," he said. "I'm just trying to keep the voice of rationality there ... "I'm worried about people's lives." *ABC

Meanwhile local activists have been monitoring the Nature Parks at night. Some have entered the Parks, in spite of a $5000 fine if caught, in attempts to harass the shooters. Some of the shooters appear to be driving around the Nature Parks with no lights, (presumably using night vision equipment) to avoid being seen by protestors. Police have turned up on occasions, and security guards are on patrol. So far no protestors have been arrested, all they can do is keep a close watch, and make the shooting as difficult as possible, in freezing below-zero temperatures. We congratulate them all. We also understand that not that many kangaroos are being shot, because the shooters can't find them. Meanwhile we also find that the ACT government has admitted useing scat counting to arrive at their estimates of kangaroo populations in the Nature Parks! As any wildlife carer knows, a kangaroo can poo many, many, times in couple of hours, yet the ACT Government counted the kangaroo scats to justify shooting the kangaroos in the Nature Reserves! Talk about shonky "science"! However we understand that today, Friday 2nd July, that the kill has now finished, either they couldnt find enough kangaroos, or they have shot the 2000 they wanted to. More info later as the details trickle out. *WPAA

New National Parks

New Queensland National Parks have been declared to protect cassowary habitat in Northern Queensland. 5000 hectares of land has been added, plus some more land added to existing National Parks. Another 2000 hectares has been added to the Glasshouse Mountains National Park, and to other National Parks near Ingham and Mission Beach. The Bligh Governemtn has stated that 7.5 % of Queensland will be National Park by 2020. Not much, but a bit better than before. Some parts of Stradbroke Island will also be declared National Park as soon as the Sand Miners tell the government which areas they want! We appreciate the new Parks of course, but it's taken the Queensland Labor Government 20 years to declare these latest ones. Why is it so? It's because we have never, ever, had a more unpopular Government in Queensland, they can see the writing on the wall, and they are trying to get green groups on side! *WPAA

Green Politics

The Australian Greens have produced a nice little Policy Summary booklet. Unfortunately on page 28, where they have Regional Australian policy, they quote they will "support green businesses which use native species" unquote. This raised many alarm bells amonst the wildlife groups, and many people have written to them asking to clarify their position. The first response received was, Quote "The Greens Animals policy states as a key principle that "native animals and their habitats must be protected". To clarify, the statement in the policy summary booklet that “The Greens will support green business initiatives which use native species” should be understood in the context of the Greens Animals policy." Unquote. Which didn't make a lot of sense. After a further letter to the Greens, this reply below came back.

Quote. "As the Greens Federal spokesperson for animal welfare I would like to assure you that the statement in the policy summary booklet that “The Greens will support green business initiatives which use native species” should not be a cause of concern to you or others concerned with the rights of animals and protection of native fauna species. The statement in the booklet, which is a brief summary of some of the Greens policies, should be understood in the context of the Greens animals policy. The Greens animals policy states as a key principle that "native animals and their habitats must be protected" and there is no reason to believe that any support for productive use of native species would breach this policy. The statement refers to business opportunities that would arise from the use of native flora species and could include for example, food and health products. The Greens are the only party with comprehensive polices on animals welfare and protection and I encourage you to compare the Greens policies on animals and native species protection with those of the major parties." Unquote.

Well, most people think its still a bit unclear. After all, kangaroos are protected now, so are emus, but it still doesn't stop the commercial killing of kangaroos, or the farming of emus, in which naturally wideranging emus are treated like chickens, complete with toe and beak clipping. So if the Greens meant only plants and flowers, why didnt they say so? *WPAA

Whaling

The leader of a U.S.-based anti-whaling organization is now on an international wanted list for allegedly masterminding the group's disruption of Japanese whale hunts in the Antarctic Ocean, Japan's coast guard said Friday. The move — done at Japan's request — signals Tokyo's escalating anger against the Sea Shepherd group, which it accuses of putting whalers' lives at risk during the annual Antarctic hunt. The Canadian founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Paul Watson, 59, has been on the Interpol list since Wednesday, Coast Guard spokesman Shinichiro Tanaka said. He said Watson's whereabouts is unknown. Sea Shepherd officials were not immediately available for comment. *Foxnews

Indigenous people of Greenland won a long battle Friday to extend their annual whale hunt to humpbacks, overriding objections from conservation-minded members of the International Whaling Commission. The decision came at the end of a contentious five-day meeting that failed to resolve a larger dispute: a proposal to suspend a quarter-century ban on commercial whaling in exchange for a promise by the three whaling countries — Japan, Norway and Iceland — to reduce the numbers they kill in defiance of the ban. The commission decided on a one-year "pause" in negotiations on the moratorium. Greenlanders, like indigenous people from three other countries, are granted the right to hunt for food and to maintain traditional cultures, but only under strict quotas that are reviewed every five years. They have been allowed to kill more than 200 of the common minke whale, but also 19 of the endangered fin whale. About half of Greenland's 60,000 people are indigenous to the icebound island. Opponents objected to expanding the list of allowed species and to potential damage to the whale-watching industry in the Caribbean, where the humpbacks roam. *AAP

Fishing

The Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O’Connor says Border Protection Command today apprehended a foreign vessel suspected of illegally fishing in the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone. “It’s alleged that the boat was stopped about 48 nautical miles north west of Maningrida in the Northern Territory and officers found about 20 kilograms of shark fin on board,” Mr O’Connor said. “Shark fin is a regarded as a delicacy in some parts of Asia but it is illegal for foreign vessels to take marine life from this part of Australian waters.” The boat’s five crew members will be transported to Darwin for interview by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority. “Australia enforces strict penalties upon those who violate our foreign fishing laws. Offenders face fines of up to $750 000 and Australian authorities can destroy boats involved in illegal foreign fishing,” Mr O’Connor said. The boat was initially detected by a Dash-8 surveillance aircraft early this morning and was later apprehended by HMAS Albany. The operation was under the control of Border Protection Command and was conducted in support of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority. *Australia.to.news

Kangaroos and Fluoride

For those that havn't already read about this tragedy in Wildlife Bytes or elsewhere previously, Natural News is running the story as well at........ http://www.naturalnews.com/029094_kangaroos_fluoride.html

Gulf Oil Spill

The US State Department says 12 countries and international organizations are helping with the Gulf oil disaster. The particulars of the help are being worked out. The only nation identified was Japan, which is providing two high-speed skimmers and fire-containment boom. The Associated Press reports that more than 30 countries and international organizations have offered help, but that the State Department did not explain why some offers were turned down. The news comes as cleanup ships have been by idled by Tropical Storm Alex, which is headed toward Texas. * OnDeadline

White Elephant

A rare white elephant, historically considered in Burma to herald good fortune, has been captured in the west of the military-ruled nation, state media reported. The female elephant was captured by officials on Saturday in the coastal town of Maungtaw in Rakhine state, the New Light of Burma newspaper said. The animal is aged about 38 and seven feet four inches tall, the English-language paper said, although it did not mention where it would be kept. Kings and leaders in Burma, a predominantly Buddhist country, have traditionally treasured white elephants, whose rare appearances in the country are believed to herald good fortune, including power and political change. Two private planes for Burma's Senior General Than Shwe and four other top leaders were named "White Elephant" this year on the advice of astrologers, according to the Irrawaddy, a respected Thailand-based magazine on Burma. The junta chief is described by critics and some experts on the regime as deeply superstitious. A popular Rangoon astrologer told the Irrawaddy that the name was not only designed to avert bad luck but also a portent to defeat enemies. Burma, which has been military-ruled since 1962, is due to hold its first elections for two decades later this year, although a date has not yet been announced. Despite their name, the elephants' skin is more pink than white. *AFP

Crocodiles

Wildlife officials in Malaysian Borneo are pushing to have its saltwater crocodiles removed from a list of endangered animals, saying the reptile's numbers have strongly recovered in recent years. Deputy director of the Sabah Wildlife Department Augustin Tuuga said a survey of the Crocodylus porosus population showed there were about 11,000 to 15,000 in the state compared to 1000 to 5000 two decades ago. ``We are pushing to have the crocodile downgraded from the 'endangered' to the 'not necessarily threatened' list on the Convention of International Trade of Species (CITES),'' he said. Tuuga said there was big demand for legal crocodile leather from handbag and clothing accessory manufacturers as well as for crocodile meat in kitchens throughout Asia. ``Under CITES, these crocodiles can only come from breeding farms but once the crocodile is downgraded, manufacturers will be able to get the crocodiles from the wild.'' Saltwater crocodiles have the most commercially valuable skin of its species and are found from Sri Lanka all the way to the Caroline Islands in the Western Pacific. *Townsville Bulletin

Crocodiles
In the heavyweight championship bout of the animal kingdom, a giant crocodile defeated a shark in a TKO - and then enjoyed a victory seafood dinner. Two boats full of tourists got the photo opportunity of a lifetime after the 16-foot crocodile's decisive win on a river in Australia's Kakadu National Park Saturday morning, the country's Northern Territory News reported. "Nearly 100 people saw it all...and they were jumping for joy," tour guide David Cameron told the newspaper. "They said this had made their Kakadu trip." The loser, a bull shark that had meandered up the aptly named South Alligator River in search of food, was about 10 feet long before it was bitten in half. The croc had the home-field advantage because the seagoing shark was swimming through fresh water at the time of the attack. Cameron, a former park ranger, told the newspaper it's not the first time he's seen the two species fight for a berth at the top of the food chain. "With the wildlife here, you just don't know what you'll get to see," he said. "That's the beauty of it." *NY times

Whales

An army of volunteers braved the cold weather to help Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia. ORRCA held its annual whale census on Sunday and volunteers from around the coast headed to coastal lookouts to help count passing whales. Volunteers at Copacobana saw 36 humpback whales, Norah Head counters saw 29 and Crackneck reported 14. There were also 10 humpback whales seen at Forresters Beach and 12 at The Entrance. ``We have had a very enthusiastic response from volunteers nationwide, but particularly on the Central Coast where some of our best whale watching sites are,'' ORRCA president Ron Ling said. The coast total goes towards the national count, which volunteers expect will exceed more than 800, more than ORRCA has ever had on a census day. ``It was absolutely brilliant, especially given the weather conditions were a bit horrible but people still stuck it out,'' Mr Ling said. ``It is a great result and great action from the army of Central Coast volunteers.'' When ORRCA has counted up all the sightings they make the information available to anyone who is interested including the National Parks and Wildlife Service, environment bodies, universities and museums. The data is then used to help those groups learn more about the population and behaviour of whales. * Central Coast Express

Scrub Turkeys

Whether you call them brush turkeys, bush turkeys or scrub turkeys, they're invading local backyards and angering locals by destroying their carefully-tended gardens. Seaforth resident Janet Wright has had five brush turkeys invade her street since Christmas. She said they are coming out of Garigal National Park and becoming increasingly confident. ``They scratch big holes in all the flower beds and make quite a mess, and they dig around all the trees and plants in search of grubs,'' she said. ``They just wander in when you're not home or fly over the fence and damage your garden. ``Some people in the area have had the turkeys trying to build these huge nests.'' Brush turkey mounds can measure 4m wide and 1.5m tall. Once built, it is almost impossible to get rid of the turkeys. Brush turkeys are a protected species, so there are limits to what people can do to protect their gardens. Mrs Wright said her cat is petrified of the brush turkeys, so now she's thinking of getting a dog to scare them away. National Parks and Wildlife Service wildlife management officer Geoff Ross said brush turkeys are simply returning to traditional feeding grounds, but humans are encouraging them by leaving seed out for birds and pet food out in dishes. And people disturbing soil to cultivate their gardens encourages the turkeys to do the same. ``Once they know there's food there, they'll keep coming back for more,'' he said. ``And if you have a garden with lots of leaf litter, they love scratching for food in it.'' Mr Ross said there are motion-activated water sprinklers that people can employ to discourage unwanted visitors to their gardens. *Manly Daily Kangaroo Survey

As Agforce are doing their best to get more people to support them on killing kangaroos, we now have our own survey. Please follow the link, complete the survey (there are only ten questions) and lets see what sorts of number and public concern we can generate. The results will be published on the website. This is very important and we ask you to spread this far and wide. Thank you.BABY KANGAROO SURVEY 2010 http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8RTMQJJ * sent by Philip Woolley AWPC UK Rep

Penguins

The New South Wales Opposition says the National Parks and Wildlife Service acted irresponsibly, after penguins were killed in a burn-off to control a noxious grass species. The service intended to use sniffer dogs to safely remove the penguins before a burn to control the kikuyu grass on Montague Island, near Narooma. The dogs were unavailable at the last minute and a small number of penguins died in the fire, but fewer than a similar operation in 2001, which killed 40 birds. Opposition environment spokeswoman Catherine Cusack says the burn should not have taken place. "We do not question the program, it's very important. It's the way it is implemented," she said. "To have deferred the burn until such time as they could be absolutely certain penguins were not going to be literally burnt alive would have been the most sensible course of action." *ABC

Natural Gas Impacts Serious

The burgeoning and unstoppable Liquid Natural Gas Industry development in Queensland will have a devastating impact of many species. Koalas, bridlenailtailed wallabies, tusked frogs, turtles, woodland snails, waterhole frogs, gliders, little pied bats, dugongs, grey pigeons, owls, squatter pigeons......and that's only the listed endangered or rare species! Dredging of Gladstone Harbour, a gas pipeline through the World Heritage Area, massive LNG gas structures on Curtis Island, and much more. Hundreds of hectares of Queensland bush will be cleared (it's already started), and many more mangroves will be trashed at Gladstone for more harbour development. Land will be (and aready has been) excised from National Parks and Conservation Zones to make way for power lines, roads, houses, and rail lines. Artificial lights from the LNG plant will affect turtles, birds, frogs, reptiles, and particularly migrating birds, many of which we have signed Treatys to protect. While these impacts have been identified in the LNG Environmental Impact Studies, it's a sure bet that the impacts will be glossed over or minimised. *WPAA

Locusts

Emergency spending of 12.8 millon will be spent combating locusts in SA, in the worst locust outbreak in 40 years. Agriculture Minister Michael O'Brien said the locusts posed a serious threat to crops and pasture in the southern Flinders Ranges and Northern Agricultural Area, Eastern Eyre Peninsula, the Riverland and Murray Mallee regions. Mr O'Brien also warned that given the locusts' migratory habits, high-value crops in the Clare region and northern Adelaide Plains could also be at risk. The funding package announced includes extensive aerial spraying of open pastoral country, a rebate scheme of up to $2500 for properties under 1000 hectares and up to 20 per cent of costs for properties over 1000 hectares, extra resources could be allocated in the September Budget should the plague be more extensive or last longer than expected. Mr O'Brien said a grant of up to $1 million would be provided to help local government in affected areas to undertake control works. "Failure to respond to this expected locust plague has the potential to cause billions of dollars in damage to agricultural production in SA in spring and summer," he said. Depending on climatic conditions, control operations against locusts will start in September in the Mid North-southern Flinders Ranges and then progress to the Riverland-Murray Mallee. *Adelaide Now

Millions of locusts continue to plague Queensland's central-west, with one western Queensland Mayor saying the sky is "black with swarms". For several months graziers have been reporting huge numbers of spur-throated locusts across the central-west and authorities have conducted aerial spraying over thousands of hectares. Some Barcaldine graziers say they have never seen so many of the insects. The biggest plague in 30 years hit Longreach during April, but Barcaldine Mayor Rob Chandler says they are still causing havoc in his shire. "They come and go - they seem to disappear for a while and then you come back later in the afternoon - you can see them in the backdrop and the sky is half black with them," he said. "They've cleaned up a few cotton palms and a few trees around the place. "I was down on the Barcoo River yesterday and it was just unbelievable - there was one every square inch." However, Councillor Chandler says the swarms make for good fishing... "Put a grasshopper on a hook - you will catch a fish," he said. "In the 74 flood - after the big flood - we were catching fish here at the weir on grasshoppers because bait was pretty hard to get. "But you'll catch a fish here now on grasshoppers for sure." *ABC

Climate Change

Giant sea walls may have to be built and coastal developments banned or demolished to safeguard southeast Queensland against rising sea levels, Australia's peak scientific body has warned. The CSIRO has also flagged the prospect of controversial "planned retreat" policies to force waterfront residents to abandon their homes as sea levels rise and storm surges increase. The grim predictions have been made at a world-first "climate adaptation" conference on the Gold Coast opened yesterday by Climate Change Minister Penny Wong. International scientists at the conference say climate change is now impossible to stop and the world will have to learn to adapt to rising sea levels, prolonged droughts and extreme weather. *Courier Mail Read More..... http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/great-walls-to-stem-rising-seas/story-e6freon6-1225885878659


Kangaroos

ACT animal rights activists said they have been ambushed by the Government's latest kangaroo cull, leaving them wrong-footed unable to organise a proper protest effort. But Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said the muted reaction to the killing of 1890 of the animals in the city's nature parks simply means that the community is coming around to his Government's way of thinking. The latest round of culling of the over-abundant eastern grey kangaroo from around the capital began on Saturday night, with the Government closing off eight nature reserves and bringing in marksmen to destroy the animals, and is due to continue for the next eight weeks. There has been none of the noisy and sometimes rowdy protests that greeted previous culls, most notably the divisive killing of 600 roos at Belconnen's Naval Signals Base in 2008. But animal rights groups say that the Government has employed ambush-style tactics this time, planning its move in secret and depriving opponents of their democratic right to protest.

Animal Army spokesman Marcus Fillinger said that ''blindside tactics'' were used to plan the cull that was now under way. 'No one does deception and misinformation quite like the ACT Government,'' he said. ''Their blindside tactics are synonymous with their belligerence and sly agendas.'' Mr Fillinger vowed that his and other groups would continue to fight against the cull by other means. Animal Liberation ACT president Bernard Brennan said that the sheer scale of the Canberra Nature Park had stymied the group's preferred direct action protest tactics. ''It's easy when you can pin it down to just one spot,'' Mr Brennan said. ''There are people out there looking for these shooters night after night but the chances of finding them are very slim. 'I can assure you that we have a long list of telephone numbers and if we find a location there are a lot of people who will be there, ready to go, in a short period of time.''

But Mr Stanhope said he had seen a gradual reduction in the level of protest in the five years that the Government had been culling kangaroos. 'With the first cull, four or five years ago, there were very strong reaction, but in the cull that was pursued last year, the number of representations I received dropped by almost 90per cent,'' he said. 'People find it distressing and uncomfortable, as do I. 'But I believe that the vast majority of Canberrans, while feeling regretful and sad, understand the necessity for this and support the Government's actions.'' The Chief Minister said he would prefer protesters to accept the Government's position rather than participate in direct action. *Canberra Times


Two leading animal campaigning groups AWPC (Australian Wildlife Protection Council) and Viva! (Vegetarians International Voice for Animals) are contacting the sports retail giant Nike to congratulate them on taking an ethical decision that could save the lives of thousands of kangaroos. A Nike spokesman confirmed yesterday that they would stop using the skins of kangaroos in their football boots: We are moving towards eradicating the use of kangaroo leather altogether?*. The move by Nike came after the campaigning groups at expos showing that internationally renowned players at the World Cup were playing in boots made from kangaroo skins or using their names to promote them. These include Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Joe Cole and Michael Carrick**. Millions of adult kangaroos are shot in the Outback in Australia each year for their meat and skin. Also it is estimated that as many as 440,000 orphaned baby kangaroos (joeys) are decapitated or beaten to death every year, then discarded as waste. Nike own British sports company Umbro which also uses kangaroo leather, and they will also be encouraged to extend the policy to them. The AWPC and Viva! will also contact Adidas and Puma, both of which widely use kangaroo leather. The news from Nike has boosted the campaign to ban the sale of kangaroo parts across the EU, which was already making headway. Last week both Philip Woolley, EU Campaign Director for the Australian Wildlife Protection Council and Justin Kerswell, Campaigns Manager for Viva! were invited to go to the European Parliament in Brussels to discuss their concerns. In fact, 62 per cent of support for a ban is coming from within the EU. Woolley said: Nike's ethical decision is to be welcomed. It is heartening that ahead of a possible EU ban on all kangaroo products, sports manufacturers are waking up to the cruelty behind this horrific industry and are unilaterally distancing themselves from it. We know that once people hear about the bloodshed and misery behind the trade in kangaroo skins they want no part of it, and we predict that the sales of football boots made from it will soon plummet. Kerswell said: It is fantastic news that Nike are planning to kick cruelty out of football and not a moment too soon. The use of kangaroo skin for football boots is a scandal that has gone on too long. It also leaves no excuse for other companies to continue participating in the largest massacre of wild land animals on the planet today. Many people don't even know they are buying boots made from kangaroo skin, as it is often hidden under pseudonyms such as k-leather. Most would be horrified that their World Cup and League hopes and dreams not to mention even their five aside kickabouts are being propelled by this slaughter. We are delighted that Nike are getting out now before an EU ban, as it perhaps shows they know they cannot defend the indefensible: the killing of baby animals for a sports boot. * Media Release

Baby kangaroos (joeys) shot in their mothers' pouches, cull protesters claim. More than 80 joeys were illegally killed - some even shot in their mothers' pouches - during a cull of kangaroos around Mount Panorama motor racing circuit, a conservation group said yesterday. The Australian Society for Kangaroos said the cull in September last year allegedly broke at least two animal protection laws. The society has demanded an investigation by police and the RSPCA. Bathurst Council authorised the cull of 140 eastern grey kangaroos because it claimed they were a threat to drivers during races on the track. A kangaroo came perilously close to being hit by several cars during the 2007 Bathurst 1000 race and in 2004 a driver slammed into a kangaroo. The society said documents obtained under Freedom of Information laws showed the professional shooter who did the cull under a licence from the Parks and Wildlife Service had killed 228 kangaroos, not the 140 permitted.

"The shooter says in his report to council that he killed 228 kangaroos and they were 97 females, 43 males and 88 joeys," Society Co-Ordinator Nikki Sutterby said yesterday. "The shooter also told a local source, who told us, that he said he'd shot many of the joeys while they were still in their mothers' pouches. "The laws see a joey as one individual animal, which would require them to be included in the [number] the shooter had a licence to kill. Ms Sutterby said that in September 2008 Bathurst Council had herded away the roos - a tactic that worked. Bathurst Council General Manager David Sherley said yesterday it had obtained all relevant permits for the cull. *News.com.auMake a comment... http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw-act/joeys-shot-in-their-mothers-pouches-cull-protesters-claim/story-e6freuzi-1225883446120


A kangaroo shooter who killed 50 eastern greys and claimed they were red kangaroos has been fined $12,000 in the Deniliquin Local Court. The Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW) prosecuted the matter under the National Parks and Wildlife Act. John Edward Fitzmaurice, from Deniliquin, pleaded guilty to six charges including harming protected fauna and contravening a licence condition. Mr Fitzmaurice was charged after an inspection of a chiller – where kangaroo carcases are stored – revealed dead animals with identification tags which were for a different species. DECCW director, Joshua Gilroy, says the offence occurred when the commercial harvest of eastern grey kangaroos had been suspended in the area. “There are limits placed on the numbers and types of kangaroos able to be harvested commercially by professional shooters,” Mr Gilroy says in a statement released yesterday (Wednesday).

“These limits or quotas are set for each management zone using scientific methodology to ensure the various kangaroo species remain at ecologically sustainable levels in areas where they are harvested commercially. “These limits must be adhered to under the Commonwealth-approved kangaroo management plan. “In this case the commercial quota for eastern grey kangaroos had been fully utilised in the zone where the shooter was operating. “He was only allowed to shoot red kangaroos in that zone. “DECCW compliance officers were doing a strategic audit in the area when they discovered the offences. “These audits form part of a stringent licensing program to ensure the protection of our native species,” says Mr Gilroy. *Cowra Community News

Why do kangaroos have such small arms?

Scientists now think they know why, helping to explain why the unusually-shaped marsupials have tiny arms yet such long legs. Kangaroos have small forelimbs because short arms are necessary to survive within their mother's pouch soon after they are born, a new analysis confirms. This need to crawl at an early age constrained the evolution of marsupial body shapes, leading to the animals we see today, scientists say. The research also provides intriguing clues as to why there are no marsupials with flippers or wings. The study is published in the Australian Journal of Zoology.

Compared to placental mammals, marsupials such as kangaroos are born at an early stage of foetal development. They end up 'stuck' with this forelimb shape in later life Once born they immediately climb or crawl in the pouch to their mother's teat using unusually well developed forelimbs. "It occurred to me that this type of birth strategy could have constrained the evolutionary diversification of their forelimb shapes," says Dr Jim Cooper of Syracuse University, New York in the US. "The idea is that since they need the forelimbs to climb across their mother's belly at birth, they end up 'stuck' with this forelimb shape in later life," he says.

The idea is not new, being first proposed in the 1970s. But the predictions of this so-called "constraint hypothesis" had never been tested. So Dr Cooper worked with Professor Scoot Steppan from Florida State University in Tallahassee, US, to design a study to do just that. Using skeletons of an extensive range of mammals from various scientific and museum collections, the researchers measured and compared their different body shapes, mapping the diversity of limb proportions between marsupial and placental mammals. That revealed that the evolution of marsupial forelimbs has indeed been constrained compared to those of placental mammals. "Our results show tremendous support for the existence of a very powerful constraint on marsupial limb evolution," Dr Cooper says.

"We now know that marsupial forelimb shape has been evolving at a much slower rate in comparison to their sister group, the placental mammals." "If they can't make the crawl, then they don't survive, so the importance of having 'good climbing forelimbs' trumps the importance of having good running forelimbs." That also explains why kangaroos have such long hind limbs. "We also know the rate of hind limb shape evolution has not been slower among the marsupials." That is because the development of hind legs were not constrained by life in the pouch. So they are able to grow long to enable kangaroos to hop fast, compensating for the lack of effective front legs that can be used for four-legged running. The constraint hypothesis may also explain why marsupials have never taken to the air or water, as their forelimbs cannot evolve into structures capable of flying or swimming. "This concept has profound implications for answering such questions as 'why are there no marsupial bats or whales?'" says Dr Cooper. "You don't see any marsupials that swim with flippers, even though this useful adaptation has evolved three times in the placental mammals," he says. "The stronger the support for this hypothesis, then the more certain we are that we can explain the root cause of this major evolutionary pattern." BBC EarthNews

Kangaroo Petition here at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/kangaroo-extinction.html


Exotic Sea Irchins

Highly lucrative fisheries are under threat from potentially devastating sea creatures, it has been revealed. The State Government yesterday admitted it could be forced to financially back the rock lobster and wild abalone industries, both worth more than $100 million, which are threatened by the spread of the spiny sea urchin. Primary Industries Minister Bryan Green confirmed the pest population was out of control and had spread from the East Coast as far as Port Davey in the South-West. The creature is believed to have surfed in on warmer than normal sea currents over the past decade, gradually establishing itself along the coast. Last year international research found that the southern migration of the sea urchin had started to have a "catastrophic" impact on the state's kelp beds, leaving no food or habitat for rock lobster and abalone populations.

Liberal primary industries spokesman Jeremy Rockliff said with millions of dollars invested by the State Government targeting the eradication of foxes, more needed to be done to try to bring the sea urchin population under control. "It is imperative that we act now to implement a long-term strategy to reduce sea urchin numbers and help protect the rock lobster industry which is worth $60 million to the state's economy," Mr Rockliff said. Mr Green said no financially or physically viable eradication program had yet been found by the Government. He said as the population continued "to get away from us" and the pressure mounted on fisheries, other support options might have to be considered. The third and final stage of a review of rock lobster fisheries is about to begin.

Meanwhile, Mr Rockliff told a Budget Estimates Committee hearing, oyster and scallop farmers in the River Derwent and around Bruny Island were reporting sea star larvae were impacting the growing periods on their farms. Mr Rockliff said with the pest threatening gross income of farmers, the Government should provide assistance to make them more pro-active about on-farm eradication strategies. But Water and Marine Resources general manager Wes Ford said there was no financial assistance available to deal with marine pests such as sea stars. Admitting they were now well established within the River Derwent, Mr Ford said it would be "virtually impossible" to eradicate the pest within "reasonable cost". Sea stars were introduced to the Derwent in 1986 through the ballast water of Japanese ships. *Mercury


Logging

Logging overseen by the state government agency Forests NSW is being investigated by the environment department for apparently damaging areas inhabited by koalas, sugar gliders and giant barred frogs. An independent team of zoologists and botanists visited the site of recent logging, near Evans Head in northern NSW, and found trees that should have been protected had been cut down, and no sign that parts of the logging area had been properly marked out beforehand to protect endangered species. The team, with the support of the environment group North East Forest Alliance, is alleging that Forests NSW has been "routinely and comprehensively breaching licence requirements across the region". Their report is now being investigated by the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water.

Forests NSW is already under investigation for breaches of licence conditions at a separate logging site about 30 kilometres from Doubleduke state forest, the scene of the latest logging. It was fined $1200 by the department in May for a separate series of licence breaches in the same district, but the relatively small sum angered environment groups campaigning for more oversight. "In our view, this is a major act of environmental vandalism," Dailan Pugh, a spokesman for the North East Forest Alliance, said. "They are logging in endangered ecological communities and there is a systematic avoidance of the proper requirements. "We're also concerned about the example this is setting for the wider community. If you have got state agencies flouting the laws, how can you expect everyone else to follow them?"

The environment department said it had "conducted a proactive audit of Forests NSW harvesting operations" in a different logging area in the same forest early this month. It is now assessing the more recent damage. "In response to the allegations, [the department has] conducted a site inspection, and investigation of the matter is ongoing," a spokesman said. The department requires Forests NSW to meet its licence conditions, including the marking up of all trees that need to be left alone to protect vulnerable native animals, but the licence does not require the department to check every logging area. Under the long-established licence conditions, logging in state forests requires surveys for protected species and buffer zones established around their habitat.

The report compiled by researchers working with the North East Forest Alliance, to be released today, recorded widespread damage to native animal habitat and alleged 20 breaches of the threatened species licence in Doubleduke state forest. It also alleges that road building, logging and burning operations within the endangered ecological community breached the National Parks and Wildlife Act. The bushland area is known to support yellow-bellied gliders, marsupials that depend on the sweet sap that oozes from some eucalypt trees to survive. Sap feed trees were observed in the logging area. Koalas, powerful owls, barking owls and brush-tailed phascogales - a small, carnivorous marsupial that is considered vulnerable to extinction - have also been reported in the bush in and around the logging area. *ABC10