Mad as a Katter

Federal MP Bob Katter says  his new party, (the Mad Katter’s Tea Party?), which plans to stand candidates at the state election, will fight for Queenslanders’ rights to act when their properties are “invaded” by flying-foxes.

Katter says it is the policy of his party “that they will be removed from all population centres – full stop”.

It seems not to matter to the Mad Katter that two of the four species of flying-fox are threatened species, or that there is a growing body of evidence that these bats are crucial for the pollination and seed dispersal of hardwood Eucalypts.  That the bats are being forced into urban areas because their natural habitat is being cleared at an alarming rate in Queensland – well that just hasn’t occurred to him.  Or if it has, he doesn’t give a hatter’s hoot.

Almost as bad is the atrocious reporting of the recent “attack” by bats in Qld. Several newspapers carried a story that “New Farm resident Carolyn Martin was on her balcony when the flying foxes attacked her”.

Only a couple of papers went on to report that the 30 year-old woman said she was hanging a towel on her clothes line just before 11pm when she “startled” a group of three flying foxes.

“I wouldn’t describe it as an attack,” she said. “Three flying foxes sort of flew on to my balcony and had a collision and I happened to be in the middle of it.

“I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Still, Now Katter has another excuse to join with other ratbag politicians such as Liberal National Party leader Campbell Newman says that the bats have been moved on, and then their trees they roost in should be cut down.

While just about every scientist involved (and most of the sane population) argues for a measured response, a sane approach doesn’t seem to be on the cards for these pollies.  Let’s hope that despite these two, sanity will prevail.

UPDATE January 2012

Katter is at it again., this time making even more moronic statements (hard to believe, but true)!  Apart from clearly confusing Hendra virus with Lyssa virus, his comment that bats are “The greatest threat” to humans, is absurd.  The risks to humans is effectively non-existent. A person is more likely to be hit by lightning than die as a result of some sort of interaction with a bat!  Every time you get in a car, your risk of dying is hundreds, if not thousands of times greater than any threat posed by bats in Australia.  Seems Katter never lets the facts get in the way of a photo-opportunity.

Related articles

• Katter calls for flying fox cull (news.theage.com.au)

NSW Policy and Standards

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service of DECCW has just released new standards for wildlife rehabilitation in that state. (Code of Practice for Injured, Sick and Orphaned Protected Fauna).  At the same time they have significantly revamped their policy for the rehabilitation of protected fauna.

Some may say that these are long overdue, and while they may not be perfect, they are a significant step in the right direction, and a welcome indication that the Service is taking a more proactive and meaningful role with the management of wildlife rehabilitation in NSW.

Interestingly the initiative for the code of practice came not from the Government, but from the NSW Wildlife Council (NWC). I have to declare a vested interest here: In 2007, I was the representative for the Native Animal Network, which instigated the NWC standards project at that time, and together with WIRES representative Stan Wood, championed the work through to the development of the core framework document a year later. That document formed the basis for the development of the new code of practice.

The development was truly a group effort, which not only had unanimous support from NWC members, but also gained valuable input from National Parks, the Australian Veterinary Association and the Taronga Wildlife Clinic. Credit must go to the NPWS Wildlife Licensing & Management Unit for the work done since that time to bring it to completion.

By contrast,  the fauna protection policy is an internal government document, but both the draft policy and draft code of practice were open to interested parties for review and comment, and both were amended as a result.

Any wildlife carer whose first priority is the welfare of wildlife in NSW should welcome these advancements. Wildlife groups need to be aware of the changes and ensure their members are compliant,  and should work with the NWC and the Department to review and enhance these important documents over the years to come.

Well done to all involved!

You can download the new documents from www.environment.nsw.gov.au/wildlifelicences/RehabFauna.htm

Conflict of Interest?

It seems clear enough that there is a conflict of interests for a wildlife carer to also be a breeder or keeper of wildlife (e.g. a parrot breeder or reptile keeper) unless the breeding or keeping is for scientific purposes: but is it a problem?

If a person is breeding or keeping wildlife as a hobby, or for profit, and is involved in the rescue and rehabilitation of the same or similar species, there may be suspicion that those rescued animals are becoming part of a collection – and therein lies the conflict.

Care to Rehabilitate?

Black Shouldered Kite

Which is the most accurate term – wildlife carers or rehabilitators?   These are people who rescue, rehabilitate, rear and release wildlife. Rehabilitation is at the core, but it’s not the only thing we do. 200 Beyond these primary activities, many wildlife carers are actively engaged in a raft of other conservation related activity, including research, education, lobbying, and habitat conservation.

These are not just complementary activities: Let’s face it: most wildlife rescues are human induced. Animals are hit by cars, shot, caught on barbed wire, covered in oil, displaced by habitat destruction, caught in nets, entangled in fishing line, or some other of an endless list of issues caused by human habitation. Through these other activities, we hope to learn more about the wildlife we care for, and do something towards reducing the impact of human habitation on wildlife populations. We are on the front line because we care. So, I kind of like “carers”.

Tribute

The young girl standing on the doorstep reluctantly hands over the dove to the kindly grandmother. Granny feeds it a little something, and places it in the warmth of her ample bosom.  A few days later, the chick gives granny a special look: It is time to go.  Granny opens the door and the dove leaps into the air and hovers for just a moment.  Though anatomically impossible, it seems to smile as if to say thank you, and then is gone. Granny wipes a tear from her eye and slowly walks back to her old rocking chair.

Yeah, right!

The phone rang an hour ago.  According to the caller, there’s a large injured animal about half way up the old main road. No. they aren’t sure what it is, and no, they can’t stay with it. Now, it’s two in the morning, and raining.  The carer holds a flashlight while her husband drives slowly up the rain-soaked road.  They are both tired: The carer wondered what they’d find. Every rescue is different: few are simple. When they eventually find it, they fear that they’ve arrived too late, but the animal is alive – barely.