Kangamail Archives 49, 31.12.07

Our Adminstrative Appeal into the "2007 t0 2011 NSW Kangaroo Mangagement Plan" will be heard in Sydney on the 31st March, 1st and 2nd of April, with the 3rd and 4th of April being held over in case of need. *WPAA

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Canberra Greens still want to kill kangaroos!

Roo fences 'don't solve population problem'. The ACT Greens say erecting fences at two Defence sites in Canberra to keep out grazing kangaroos will do little to control population numbers. The Defence Department has almost completed the construction of two fences, one at Majura and the other at Belconnen which includes an electric fence. It is hoped the fences will allow the damaged grasslands to recover and protect a number of endangered species.

But Greens MLA Deb Foskey says the Defence Department is still skirting around the issue of kangaroo culling. "Fences going up and excluding kangaroos from one area means that they're going to have to graze elsewhere," she said. "This is by no means anything but an interim solution to the problem and I'd be very keen to know whether the Department of Defence has sought the advice of the colleges and kangaroo experts in the placement of these fences." *Canberra times 30/12/07

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WILDLIFE rescuers are appalled by the discovery of two kangaroos shot with a bow and arrow on the Mornington Peninsula.One of the eastern grey kangaroos had to be put down after it was found hopping around Greens Bush in the Mornington Peninsula National Park with an arrow in its head.

Australian Wildlife Assistance Rescue and Education staff are still looking for a second kangaroo seen in the same area with an arrow through its upper leg. A land owner saw the injured animals in nearby bushland.

AWARE member Paul Hackett said he was disgusted that there were people who were shooting the animals for fun. "They're mongrels," he said. "It's hard to believe that there are people out there just randomly shooting kangaroos with a bow and arrow.

"We had to put down one of the kangaroos, which was hopping around with an arrow through the back of its head and through its eye. "The arrow missed its brain, so it was still able to move around in a lot of pain." The second kangaroo was also badly injured, he said. "It's got an arrow coming out of its upper left thigh, so we want to find it as soon as we can."

Mr Hackett said he feared there could be several more injured animals in the area. "There has to be more out there. We're looking around to see if there are others," he said. "We'll have to wait until night to have a proper look, but there's bound to be more." *Herald Sun

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SHE runs a zoo, but the owner of Tyson the Kangaroo has turned a Canadian court into a circus, declaring her "dominion over the animals", in turn fuelling concerns that Tyson may be dead. Shirley McElroy - controversial owner of the Lickety-Split Ranch and Zoo in London, Ontario - read from handwritten notes she balanced on her paperback Bible, the London Free Press.

McElroy has been charged with possession of native wildlife without a licence under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and faces a maximum fine of $25,000 if convicted. Wearing a festive knit vest, McElroy firstly refused to come forward when the case was called, then launched into a rant seemingly inspired by Genesis' references to humans having control over animals.

The London Free Press reported that a spokesperson for Friends of Captive Animals - which demonstrated outside the court - said the group wanted to have any animals at Lickety-Split inspected and ultimately closed permanently.

Spokesperson Vicki Van Linden said the group feared Tyson was dead.

"If he's buried somewhere, if there is any remains, we think his life should count for something. He certainly suffered and he has kind of become a flag-bearer for many other animals in Ontario we know are suffering just as much," she said.

The zoo was temporarily closed by McElroy this year after The Daily Telegraph highlighted reports from both the World Society for the Protection of Animals and Zoocheck Canada. Both groups said animals were kept in small, stark cages and appeared unhealthy.

"Lickety-Split Ranch and Zoo was definitely considered one of the worst and deservedly so," Ms Van Linden said. *Daily Telegraph

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Demand for kangaroo meat ban

The sale of kangaroo meat is set to be banned from all council-owned buildings in Wolverhampton after the trade was labelled as “cruel” and “unsustainable”.

The ban, expected to be approved next week by the city council, has been prompted by worldwide concern that the kangaroo population is plummeting because of demand for the food.

A temporary ban on the sale of kangaroo meat has already been put in place for the current Continental Market in Dudley Street, with the permanent ban to affect all-year round market stalls and other council-owned buildings. Pubs like the Walkabout in Queen Street will still be free to sell it, although it has been urged to join the campaign by having a self-imposed ban.

Councillor Malcolm Gwinnett, Liberal Democrat for Spring Vale, said: “We don’t want to see it for sale in Wolverhampton anywhere, because these animals being clubbed to death is inhumane.

“The meat is detrimental to people’s health and it’s not a quality meat anyway. We don’t want to see the kangaroo suffer and do not want to see it for sale in Wolverhampton.

“This ban will be on all council-owned property. It’s not political, it’s about protecting the kangaroo and the environment.”

A spokesman for Walkabout said: “We haven’t considered not selling it. The kangaroo meat we sell is from South Africa anyway.”

A motion to confirm the ban will be raised by the Liberal Democrats at a full council meeting next Wednesday, and is expected to have all-party support.

Kangaroos are not farmed, but shot in the outback of Australia away from the scrutiny of the public. Their population has dropped in recent years due to a drought and the demand for kangaroo meat and skin. Official figures from the Australian Government show the numbers of Easter Greys have dropped 63 per cent, Red Kangaroos have dropped 55 per cent and Wallaroos 50 per cent in the last four years.

The city council has blamed the export of kangaroo meat to Europe as one of the driving forces behind the industry.

Exotic meat is becoming increasingly popular with butchers shops, pubs and restaurants around the region.

Recently Sian Thomas, chef at the Cross Guns in Codsall Wood, near Wolverhampton, included such delicacies as zebra steak, braised python and crocodile and kangaroo on the menu. *expressandstar.com (Britains biggest regional and rural newspaper).

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A GROVEDALE man says he was amazed to see a shark attack a kangaroo at Torquay on Saturday afternoon. The man, Daniel Hurst, said he saw a two or three-metre long shark leapt out of the water and attacked the unfortunate roo as it paddled out to sea. ``The shark came right out of the water,'' he said yesterday. ``It flipped onto its side. ``I didn't see the kangaroo after that.'' Mr Hurst said he first spotted the roo when it hopped out of scrub and down to the beach where he was walking his dog at about 5pm on Saturday.

He said the kangaroo entered the water and started swimming out to sea, making slow progress. It was about 80 metre from shore, with only its head visible above the water, when the shark struck, he said. By the time Mr Hurst got back to his car, he could see a big flock of sea gulls hovering above the water where the roo was attacked. ``I still can't believe,'' he said yesterday. ``It's the most bizarre thing I've ever seen, and I've travelled all over the world.'' And while Mr Hurst said friends were sceptical about his story, he was adamant it was true and said several other people on the beach had seen the curious incident unfold.

``People can believe what they want, but I've got no reason to make this up,'' he said. Ranger Mick Smith from Lara's Serendip Sanctuary confirmed that kangaroos could swim, and would do so if they felt threatened and saw the water as an escape route. He said whiptail wallabies in Queensland had been known to swim out to off-shore islands but said he had never heard of eastern grey kangaroos - the main local kangaroo species _ swimming in the ocean. ``It sounds like very unusual behaviour,'' he said. He said certain diseases could cause strange behaviour in kangaroos.

Colac wildlife officer Stan Williams said kangaroos often sought refuge in dams and rivers if they were being chased by dogs. And he said a kangaroo he was trying to catch in Queenscliff several years ago had jumped into the sea and was last seen heading out the Rip towards King Island. Torquay Surf Life Saving Club director Daniel Black had not heard about a kangaroo being taken by a shark on the weekend, nor had staff at nearby Cafe Moby, nor Great Ocean Road Coastal Committee executive officer David Clarke. *

Ed Comment; Do kangaroos swim? Of course they do. (See photos at http://www.kangaroo-protection-coalition.com/kangaroo-swim.html) Do sharks eat kangaroos? Of course they do...and so do crocodiles.

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Canberra Kangaroos Canberra Airport is set to buy a massive plot of adjacent land from the Defence Department as part of its plans to build a third office and retail precinct. The 39ha plot of native grassland is part of Defence's Majura Training Area, but the airport is close to buying it at market value, a price neither the airport nor Government will reveal. Two developing commercial precincts already exist on airport land Brindabella Office Park and Majura Park, which includes Brand Depot but the company is looking to develop a third in its north-eastern corner.

After taking control of the former RAAF base at Fairbairn in 2003, the airport's masterplan sets out a vision to transform it into a "vibrant and diverse mixed-use zone" that could include traditional aviation activities, offices, tourist facilities, retail and hotel accommodation. The latest land acquisition would form part of the grand scheme for Fairbairn, providing a 2.3km access road off Majura Road. An airport spokesman said the sale had been many years in the planning but should be finalised within a year. He said that even though the new land would form part of the larger Fairbairn precinct, sale conditions would prevent anything but a road being constructed on the grassland. "We don't propose to do anything with the land. It can only be used for that purpose." (Ed; the "road" is believed to be a six-lane highway to service the new industrial area and the Majura Defence Force base!)

An application is currently being considered under national environmental protection laws for the airport to buy the land, which is considered rare habitat for the endangered earless dragon. The airport's masterplan also points to future purchases of adjacent land to the north, east and north-east, but the spokesman could not say whether that meant buying additional Defence land. But a Defence spokeswoman said it had no other surplus land in the area. ACT National Trust heritage officer Peter Dowling said he would like to see some of the original RAAF-base assets preserved with their history dating back to World War II. Australian air fighters, as well as a detachment of Dutch short-range bombers, were based at Fairbairn. "RAAF Fairbairn was a significant part of Australia's Defence history and it's been a bit of a battle trying to save it for a number of years," Mr Dowling said. "We'd like to see a comprehensive heritage assets study to determine exactly what's left and its current significance, rather than the full-steam ahead development that's occurring." A heritage management plan is a lease condition of the airport's development of the precinct. The airport has taken advantage of Canberra's office space shortage, with about 17 office blocks already completed, seven under construction and many more planned.

More than 61 per cent of Canberra Airport's revenue already comes from non-aeronautical activities, the highest proportion of any airport in the country, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Airport owner Terry Snow has accumulated a personal fortune of $610 million, according to BRW's rich list. *ACT Media

Ed Comment; As we always knew, killing the ACT kangaroos had nothing to do with protecting grassland habitat, or Earless Dragon lizards, or Sun Moths, or whatever. The Earless Dragons etc habitat, which is well-protected in other Reserves around Canberra, is now going to be covered in houses, factories, concrete, and tarseal.

Ki.lling the kangaroos was always more about clearing the way for development, including housing development at Belconnen, and that makes all those who used the Earless Dragon to support the ki.lling of the kangaroos, looking pretty sick, and with obvious development agendas. When multimillion dollar developments like this are proposed, money flies in all directions. Who would know where it ends up?

We understand a dragstrip is also being planned for the area. Meanwhile the recently appointed "Commisioner for the Environment" Maxine Cooper has launched an Inquiry into grasslands management, in which "kangaroo management" features strongly in the terms of reference. She has set up an "invited advisory committee", and the only one member from Animal Lib ACT will oppose the killing of the ACT kangaroos. All the other committee members are Cooper-clones who will support whatever conclusions Maxine Cooper wants this kangaroo committee to produce. *WPAA

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THE idea of a kangaroo retreat has been hopping around Ned Winter's head for 30 years. His dream was realised yesterday when 25 South African tourists arrived on a Stonestreets bus from Toowoomba. "I can remember a story in the Sydney Morning Herald where the kangaroo jumped over the Eiffel Tower," Mr Winter said.

"They became the second top tourist attraction.....I'm aware of the fact that 'roos are a pest to farmers, but people from overseas want to see them," Mr Winter said. He has lobbied for a native zoo since 1978. The idea was dubbed the Q-zoo scheme and grew to be a seven-zoo, multimillion dollar project backed by former State Environment ministers Pat Comben and Tony Elliott. But after a decade of inaction, Mr Winter started building a shed on his 504 hectare Cecil Plains property in 1989 and a two-metre chain-wire kangaroo fence in 1995. Today, his shed houses a camp fire, dance floor and all manner of Australian memorabilia.

On his glory board is a photograph of himself on top of the seven-story building in George Street, Brisbane, where he served the then Queensland Premier Russell Cooper and his 70 staff with a three-course camp oven lunch.

More than 400 kangaroos, including eastern greys, red-necked wallabies, and six red and six blue kangaroos wander his property. Chronicle

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Humbug harpooned TO Japanese eyes, it's hypocritical for Australians to condemn the whaling industry while at the same time hunting our national animal emblem, the kangaroo, for food.

That argument is as fallacious as it is absurd. Kangaroos are not endangered - far from it - nor do we practise any form of sophistry about the kangaroo meat industry. Where they are hunted, they are in abundance and we make no bones about it; they're killed for food, not for so-called "scientific research".

Japanese whalers, on the other hand, maintain the transparent falsity that its harvest of more than 1000 whales is not about whale for human consumption but about "research". Nonsense. So the Federal Government's intensive plan to increase international pressure by every available means on Japanese whalers is laudable.

"All options are on the table, including utilising the whaling convention, utilising the endangered species convention, taking action before the International Court of Justice, and taking action before the International Tribune for the Law of the Sea," Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said yesterday.

"We have also commenced a formal diplomatic protest", he said.

So, everything short of sending in the Navy.

Quite right too. Whaling is a barbaric and unnecessary throwback to a primitive age, and every civilised nation - all civilised people - will reject it. That our Government is taking the lead on the issue ought to be matter of national pride. nonsense editorial in the Daily Telegraph, 20th December **************************

A WALLABY hit and killed by a car in Keilor (Victoria) last week was most likely part of a growing mob inhabiting Brimbank Park, a ranger says.

Brimbank Park ranger of 20 years, Greg Hitch, said revegetation had brought dark-coloured swamp wallabies up from near the banks of the Maribyrnong River and to other parts of the park.

Dogs being walked off a leash, which was against park rules, could also spook the population of about 20 wallabies from their usual areas, he said.

Wildlife Rescue volunteer Narelle Smith has urged people to be on the lookout, saying that as well as wallabies, the urban sprawl in areas such as Hillside and Sydenham had forced kangaroos from their habitats on to roads.

Ms Smith picked up a female eastern grey kangaroo from the side of a road near the Calder Park raceway in Keilor North last Wednesday.

Keilor Village resident Bill Hartmann spotted the dead wallaby on the edge of the Old Calder Highway, near Bonfield St, while driving to work last Tuesday morning.

Mr Hartmann phoned the Leader to send a message to motorists to be on the lookout for wallabies.

He phoned Brimbank Council to report the dead animal. Mr Hitch said the park's growing number of wallabies could be spotted grazing near Horseshoe Bend Farm. * Brimbank Messinger