Koala and kangaroo culling considered as numbers become 'overabundant'

Species’ expansion threatens South Australia’s habitat and biodiversity, report says

Lisa Cox

Fri 12 Jul 2019 01.58 BSTLast modified on Fri 12 Jul 2019 13.55 BST

Animals including koalas and kangaroos could be culled in parts of South Australia, where high population numbers are damaging the landscape.

A report from a parliamentary inquiry has recommended the state’s environment minister make an immediate decision to declare koalas, western grey kangaroos, long-nosed fur seals and little corellas overabundant in some areas.

Culling is an option that could be suggested, although the report acknowledges there is reluctance to communicate publicly the need for culling because “some community stakeholders find the concept of culling an abhorrent approach in managing overabundant species”.

The inquiry, by the parliament’s natural resources committee, investigated the impact and management of certain overabundant and pest animals and the effectiveness of current measures to keep numbers under control.

If the recommendation is adopted to declare population numbers of certain species too high, it would trigger ministerial powers to order control options.

In relation to koalas, the committee took evidence from Kangaroo Island’s natural resource management board urging culling of populations on the island.

“The board is concerned that the koala population will continue to increase to a point where irreparable habitat damage occurs,” the report said.

The committee heard that sterilisation of the Kangaroo Island koala population had had little success.

“Population numbers on the Island continue to rise and their impacts are threatening its biodiversity,” the report says.

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South Australia to use explosives to scare seals away from fishing areas

A huge rise in the population of long-nosed fur seals has led to calls for a cull, but also non-lethal deterrents to keep the marine mammals away

Oliver Milman

@olliemilman

Wednesday 22 July 2015 07.02 BSTLast modified on Wednesday 22 July 201507.03 BST

The South Australian government will use explosives to scare fur seals away from fishing areas, after rejecting a call to start killing the animals.

The number of long-nosed, or New Zealand, fur seals around Coorong has soared in recent years to about 100,000. The seals, which are found along southern Australia and New Zealand, have irked fishing crews by eating their catches and ripping holes in their nets.

A South Australian Liberal MP has put forward a private member’s bill to enable the shooting of the seals to reduce their numbers, a move backed by some fishers.

But the state government has rejected this idea, instead investing $100,000 in “humane, non-lethal deterrents” such as underwater explosives called “seal scarers”.

Manufacturers of seal scarers say the devices are extremely unpleasant for seals but do not affect fish.

The explosives are placed near fishing crews and their nets and are aimed at frightening seals so they don’t plunder the fishers’ catch or damage their nets.

The money will also be used to research new fishing equipment and practices to alleviate the problem.

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Fisherman Dies In Australia Shark Attack

By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent

A spear fisherman has been killed in a shark attack in South Australia.

The 28-year-old from Adelaide, who has not been named, was practising for a competition when he disappeared off Goldsmith's beach on the picturesque Yorke Peninsular.

His friends, who were with him in the water 200 metres offshore, witnessed the attack and raised the alarm.

Police warned swimmers who flocked to the beaches to leave the water.

Extensive searches of the area by police, locals and the man's friends have so far failed to find his body.

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One of the world’s rarest and least known whales photographed off South Australia

"Shepherd's" delight as survey records extremely rare whale off Kangaroo Island

June 2013. A small pod of extremely rare Shepherd's beaked whales has been spotted and photographed off South Australia's Kangaroo Island by a team from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) who were conducting an acoustic whale research survey. These whales are so rarely seen that no population estimate for them exists.

"These mysterious whales have been seen in the wild only a handful of times. That our research team encountered this group and was able to capture footage of them at the surface is incredibly special," said Matthew Collis, IFAW campaigns manager.

Second sighting

The sighting was made very close to another sighting of Shepherd's beaked whales in the area last year. "To have sightings in close proximity in two consecutive years of one of the world's most rarely seen whales suggests the waters off Kangaroo Island are very important for this species," added Mr Collis.

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Greenpeace intercepts super trawler Margiris in southern Australia

September 2012. Greenpeace activists on an inflatable boat intercepted the world's second largest factory fishing trawler, the FV Margiris, and blocked the monster ship's attempt to sneak into Port Lincoln in South Australia.

One activist boarded the vessel and blocked the entrance to the Margiris to stop the harbour pilot from bringing the vessel into port. Greenpeace is calling on the Australian government to refuse to grant a fishing license to the FV Margiris and introduce a policy to ban all super trawlers from Australian waters.

Vacuum up entire schools of fish
"These ships literally vacuum up entire schools of fish. You could fly a jumbo Jet through the opening of its net with room to spare," said Greenpeace Australia Pacific oceans campaigner Nathaniel Pelle from the deck of the Margiris." Wherever these super trawlers go, they leave devastated fisheries in their wake. If we want healthy oceans and ample seafood for the future, we need fewer massive boats and more fish."

"The Margiris has contributed to the overfishing of European waters, the collapse of fisheries in the South Pacific, and the devastation of fishing communities in West Africa. Greenpeace is working with diverse groups of Australians to prevent the same thing happening in Australia."

The Gillard government has the power to stop the Margiris' plunder before it begins. Tens of thousands of Australians have already told the government to stop the super trawler, and public outrage from a broad range of communities - from environmental groups to recreational fishermen - continues to grow driven by the government's failure to act.

Continued:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/margiris-trawler.html#cr

Spot the difference

It's difficult to tell which is the most confused after a Dalmatian dog adopted a lamb with a spotty coat.

The black and white lamb was born at a dog breeder's farm in South Australia's Barossa Valley.

After being rejected by his mother he was quickly adopted by dog Zoe and the pair are now inseparable, much to the amusement of breeders John and Julie Bolton.

Zoe was quick to show the abandoned lamb love and affection - licking her adoptive son affectionately and generally taking care of him.

Now the spotty lamb, a cross between a pure-bred white Dorper ram and a Dorper and Van Rooy ewe, happily follows her around the farm and even sleeps inside the dog kennel.

Mrs Bolton said the confused little lamb had even tried to suckle from Zoe but had to make do with a bottle instead.

http://web.orange.co.uk/article/quirkies/Spot_the_difference

Kangaroo chased down by eagles

A South Australian man has filmed three wedge-tailed eagles chasing down a kangaroo in an extremely rare attack.

The video, filmed last week at Mokota Conservation Park, shows the roo standing on its hind legs and raising its paws in the air as if ready to box the birds of prey.

The eagles swoop several times on the kangaroo as it attempts to hop out of their lines of attack in the park's open tussock grasslands.

Norm Boege was working at the park when he spotted the hovering eagles and pulled his camera out.

"There were some kangaroos that had been hopping around the place for a while and there were a group of about to eight to 10 eagles," Mr Boege said.

The Wirrabara resident said it was clear the eagles "wouldn't have had a chance" at taking down the kangaroo, despite their persistence.

"It would have been way too big for them, it would have been at least a five-footer [150cm]," he said.

Tassin Barnard, the general manager at the Australian Wildlife Walkabout Park, told ninemsn she had heard of such attacks on kangaroos but they were extremely rare.

"Normally in that type of situation when birds attack kangaroos, it is because they are feeling threatened or they have babies nearby," Ms Barnard said.

"What is almost certainly happening is that the birds are defending, or believe their babies are under attack."

It is unlikely the kangaroos were looking for the nest of the eagles but probably chanced upon it when foraging for food nearby, she added.

Kangaroos are not easily deterred and will fight back by boxing, kicking and biting their opponents.

"All animals have such a strong instinct to protect their babies," Ms Barnard said.

video at:  http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8445533/kangaroo-chased-down-by-eagles-in-south-australia