MAY 17, 2016 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE
Legal bid to halt roo cull
‘‘
[It’s] an archaic and lazy form of control
’’
- Fiona Corke
‘‘Unfortunately, those measures have not been effective in limiting the growth of the kangaroo population within the securely fenced area,” he said. “Therefore, the risk to the critically endangered eastern barred bandicoot population has increased.’’ Mr Hardman said the decision to postpone the shoot was made because of concerns about public safety and the bandicoot population. ‘‘The kangaroo population competes with the bandicoots for vegetation and, as the population grows, bandicoots can be left without food or shelter,’’ he said. ‘‘This animal has undergone a widespread and catastrophic decline in Victoria and is now considered extinct in the wild. Preventing further loss . . . at Woodlands is crucial for their survival.’’
Flame lit in junior fireys Children at a New Gisborne preschool learnt how to phone triple-0 and heard flood safety tips when SES crew members including Rob Lewis (pictured with Cara and Henry) visited as part of last week’s Wear Orange Wednesday. Kids at Goodstart Early Learning dressed in their brightest orange clothes for the annual event, which provides opportunities for communities to show their support for the volunteer service. Goodstart director Jodie Radas said the visit was a big hit. ‘‘The kids just loved it,’’ she said. ‘‘It helped put it in perspective for the children. To see the truck here and be able to have a chat to the volunteers about the kinds of things they do, it was just brilliant.’’ Gisborne SES deputy controller Di Dale said the visit was a great opportunity to talk about the service.
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Wildlife campaigners may seek an injunction to stop plans to cull about 150 kangaroos at Woodlands Historic Park, near Melbourne Airport. Protests at the site have continued day and night amid claims that neither Parks Victoria nor the Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP) notified air traffic authorities about their plans to have shooters target kangaroos in an enclosure protecting an endangered bandicoot. As reported by Star Weekly online, shooting at the Oaklands Junction reserve was scheduled to begin last Wednesday but was called off by Parks Victoria in the wake of a social media campaign urging activists to make their presence felt. The park, between Greenvale and Sunbury, is one of just three sites across Victoria where authorities are trying to maintain a breeding population of the otherwise extinct eastern barred bandicoot. Australian Society for Kangaroos vice-president Fiona Corke said the group was continuing to explore legal options as it did not believe authorities had explored all other options before deciding to launch a cull. ‘‘There’s a win-win option here,’’ she said. ‘‘[Tranquilliser] darting and relocating the kangaroos over the fence with a mixture of fertility control would totally meet their objectives. ‘‘Why are they not going for that? Why are they resorting to an archaic, unnecessary and lazy form of control?’’ Ms Corke said claims that air traffic authorities had not been notified about the planned presence of shooters close
to busy flight paths was further proof of ‘‘departmental arrogance’’. ‘‘Ricochets can occur even with professional marksmen,’’ she said. ‘‘Why put planes and public safety at risk?’’ A Parks Victoria spokesman said it worked with airport authorities regularly and notified them ‘‘as required; we have been doing so for some time now’’. Parks Victoria executive director Chris Hardman also defended the decision to conduct a cull. He said that since 1998, Parks Victoria and DELWP had explored other options, including contraceptive implants, herding and relocation, without success.
(Luke Hemer)
By Matt Crossman