Category: Stories

Share this page What has AWPC been up to? Committee Report Hello friends and members of AWPC, Here’s what we’ve been doing in the past six months. Late in 2022 AWPC, partnering with Animals Australia, commissioned a national media advertising campaign on the theme ‘STOP the horror trade’, ‘World’s biggest land-based wildlife slaughter’ (what Australia does with kangaroos). In Canberra, in consultation with AWPC, Save Canberra’s Kangaroos are also using direct advertising messages in print and electronic media against the ACT government’s shameful kangaroo ‘cull’, while continuing to observe and record the activities of officials and shooters on the killing fields. The 2023 killing started again on the 12 June. Lend your voice via #savecanberraskangaroos on Facebook. We met with an adviser to federal environment minister Tanya Plibersek regarding their woeful management of Australian biodiversity in regard to the kangaroo species and indeed on the theme of protecting all not yet-endangered Australia wildlife. We hand-delivered some copies of our dossier on the kangaroo hunt: ‘Can you keep looking away?’, plus copies of Maria Taylor’s book ‘Injustice: hidden in plain sight, the war on Australian nature’. We think they heard us? The AWPC committee, with expertise from president Frankie Seymour, wrote submissions to federal and state authorities regarding the biodiversity tragedy, asking that the government use the EPBC act to protect ALL our native species. The submission to Minister Plibersek, in response to her call-out for solutions to assist conservation of Australian biodiversity, outlines paths to action for biodiversity that are available to the federal Environment Minister. Australia has signed international treaties to conserve nature and biodiversity that are not being acted upon. Send your message of care for all wildlife and the critical role they play in biodiversity to the environment ministers, federal and state. AWPC is supporting protection of wildlife efforts at state level – ACT, NSW and Victoria – including in the Sydney metro area where koalas and threatened ecological communities are facing the bulldozer for housing developments. Here on this new site AWPC has made a helpful resource guide which you will find at the top of the page. Please use and share for questions of where you can tie in to conserve our native wildlife and its habitats. Best Wishes,The AWPC Committee, Frankie, Joanna, Maria We are interested in your stories of co-existence and sharing with wildlife. Do you have something you wish to share? Please let us know by sending a summary of your story to our contact page and we’ll work with you to post it.

Share this page The Healing Power of Animals: Moon Bear Has a Place Source:  https://marcbekoff.com/ This guest essay was written by Kyle Warner, an accomplished artist, writer, and former student of Marc Bekoff in the Transitions program at the Boulder County Jail (Colorado).  My personal hero, teacher, and dear friend, Marc Bekoff, comes to the jail faithfully every Friday to facilitate just one of Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots groups. We engage in a lot of profound, meaningful discussions and he helps us to really understand just why animals matter. He also helps us to take part in many causes and worldwide issues between nonhuman animals and humans. With Marc’s help, we have had our voices heard within many discussions, court battles, online debates, and protests. Some of these include whether we should reintroduce wild wolves here in Colorado, how to stop the potential trophy hunting of grizzly bears in Wyoming, what to do about the mass killing of elephants, the injustice of rich people hunting majestic lions for sport, and other similar topics.2 One issue that stands out for me is the moon bear. Since learning about this beautiful crescent-stamped animal, I have felt drawn to them on a deep level. There is an industry in China where people keep them in small cages to harvest bile out of their gall bladders for Traditional Chinese Medicine. With the help of an organization called Animals Asia, these bears have hope. Animals Asia rescues these bears from coffin-like cages, attends to their medical and psychological needs, and provides them sanctuary in their very own paradise. In 2017, I drew a few of these beautiful animals. In one was Jasper, who passed away not long after I took on this project. Also in that drawing was Oscar and BeaRtrice, whom Marc named after his parents. He was happy to share my art with Animals Asia and many throughout the world. Since then, I have had an opportunity to share my art with Jane Goodall, probably one of the most fulfilling moments of the last three years for me. Recently, in one of the other amazing groups I get to attend here at Boulder County Jail, I embarked on a brief vision quest during a guided meditation. The gentle, soft-spoken instructions began with an ascent. Meeting my spirit animal I imagined my conscious awareness being granted liberty from the limitations and confinement of my body I first hovered above myself before floating up to the ceiling, above the jail, higher and higher, hoping to come back with an animal name. I was instructed to fly west toward the Rocky Mountains and to proceed past the foothills, deep into the jagged, snowcapped Rockies. I landed in a clearing, perhaps some sort of valley surrounded by mighty aspens on high mountains. It was an almost-familiar place, but nowhere I’ve been before. Everything was much bigger and the colors more vibrant. Most of the mountain peaks were hiding in the heavens, camouflaged by clouds. Read the full story here

Share this page Why do people expect to feed their dogs or cats on Australian wildlife, specifically kangaroo? Are they informed consumers? … aware of the unavoidable cruelty that goes with this trade and of the possible health risks to humans or pets that comes with eating bushmeat? Here are some realities that consumers might want to weigh up. KANGAROO, IS THE only Australian native animal hunted specifically for the petfood trade. Most meat in petfood comes from offcuts of domesticated animals bred and killed for human consumption. (Remember the shock and revulsion on hearing of racehorses taken to the knackery.) Australia’s national icon is hunted down in most cases by poorly-paid shooters with few employment choices, who slaughter dozens or hundreds a night at pennies-a-carcass on country properties and increasingly in the wildlife’s last refuges, national parks and reserves. To call this trade or it’s non-commercial version “humane” — as those who enable it like to tell the city folk — is just a self-serving fraud. No independent observers monitor the hunt, the motorised pursuit of terrified kangaroo families, the mis-shots and injuries, with animals at times lingering injured for days; no one helps the totally lost mother-dependent joeys. No one watches what happens next either. Partly butchered carcasses are hung in the trays of utes in all temperatures for a short or long trip to a chiller in a paddock, where basic sanitation has been questioned in some instances. Eventually the bodies are processed in a town — minced and stuffed into petfood cans, or sometimes butchered for overseas human consumption while the skins are exported as shoe leather. Victoria and South Australia returning to petfood trade Victoria, where kangaroo species were recovering after a moratorium on the commercial hunt starting in the 1980s, is now back in business with the kangaroo petfood trade enjoying the state government’s blessing along with applause from some farmers. The advantage of petfood is that any species, size, age or condition animal may do. RELATED ARTICLE: Victoria’s petfood plans grow and draw more protest, AWPC. The kangaroo ‘industry’ has switched focus to southern Australia from Queensland and NSW whose killing fields — after decades of commercial slaughter, drought, fire, flood, disease and landholder killing — have population counts flashing red warning signs underscored by poor “harvests” for years now. The South Australian government, where the iconic Red kangaroo has recovered to an extent, is working on a new removal/ ‘management’ plan. Reports are coming through of wallabies going into the mix too. Half-burned Kangaroo Island is not exempt from these plans we hear. Quite apart from the field hygiene conditions, kangaroos, being wild animals, harbour pathogens. Country people don’t often eat kangaroo, citing ‘worms’. The question of what consumers know arose with a recent ABC Rural story reporting on Victorian pet-owners, grief-stricken at the death of their dogs who were fed contaminated petfood linked to a Gippsland knackery.  A quoted pet-owner thought they were feeding ‘pure kangaroo.’ These are not the first dogs to die in a widening petfood scandal. The trail has led to outback supplies. Reportedly the toxic content came via cattle and horse carcasses allegedly mixed with kangaroo. Regulate the petfood industry Pet owners are calling for any kind of regulation of the petfood industry. That is long overdue on health and welfare grounds. At the Bulletin we are animal lovers and dog companions and our hearts go out to the bereaved dog owners caught up in this disaster. Nevertheless, the question remains: how did we and our governments come to consider as ‘normal’ slaughtering our national emblem for petfood, and export sausages and leather? How is this different from the extensive slaughter of koalas (and other marsupials) for skins to export up until the early 20th century? The fate of the koala is now plain to see. The disrespect shown to Australia’s national symbol and some other wildlife confuses overseas visitors. Their tourist list is often topped by a wish to see ‘Skippy’ in the flesh. What they don’t know is that all species of kangaroo, that includes wallabies, have (since colonial settlement) been removed from their habitat, killed on behalf of a European model of stock grazing that was to be grafted onto a misunderstood land. A bounty era of removal was followed by the commercial trade in body parts, starting with skins for export. It grew profitable and developed its own momentum. As readers of the Bulletin know the same attitude of disrespect and killing is a baffling annual event on the nature reserves of Canberra the national capital. City politicians and bureaucrats cite ‘scientific research’. This version of science now gives cover to national park killings elsewhere. Politician and media narratives describe the carnage as an essential Australian on- farm and export business. Australian pet owners and meat eaters therefore have had little encouragement to become informed consumers of their national icon. Time indeed for review of bushmeat sold for human and pet consumption, for regulation as needed, and, most important, a call for renewed respect and co-existence extended to our natural world and to our unique wildlife. More of the factual background to this editorial can be found and fully explored in Maria Taylor’s new documentary book Injustice, hidden in plain sight the war on Australian nature… > More at www.mariataylor.com.au TWO DOG FOODS GUARANTEED NOT TO CONTAIN KANGAROO While preparing this September issue of The District Bulletin, two dog food sources crossed our horizon guaranteed not to contain kangaroo and promising good nutrition too. We have made no independent examination of these food products and are not therefore directly recommending them. But they sound very promising as alternatives or additions in the marketplace so we leave it to you to check out if you want to. And the doggie yogurt press release came with not one but two cute photos that we couldn’t resist sharing below. Gully Road Australian-grown products for dogs. Small business mail order dog-food purveyor based in Victoria with an ethical value frame. See it here. Chobani Daily Dollop lactose-free and digestion boosting yogurt

Share this page FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHRUG: IS THIS DOG A ‘NATIVE’ YET? A NOTICE WARNING of fox and wild dog baiting in local forests appeared in the Public Notice section of Narooma News, on Wednesday May 26. Animals to be targeted under this program are foxes and wild dogs. Dingoes have been classed as “wild dogs” for the purpose of the scheme, even though as a native animal with an important role to play as an apex predator in the eco-system they should be entitled to protection. EDITORIAL COMMENT: This ABC article (linked here) comes around to recognise the dingo as apex predator but still peppers the report with pastoralist ideas of what is a ‘pest’ to be removed, including the native kangaroos, and what might be allowed to live. Tragically for the already disrupted balance of nature other native animals will also die a hideous, painful death as a result of ingesting 1080 poison. This poison is so damaging to people, birds and animals it has been banned in most other countries of the world. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) reports that: “1080 is toxic to all living species, including microbes, plants, insects, birds and humans. There are reports that Nazis considered using the poison on Jewish prisoners in concentration camps but decided against it because of danger to the guards.” Fire and drought: let’s follow it with poisoning Hasn’t our wildlife suffered enough death and dislocation as a result of flood, fire and famine over the last few years without being subjected to further pain and loss from such an indiscriminate and dangerous scheme? RELATED ARTICLE:  Poisoned pills showered on burned parks and reserves.  By The Bulletin, and Susan Cruttenden. Are we so little concerned with environmental issues and the fact that Australia already has one of the highest wildlife extinction rates in the world that we allow our state forests to become killing fields for the next four months? So why is this plan being condoned by the state government and accepted by local councils? Presumably it is in response to some farmers complaints about threats to their livestock in areas adjoining state forests, but what exactly is this threat? And aren’t there more humane ways of livestock protection, even if will mean less income for manufacturers of 1080? Domestic dog owners know If you are the owner of a dog that has eaten part of poisoned carrion dropped into your backyard, or of a maremma guardian dog protecting sheep that died in agony you will certainly have an opinion! Animal Rights lawyer, Marilyn Nuske is even challenging the legality of using 1080 poison. As a controversial issue among the relatively few people who know of this scheme, why haven’t the views of animal rights groups, humanitarians, ecologists, scientists and biologists been discussed, debated and publicised before this war on wildlife was  been declared as a fait accompli? Indigenous people for whom the dingo is a totem animal believe we must learn to live in harmony with Nature. In the words of David Attenborough — “It’s surely our responsibility to do everything within our power to provide a planet that provides a home — not just for us — but for all life on earth”.

Share this page Rare Wildlife Homes in the City Under Threat We start with a February 2024 update from  Sydney wildlife advocate Katrina Emmett, as Mirvac’s bulldozers remove more of a forest — remnant native vegetation and precious habitat for wildlife still hanging on in the city. This is happening on the ex-IBM site at 55 Coonara Avenue West Pennant Hills now proposed for housing development. At the end of this update, is advice on how concerned citizens can still make their voices heard. An earlier report on this threat to urban wildlife, (scroll down below the update) has more detail on the species being threatened Here is their story and a call for reader action to contact Hills Shire and Hornsby Councils and ask them to abide by minimal wildlife protection standards in planning and development consents. We start with a February 2024 update from Katrina as Mirvac’s bulldozers remove more of a forest — remnant native vegetation and precious habitat for wildlife still hanging on in the city. This is happening on the ex-IBM site at 55 Coonara Avenue West Pennant Hills now proposed for housing development. At the end see how concerned citizens can still make their voices heard. The earlier story below has more detail on the species being threatened — AWPC applauds the effort.“ON THE 27TH October, there will be a State Planning Panel to review three Development Applications submitted for a precious forest in West Pennant Hills, the ex-IBM site at 55 Coonara Avenue. … many trees are part of the Critically Endangered Ecological Communities (CEEC’s) of Blue Gum High Forest and Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark ForestThere have been over 1,250 trees removed on this site so far, permitted after a 2021 Federal Referral to the Commonwealth Environment Minister concluded that removing Blue Gum High Forest in this forest was not a ‘controlled action’ (a trigger for review or stop of the developers actions) and would not contribute to the extinction of this critically endangered ecological community (CEEC). However, in September 2023, the community got some good news that after considerable community pressure, the developer lodged a second referral which outlined an area of BGHF not included in the initial referral.   As a result of this second referral, the removal of Blue Gums on this site have been declared to be a ‘controlled action’ – which is sadly a little late for all those that have already been cleared. There is an opportunity in late February, early March to ensure that no more Blue Gums are impacted for the building of houses in this precious forest which many believe should never have been rezoned for residential purposes. With the high volume of clearing of tree canopy that we are seeing in our urban areas, this forest provides rare habitat for Threatened Grey-headed Flying Fox and Powerful Owls, numerous vulnerable microbats, many other species of birds, reptiles, possums, gliders and our iconic echidnas. It’s an area where the endangered Dural Land Snail thrives and where the vulnerable Southern Myotis (or ‘fishing bat’) hangs out in the waterways, hunting adjacent to the Cumberland State Forest. A map of the area that will be impacted is included below and a map showing the proposed design for housing. (The area between the yellow arrows is what locals are trying to save). Concerned citizens can help ensure that the remains of this magnificent Blue Gum High Forest are protected by contacting Tanya Plibersek, Federal Minister for Environment (Minister.Plibersek@dcceew.gov.au)  Ask that the decision for Referral 2023/09508 be upheld to ensure no further impacts on the forest/ CEEC area. The provision of just a few extra houses is not a good enough reason to remove a ‘critically endangered’ forest. To add insult to injury, the developer has announced their intention to call this residential area, once completed, ‘High Forest’ which to many seems in very poor taste. Tell the minister this impact is avoidable.   Community voices do make a difference and the support of AWPC members and others along with many other community & conservation groups has already ensured that an area at the southern end of this site has not been cleared for this housing project. We hope this developer will be deterred from ever trying to build on rare and endangered forests in the future. We can but hope. Blue Gum High Forest lives nowhere else on this planet except here in the Sydney region and we must protect it. These DAs are seeking approval to remove 1,877 mature trees to construct houses and apartments. The developer, Mirvac, has already removed 1,253 trees, many of them the Critically Endangered Ecological Communities (CEEC’s) of Blue Gum High Forest and Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest. This photo shows what the demolition stage has done to this endangered forest. This site is home to raptors and over 40 other bird species, Sugar Gliders, Feathertail Gliders, Microbats, Eastern Pygmy Possums, echidnas, reptiles, Brushtail and Ringtail possums, as well as Powerful Owls that breed nearby in the Cumberland State Forest. This is a hotspot of biodiversity yet it’s being lost for housing. It’s heartbreaking. PICTURED ABOVE: Powerful Owl, cr Greg Sharkey (CC-SA 4.0); Feathertail Glider, cr Tony Rees (CC-SA 4.0); Sugar Glider, cr Patrick Kavanagh (CC-SA 2.0). Blue Gum Forest backdrop, cr Peter Woodard (CC-SA 4.0). Source: Wikimedia. Post-pandemic development fast-tracking, native animals bulldozed There is increasing pressure on urban forests with many developers hungry to build and with development being ‘fast-tracked’ as a result of the pandemic. Across NSW, residents are witnessing the loss of remnant forests, the last bastions of ‘green’ in our towns and the last refuges for our native animals. As a wildlife rescuer, it is particularly heartbreaking when we see the fall-out from this habitat loss … there is a direct correlation between loss of trees and animals reported to us in distress. Furthermore, what is more worrying is the lack of protection that is evidenced on development sites. They are bulldozing our wildlife yet all native wildlife in NSW is nominally protected by law.