For fear of starting up another "trapping" debate, Nicobar pigeons have for the first time been recorded on mainland Australia. One has been captured and whilst i'm hopeful it will end up in the zoo system (where its genetics would no doubt be a welcome addition to Sir Edwards Hallstrom's bloodline) it does raise an interesting ethical debate - for technically, as they likely came here naturally, they should be allowed to colonise the county of their own volition....
https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... first-time
Vagrant Nicobars...
- toothlessjaws
- ...............................
- Posts: 534
- Joined: 25 Apr 2009, 09:54
- Location: Melbourne, Victoria
- Location: melbourne
- arthur
- ...............................
- Posts: 1996
- Joined: 13 Mar 2009, 10:22
This certainly adds another several facets to the 'trapping debate' . . whether we like it or not
The trapping of non-indigenous species which have arrived spontaneously . .
Surely they are a threat to our native pigeons or have they become 'natives by default' . .
Zoo or private . .
The list goes on . .
I love it . .
The trapping of non-indigenous species which have arrived spontaneously . .
Surely they are a threat to our native pigeons or have they become 'natives by default' . .
Zoo or private . .
The list goes on . .
I love it . .
- toothlessjaws
- ...............................
- Posts: 534
- Joined: 25 Apr 2009, 09:54
- Location: Melbourne, Victoria
- Location: melbourne
- SamDavis
- ...............................
- Posts: 2578
- Joined: 03 Jan 2011, 14:01
- Location: Douglas Park NSW
Here's the email I sent off to "The Experts" at WA Department of Agriculture...
Hi
We understand a single vagrant Nicobar Pigeon was recently taken from the wild in the Broome area by your office due to Biosecurity concerns. It is our view that this is an illegal take and hence we are interested to understand the legal grounds upon which the decision to take-from-the-wild is based.
There are other vagrant species - this take-from-the-wild potentially sets a concerning precedent.
Regards,
Sam Davis
Vice President - Government liaison
Canary and Cage Bird Federation of Australia Inc.
- Craig52
- ...............................
- Posts: 4988
- Joined: 11 Nov 2011, 19:26
- Location: victoria
You all seem to be talking about the one bird that was caught and handed over to the Authorities, in another thread/link on FB it was suggested it was going to be euthanized.
In this link it says that there are a few in the wild in a couple of different area's on the North Kimberley coastline so what do the Authorities do about that.
I'm pretty sure, being in WA with their stringent laws to foreign birds they will most likely be shot or trapped and killed in an humane way.
WA have still got marksman shooting starlings that cross into that State from SA border so i don't think they will be letting these pigeons stay here and multiply with the threat of them carrying Bird Flu from an Asian country. Just my opinion. Craig
In this link it says that there are a few in the wild in a couple of different area's on the North Kimberley coastline so what do the Authorities do about that.
I'm pretty sure, being in WA with their stringent laws to foreign birds they will most likely be shot or trapped and killed in an humane way.
WA have still got marksman shooting starlings that cross into that State from SA border so i don't think they will be letting these pigeons stay here and multiply with the threat of them carrying Bird Flu from an Asian country. Just my opinion. Craig
- arthur
- ...............................
- Posts: 1996
- Joined: 13 Mar 2009, 10:22
Best of luck in getting a reply . . at least before the bird is "killed in a humane way"SamDavis wrote: ↑08 May 2017, 09:46 Here's the email I sent off to "The Experts" at WA Department of Agriculture...Hi
We understand a single vagrant Nicobar Pigeon was recently taken from the wild in the Broome area by your office due to Biosecurity concerns. It is our view that this is an illegal take and hence we are interested to understand the legal grounds upon which the decision to take-from-the-wild is based.
There are other vagrant species - this take-from-the-wild potentially sets a concerning precedent.
Regards,
Sam Davis
Vice President - Government liaison
Canary and Cage Bird Federation of Australia Inc.
. . and I guess that destroying it would remove a lot of vexing issues
And . .
Apropos of nothing really . .
IUCN has Nicobars as "near-threatened" and thir population as "declining"
- finchbreeder
- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
- Posts: 11502
- Joined: 27 Jun 2009, 20:00
- Location: Midwest of West. Aust. Coast
- Location: Midwest of West.Aust.Coast
As their population is declining, and they almost certainly got here by cyclone activity. Surely the sensible thing to do is quarantine them and add them to the Zoo population, for the preservation and increase of the species. Or do we only do easy and not sensible?
LML
LML
LML
- matcho
- ...............................
- Posts: 1298
- Joined: 25 Jan 2011, 08:18
- Location: Sydney
- Contact:
Quite an interesting post.
The question I ask is why all the hoo ha about a species of bird that has arrived naturally? What threat could it pose to our native species, after all we are the wintering ground for millions of birds which annually grace our shores from Asia that have the potential for carrying diseases. I am sure natural migration has occurred with some of our species that are also native to close by other countries and has been occurring since before the arrival of humans. One case in point is that of the cattle egret which appeared in the 1940's, not seen in Australia until then, now look at it's range, just about Australia wide, classed as a native.
I reckon just let them be and who is to say that they are not already established in a small remote area of this vast land of ours?
Ken.
The question I ask is why all the hoo ha about a species of bird that has arrived naturally? What threat could it pose to our native species, after all we are the wintering ground for millions of birds which annually grace our shores from Asia that have the potential for carrying diseases. I am sure natural migration has occurred with some of our species that are also native to close by other countries and has been occurring since before the arrival of humans. One case in point is that of the cattle egret which appeared in the 1940's, not seen in Australia until then, now look at it's range, just about Australia wide, classed as a native.
I reckon just let them be and who is to say that they are not already established in a small remote area of this vast land of ours?
Ken.