All Aviary bred- I bet!!

[spanna]

Are we getting a little precious folks

It's not precious at all Arthur. Trapping is entirely illegal, and is in part why there are such stringent licensing laws in place. If people continue to go on trapping our native birds, not only will they be under even more pressure from humans (added on to land clearing, housing developments, logging etc etc etc) but us aviculturalists will be given a bad name, remember that government departments group all bird keepers, good and bad, together. These birds are more than secure in aviculture also, so there is absolutely no need to be impacting our wild populations.

[arthur]

These birds are more than secure in aviculture also, so there is absolutely no need to be impacting our wild populations.

And by inference . .

Birds that are less than secure in aviculture . . . . . . . . . .


Anyway, I prefer to give the benefit of the doubt to these breeders

Much better than the 'reverse onus of proof' system that applies in the federal arena

[arthur]

Trapping is entirely illegal, and is in part why there are such stringent licensing laws in place.

The stringent licensing laws up this way were drafted during the period of legal trapping

There have been few (if any) convictions for illegal trapping in the 'smart state' , that the authorities can use as a basis for the continuation of our 'stringent licensing laws' . .

Yet stringent they remain

[SamDavis]

Firstly, let me make it absolutely clear that I am not in favour of trapping native birds willy nilly - there needs to be a very good justifiable reason. I find the adds Myzo posted abhorrent and these boneheads should be caught - I don't think there'd be a lack of evidence rather a lack of interest from the authorities. I don't understand the economics either - why bother trapping say 100 birds and selling them for $10 to $15? You stand to make $1000 to $1500 which to me is a trivial amount of money given the effort of trapping, caring for them and particularly dealing with a whole heap of buyers. Theres much easier ways to make a quid.

My problem is trying to explain to others why trapping natives is so bad. It's pretty clear if the species is endangered but for common species (like the rainbow lorikeet. red brow, double bar, etc) why is it so abhorrent? In Australia the historical evidence I've seen indicates trapping has rarely been a significant factor in the decline of wild populations. So why are we all so against trapping natives?

[spanna]

Why all the support Arthur? Is the continued trapping of native birds likely to make licensing more or less strict? Is it necessary for these species? Is it okay to trap rarer species because you want them? Can we take what we want from our neighbours because we want it? Should we be able to do so from nature?


*Facepalm*

[maz]

I don't have huge ethical problems with the trapping of native nuisance species (galah's corella's and sulphur crested cockatoo's are still trapped in Vic) and I would much rather see the young trapped ones going into the pet population rather than being destroyed, but that being said I also appreciate that sales into the pet population can cause problems due to the inherent disease risk, which is why the industry needs to be controlled and any sales into the pet market need to be notified to the prospective purchaser so that they are aware and able to have the appropriate tests carried out. I think it's a matter of ethical trapping and sales so that people are aware of the precautions needed.

[jusdeb]

They trap them , they cross breed them .
Sadly the land of the parrot may not be such for too much longer ...

SHAME SHAME SHAME oh and Arthur I dont mind being called precious at all

[arthur]

My problem is trying to explain to others why trapping natives is so bad. . . . . . . why is it so abhorrent? . . . . . . trapping has rarely been a significant factor in the decline of wild populations. So why are we all so against trapping natives?

Well Sam there are several answers to your question

1. Well, it must be. It's against the law isn't it? (Average man in the street)

2. Yeah trapping is abhorrent, we just shoot any of the buggars that make a pest of themselves in the crops. I know we should get a permit, and its no trouble to do that. But its a bloody nuisance, really. (Average farmer)

3. "Trapping is to be kept as a privilege of zoos only. I know that we should breed our own like those silly aviculturists, but do you realise how much live food costs . . And the overtime!!!" (Average zookeeper)

4. "Dear Mr Davis

Under the Nature Conservation Act of 1964 there are 26 speciesof native bird that may be kept and traded without a licence and moved into and within your jurisdiction

Many native species are not gazetted for trapping for a number of reasons.These include the potential for the relevant species to form wild populations outside of their natural range and their lack of suitability for inclusion in the captive situation.

Licensed keepers may keep and trade a further 29 species and interstate movement is permitted under an 'Export Notice"

While I fully realise that I have in no way answered your question, please do not hesitate to contact me regarding any further enquiries that you may have should you wish to waste any more of your time (Average Wildlife Authority(?)



There are many more answers of course . . perhaps forumites could do some research and post them for our edification


Meanwhile I might just remind birdkeepers that the ancestors of all of our natives came from the 'wild' . .

And that the ancestors of all of our exotics came from overseas

[arthur]

:


Is it okay to trap rarer species because you want them?

I thought that that was your inference . . I don't want them

I'm just sitting here enjoying the North Qld weather (about 30 inches all up), asking a few innocent questions and answering a few others

Great way to spend a wet afternoon

[spanna]

I thought it would be fairly obvious that I'm against all illegal trapping.

These birds are more than secure in aviculture also, so there is absolutely no need to be impacting our wild populations.

My point here was made with a specific example of legal trapping in the back of my mind. Here in WA, not all that long ago, someone was permitted to take 20 red eared firetails only from the wild, for the purpose of hopefully securing them in aviculture. THIS kind of trapping, regulated, rare, and justified, is in my eyes sustainable and acceptable. But this example is none of these things.