Aussie Finch Forum

Exotic Animals
Importing and keeping introduced mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians in Western Australia
By Marion Massam and Win Kirkpatrick, Department of Agriculture, and Peter Mawson, Norm Press, Tony Bennell and Neil Hamilton, Department of Conservation and Land Management. February 2004

Workshop Proceedings: Risk assessment processes for import and keeping of exotic vertebrates in Australia Canberra, February 2009
Compiled by Wendy Henderson. February 2009

Risk Assesment
Risk Assessment for Australia – Ostrich (Struthio camelus) Amanda Page, Win Kirkpatrick and Marion Massam, 24/01/2008

Risk assessment models for establishment of exotic vertebrates in Australia and New Zealand. Bomford, M. (Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre), 2008

General
State of Australia's Birds Various reports available from Birds Australia (formerly RAOU)

Well done Greg,
Some very interesting reading in here!
Thinking about importing some of your birds??
I hope you are settling into Brisbane life?

Thanks Lonchura. I will have to find out how to elevate these reports so they stay visible. There are lots more if you keep trawling but I have to concentrate on finding a job first although the 3 kids still have a week of school holidays. It's the wife's first day at UQ today and getting that income stream going will be a relief after signing up for a house, car and white-goods. I have to get the house plans from the council today for our pest & building inspection tomorrow - the last day of the cooling off period. I hope I can see what the distances from boundaries and dwellings are as that will determine the location and size of any legal aviaries I install!

Federal Department of Environment information pages outlying Gouldian research & reports

Crimson Finch on the site of the Department of Sustainability,
Environment, Water, Population and Communities

Tasmanian DPIW frinal report (2010) Review of Tasmania's Wildlife Import Legislation, Regulations and Processes

Very interesting in light of Marcus Pollard's submission to import the Red-eared fire tail - an Aussie species with almost zero possibility of establishing a viable population outside an aviary in Tasmania.

DAFF's Import Risk Analysis Handbook 2007 (updated 2009)

I don't want to have aviculture set in an adversarial position against environmental responsibility so both sides need to understand where each is coming from.

Feral Animals of Tasmania looks like aviculturists get the blame for feral rainbow lorikeets but conservationist cop the blame for lyrebirds.

Exotic bird keeping and avian trade in Australia: a portal to the Federal department of Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities site with information on import and legal possession.

Crime and bird keeping: this quote says it all "It is believed that the extensive bird breeding industry in Australia involves some co-mixing of captured wild birds and captive-bred birds, alongside inter-country smuggling activity."

Re: Risk assessment models for establishment of exotic vertebrates in Australia and New Zealand. Bomford, M. (Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre), 2008.
I've had a little flick through this. I don't see too much ammunition to hit aviculture. The list of successful establishments is far outweighed by the unsuccessful.
Also, theamazing conclusion from all this data and literature review is that species are most likely to be a worry if they come from a similar habitat, have a history of feral populations and are released in large numbers or many places.
Well DERRRRRRRRR !! I suppose someone had to spend the tax dollars to actually research into the "bleedin' obvious" and draw the already known and common-sensical conclusions.
My head is looking for a brick wall