Triage System for Endangered Aussies

[GregH]

I read a somewhat stocking story out the ABC site titled "Scientists resign 'living dead' species to extinction, call for triage debate". It basically say that we shouldn't wast resources on species that are zombies - i.e. too far gone to be saved.. They specifically mention the orange bellied parrot and there are many more we could place in the zombie class. As this is a finch forum lets consider birds that are as good as gone; why can't aviculture be used as a life support system even if their habitat is gone and they could never be rehabilitated? We would still have the southern star finch if the last specimens had been collected and given to selected aviculturists to maintain. Am I naive or romantic but should we so easily condemn our countries highly evolved spices to extinction - especially when it's humans that caused the problem? I'm with Steven Garnet of CDU who finds it preposterous that our society's legacy is to leave the world diminished because of ephemeral "priorities".

[casehulsebosch]

I read this article on another forum yesterday.

If the Orange bellied parrot , several hundreds left, has already been written off, what hope do we have for the Western Ground Parrot and the Black Throated finch (subspecies Cincta) for instance?

But Mr Abbott already thinks we have too many land tied up in National Parks and World Heritage sites. Lack of funding is a very big driver in trying to save endangered species.

The Gouldian Finch has had a large push in the right direction and is now off the endangered list and upgraded to "nearly endangered". This effort is of course by no means over.

Let's put our shoulders under the efforts made to save the Black Throated Finch.


cheers


case

[Pictorella]

Why are we only worrying about species once they've hit the endangered species list? Isn't being threatened an early sign that something is going seriously wrong with that species? And surely the cost would be far less dealing with a still relatively common declining species rather than an under 1000 left species.
A lot of Australia's environmental issues (climate change, salinity, erosion, drought management and declining species) would be vastly improved with a better management of land clearing. Land clearing is the greatest threat facing the Australian environment.
As far as the Orange-bellied Parrot is concerned there are currently around 70 wild birds (including 40 bred this year!!) left and many more in captivity, hope is not lost!...........unless the funding is pulled of course.
Totally agree about the Black-throated Finch program. Lets hope they're as successful as the Gouldian.

[arthur]

I'm with Steven Garnet of CDU who finds it preposterous that our society's legacy is to leave the world diminished because of ephemeral "priorities".

Don't know whether Mr Garnett sees aviculture as the Noah's Ark that will save endangered species, but you could check with him, rather than just take my word for it . . he may have changed his mind





And the Qld government . . who have always been to the fore in conservation matters . . dumped their captive breeding programme for Bristle Birds some years ago

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j ... qNI4ENyNCg

. . obviously they were ahead of the pack on this one

"Some lead others follow" (note the maroon )




PS Don't be too concerned about being 'naive and romantic' you will soon grow out of it if you continue living in the Smart State

[arthur]

Bump..

And Des Boyland . . refer above . . was the man who shaped Qld Govt's attitude to aviculture for a large number of years

No doubt his successors (You don't get promotion in the public-service if your views differ markedly from those of your superiors) hold us in similar regard

[finchbreeder]

Many threatened species programs around the world are funded by private organisations. There is great potential for public-private partnerships in threatened species management that could extend the public allocation.
Wonder if someone could convince the Govt to make private funding/co-funding of threatened species management tax deductable. Would go down well with us birdos, the conservation/greenies, and anyone into warm and fuzzies.
LML

[mickw]

Just picking up on a point made earlier.......and it may be semantics, BUT..........Land Clearing has, by & large been arrested in Australia......certainly NSW, since about 1995 when the Native Vegetation Conservation Act came into being...........very little wholesale clearing is going on now ......sure, you will see "clearing" but its for housing/industrial/infrastructure purposes and whilst it all adds up, its nothing comparable to the scale of habitat modification which occurred in the preceding 50 or so years........

So, I put to the forum that the real problem in Aus for remaining populations of lots of (all) things Natural is not so much Land Clearing, but Cleared Land..........ie, many flora and fauna populations have defiantly persisted for a time but are now more noticeably absent in modified and depauperate environments.......

My other opinion is that private enterprise does most things better than government......that should flush out all the socialists .......but it has to pay

[finchbreeder]

.......but it has to pay
Generally speaking yes. But sometimes when people are at the comfortable and up stage they become alturistic and spend money on "paying it forward" so never say never. Afterall this forum is proof that not everything is about money.
LML

[mickw]

Agreed.........it would be good if everybody would look to private enterprise, including Governments, for the solutions to lots of environmental and social problems.......that way, because everyone is getting on with it and doing it,....... and its a widely accepted practice or expectation of doing business.......then economic sustainability of altruism is a realistic possibility......................

or

we can sit back and demand that the gum'nent do everything......watch them blow truckloads of cash, only work 7 hours a day, take possession of privately held lands, or collections of, say OB Parrots......then pretty much let a program fizzle out with little to show for it.....and them blame Asylum seekers or the loggers