As you can see, Carol Donovan of LA Audubon asked me to forward her post.
Sunt lacrimae rerum!
John Penhallurick
>Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 14:42:38 -0500 (CDT)
>From: (Los Angeles Audubon)
>Subject: Gurney's
>To:
>
>John,
>Someone forwarded your email messages re: Gurney's Pitta plight.
>
>I was recently in touch with Tony Palliser & mentioned that I had just
>returned March 22nd from a visit to Southern Thailand to see for myself
>the plight of the Gurney's. I CAN CONFIRM first hand of the
>corruption going on in the area. The Danish Conservation Group had
>pulled out in Feb & the Gurney's center would be evacuated in May.
>
>I was lucky enough to see a Female Gurney's & shed a tear at the
>thought of it's future. I was told that if they are seen crossing a
>Palm or rubber tree grove, they are killed by the land owner. I was
>also told that since 1986 when the Gurney's Pitta project got off the
>ground that the local villagers were told that they would see an income
>from birder's & other's who needed accommodation, meals & guides when
>visiting the area. Unfortunately there were just not enough of us
>visiting to make a difference & now the local people sell their land to
>"outsiders" who show up with ready cash for the land. Even though the
>area is supposedly "protected" there is no help with policeing, when
>"outsiders" move in & start bulldozing down acres almost overnight to
>plant rubber & palm trees. The manager at the center told me that
>the Thai goverment doesn't show any interest at all & his pleas are
>just falling on deaf ears. Soldiers came 2yrs ago & moved off some of
>the "outsiders" but they just returned when the soldiers left.
>
>If "birder's" had stayed in local accommodation for a few days, instead
>of staying in Krabi & driving back & forth it might have made a
>difference. If the area had been promoted better, it might have made a
>difference, but it's my opinion after many trips to SE Asia over the
>last 10yrs that the habitiat there is doomed no matter what we do, and
>I'm normally an optimist.
>
>What can we do now ???
>
>
>I'm not savvy enough on internet yet to be able to send this to you &
>Tony & others, so could you please "post" this for me & keep me
>informed of any developments, thanks.
>
>Carol "Kiwi" Donovan
>Manager Los Angeles Audubon Society (Wildlife Conservation)
>
>
>--
>Los Angeles Audubon Society
>7377 Santa Monica Blvd FAX 323 876-7609
>West Hollywood CA USA 90046 Voice 323 876-0202
>10:00-16:00 Tu-Sat
>
>
>
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