birding-aus

Causing the death of tern chicks for photography.

To: bob gosford <>, Birding Aus <>, Liz <>, Scott White <>
Subject: Causing the death of tern chicks for photography.
From: Denise Goodfellow <>
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2010 10:03:02 +0930
Scott said he has Quicktime MPEG codecs installed for video editing that
come with Final Cut, and suggested trying '"Perian".   'it's probably the
best collection of free quicktime codecs available at:
http://www.perian.org/'


on 21/12/10 9:51 AM, bob gosford at  wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> I have been able to download the two non-Tern related videos from Liz's site
> but am having all manner of problems downloading - and reading the Tern
> video - have downloaded it but QuickTime refuses to recognise it. I then
> downloaded Perian, which it was suggested would fix that problem but to no
> avail.
> And now the link to the file at Liz's site - which is 'under construction' -
> is dead.
>
> has anyone dowloaded a version - edited or otherwise - that can be viewed on
> a recent (OS 10.4 on) Mac?
>
> I'll keep trying but...
>
> Best and thanks in advance,
>
> Bob
>
> On 21 December 2010 09:16, Denise Goodfellow <>wrote:
>
>>  Inger
>> According to this note on Google, that show was a premiere, suggesting it
>> was made fairly recently.
>> Denise
>>
>> Watch as Australian marine expert Ben C*ropp goes* in search of the crocs
>> and captures ... C*roc*o*dile Island. (Pr*emiere). 7.30pm - 8.30pm; Seven;
>> Tonight ...
>> w*ww.*yourtv.com.au/guide/event.aspx?program_id...id... - Cached
>>
>>
>>
>> on 20/12/10 3:48 PM, inger vandyke at  wrote:
>>
>> Hi Ronda,
>>
>> Thank you for your mail below.  It is an interesting point that you raise.
>>  I definitely know a researcher who has worked on Crab Island with the
>> Flatback Turtle population but I am not aware of any permanent presence of a
>> ranger on the island.  My understanding was that researchers do 'expedition
>> style' trips up there and work alongside staff from DERM to undertake their
>> activities.
>>
>> This raises two questions for me.  Although I never saw this production, I
>> wondered how old the footage (from the small video I saw on Birding-Aus) was
>> because, as far as I am aware, Ben Cropp has been out of this industry for a
>> while.  If say, the footage was shot in the 70's, is archival and has been
>> digitally reproduced for modern television then the whole genre of this
>> style of documentary making in the 70's is worth reviewing.  Was it shot
>> recently?  Because if it was, I would doubt that Ben Cropp would even get
>> permission to film up there unaccompanied by someone from DERM.
>> Theoretically, if he went up there with no notification or permission, I
>> would doubt he is that stupid to risk doing the wrong thing and potentially
>> screwing his reputation up by shooting in this manner.  I'm not saying it is
>> right, but certainly in the 70's, 80's and even 90's there was a lot more
>> 'freedom' granted to crews to film any way they wanted if they had the money
>> to do so.  (Sadly this happens even in some modern day situations but people
>> in the industry usually ostracise those doing the wrong thing by not giving
>> them a second chance thank goodness).
>>
>> Regardless, these animals appear to have been filmed under a considerable
>> amount of coersion and duress which to me is outrageous, totally
>> unacceptable and smacks of the Steve Irwin style documentary making which I
>> thought Australia had successfully buried after Steve's passing.
>>
>> I'd be curious to hear others thoughts and input on this issue.
>>
>> Warmest regards
>>
>>
>>
>> Inger Vandyke
>>
>> Professional Wildlife Photographer and Writer
>> Expedition Leader - Heard Island Expedition  (3 November - 7 December,
>> 2011)
>> Assistant Publicity Officer - Southern Oceans Seabird Study Association
>> (SOSSA)
>>
>> Mob:  0402 286 437
>>
>> www.ingervandyke.com
>> <http://www.ingervandyke.com/><http://www.ingervandyke.com/>
>> www.ingervandyke.blogspot.com
>>
<http://www.ingervandyke.blogspot.com/><http://www.ingervandyke.blogspot.com/>>
>
>>
>> Please join the Heard Island Expedition online
>> http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=372344967432&ref=ts
>> <http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=372344967432&amp;ref=ts><http://www.fa
>> cebook.com/group.php?gid=372344967432&ref=ts>
>> www.heardislandexpedition.blogspot.com
>> <http://www.heardislandexpedition.blogspot.com/><http://www.heardislandexpedi
>> tion.blogspot.com/>
>> www.heardisland.com.au
>> <http://www.heardisland.com.au/><http://www.heardisland.com.au/>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Causing the death of tern chicks for
>> photography.
>>> From: 
>>> Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:55:15 +1000
>>> CC: ; ;
>> ; 
>>> To: 
>>>
>>> Hi Denise
>>>
>>> Just looked at the photo. Would the chicks ever, in any natural
>> situation, move in such a tight mass together to the water? Some of them do
>> seem to be glancing back in the photographer's direction.
>>>
>>> There must have been someone local on the island to take the film crew
>> around to show them where things were or whatever - does anyone know any of
>> the folk who might have thus observed the behaviour of the photographer and
>> others during the filming?
>>>
>>> I agree that if the chicks were deliberately herded into danger there
>> must be some legal action possible.
>>>
>>> I'd still like to actually see some of the footage so I can speak about
>> it first hand, but I certainly don't like the idea of manipulating and
>> disturbing wildlife for financial gain under the guise of educational
>> filming, and the promotion of 'macho' animal-wrestling isn't the kind of
>> behaviour or attitude we should be teaching folk
>>>
>>> Cheers
>>>
>>> Ronda
>>>
>>> On 20/12/2010, at 11:04 AM, Denise Goodfellow wrote:
>>>
>>>> Some more comments.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ------ Forwarded Message
>>>> From: Liz <>
>>>> Date: Sun, 19 Dec 2010 19:13:46 -0000
>>>> To: Birding Aus <>
>>>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Causing the death of tern chicks for
>> photography.
>>>>
>>>> I've just watched the film. From the get-go it seems to me this
>> character
>>>> has a
>>>> rather , how shall I say, "rustic", and slightly aggressive approach to
>>>> filming
>>>> wildlife. Chasing turtles, rays, sharks, and worst of all, a dugong
>> with
>>>> his
>>>> camera on a pole. No idea what the fish "wrangling" was about. All very
>>>> strange,
>>>> purely for their entertainment rather than for any viewer education or
>> for
>>>> research purposes. All this left a rather sour taste.
>>>>
>>>> As to the tern chicks, I am aware that tern chicks of some species are
>> adept
>>>> swimmers but don't usually swim for any reason other than to escape
>>>> predators or
>>>> disturbance. It was not clear in the film what the cause was, but
>> judging
>>>> by the
>>>> section of film with the crèche of chick backed up against the water's
>> edge
>>>> and
>>>> trying _not_ to get in the water, that there was pressure from
>> something
>>>> between
>>>> them and the beach. Now, if this was unintended pressure from the
>>>> cameraman, then
>>>> he should have backed off immediately. It was obvious they couldn't
>> escape.
>>>> You
>>>> just have to look at the chicks' reaction. Gut feeling, it was
>> deliberate,
>>>> or at
>>>> least deliberate in his refusal to back off.
>>>>
>>>> On another note, I thought he said near the start of the programme that
>>>> there were
>>>> no pigs on Crab Island, but strangely there was footage of crocs
>> feeding on
>>>> a very
>>>> clean, unmuddied pig carcase which was in rigor mortis. Obviously he'd
>>>> thrown it
>>>> to the crocs to set up the shots.
>>>>
>>>> The one good bit in the film was the local chap crab hunting, what a
>> great
>>>> fellow!
>>>>
>>>> However, all in all, not impressed with the cameraman and entourage.
>>>>
>>>> Liz
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Alan Gillanders
>>>> Sent: Sunday, December 19, 2010 12:28 PM
>>>> To: Liz ; Birding Aus
>>>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Causing the death of tern chicks for
>> photography.
>>>>
>>>> Liz,
>>>> This view of mine requires a little interpretation as the film does not
>> show
>>>> the photographer but did briefly show a shadow. The interpretation is
>> not
>>>> great.
>>>> I'll report back on what I find out and the action I have taken.
>>>> Regards,
>>>> Alan
>>>> --------------------------------------------------
>>>> From: "Liz" <>
>>>> Sent: Sunday, December 19, 2010 7:03 PM
>>>> To: "Birding Aus" <>
>>>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Causing the death of tern chicks for
>> photography.
>>>>
>>>>> Alan, Bob, Denise et al
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm horrified to hear this.
>>>>> If the film showed the photographer deliberately driving the tern
>> chicks into
>>>>> the
>>>>> water, then surely, apart from being a welfare issue, this is a legal
>> issue in
>>>>> Australia? Are not all birds protected unless they are the equivalent
>> of our
>>>>> "pest species" or quarry species when "in season"?
>>>>> Certainly, if this were to happen in the UK, the police would be
>> involved, and
>>>>> probably the photographer/film-maker would be prosecuted under the
>> Wildlife a
>>>>> Countryside Act (1981). Also, there would be also such an outcry from
>> the
>>>>> public,
>>>>> and if he had been contracted to produce the film for a UK TV station,
>> he
>>>>> probably
>>>>> would never work for them again! Additionally, if he held any Schedule
>> 1
>>>>> licence,
>>>>> he would have that taken off him, pronto.
>>>>>
>>>>> Liz
>>>>> Cumbria, UK
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: Denise Goodfellow
>>>>> Sent: Saturday, December 18, 2010 2:10 PM
>>>>> To: bob gosford ; Birding Aus
>>>>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Causing the death of tern chicks for
>> photography.
>>>>>
>>>>> I've just raised the issue with Ronda Green, president of Wildlife
>> Tourism
>>>>> Australia. Perhaps this is an issue WTA should respond to as well.
>>>>> Denise
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> on 18/12/10 7:57 PM, bob gosford at  wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Alan,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> This is from the Channel 7 promo on the Yahoo7 website:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Crocodile Island
>>>>>> <http://au.tv.yahoo.com/tv-guide/search/Crocodile+Island/><http://au.tv.y
>>>>>> ahoo.com/tv-guide/search/Crocodile+Island/>7:30pm
>>>>>> - 8:30pm (PG)
>>>> DocumentarySeven<http://au.tv.yahoo.com/tv-guide/channel/18891/><http://au.
>>>> tv.yahoo.com/tv-guide/channel/18891/>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Crab Island, off the tip of northern Australia, is the world's most
>>>>>> important breeding ground for the flatback turtle. However, the
>> tranquil
>>>>>> beauty of the land belies a hidden danger: the crocodile. Watch as
>>>>>> Australian marine expert Ben Cropp goes in search of the crocs and
>> captures
>>>>>> unique footage as they feed. Using the latest in infra-red
>> technology, Ben
>>>>>> captures their aggressive behaviour in never-before-seen detail and
>>>>>> investigates a mixture of other species located around the island.
>>>>>> I agree with your opinion - though I've not seen it - an ethical
>>>>>> bird-related issue if ever I've heard of one...almost as serious as
>> people
>>>>>> giving GPS coordinates for nesting rare birds.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> BG
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 18 December 2010 19:51, Alan Gillanders
>>>>>> <>wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> After the cricket I flicked through the channels to see a
>> photographer
>>>>>>> driving tern chicks into the water where they were predated by
>> sharks. On
>>>>>>> one occasion it was evident that the chicks were intimidated from
>> returning
>>>>>>> to land by the presence of at least the photographer. This was
>> 'Crocodile
>>>>>>> Island' on Seven.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I will be writing to Channel Seven and the minister.
>>>>>>> Yours in disgust,
>>>>>>> Alan
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
>>>>>>> send the message:
>>>>>>> unsubscribe
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>>>>>>> to: 
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> http://birding-aus.org
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ===============================
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>>>>> ===============================
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ===============================
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>> 05:34:00
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ===============================
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>> ------ End of Forwarded Message
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> Ronda Green, BSc(Hons)PhD
>>> Chair, Wildlife Tourism Australia
>>> http://wildlifetourism.org.au
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>


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