Dear Rob,
Thanks for the jolting horror trip!
Behind my reaction, too, is history. Until the 70s, in Australia, you could
still read in the newspapers about the inferiority of our fauna. Yes,
Australians thought they had second class animals. Our mammals were
second-rate-pre-placentals and all our fauna was derivative, formed from
the north. Apparently, all life evolved in the Northern Hemisphere and then
run down - like treacle on a plum-pudding - to us in the south.
Outstanding in the correction of this perceived, sorry state was the
Acclimatization Societies: they hit the Australian continent strong trying
to bring us a better fauna and flora. There were many failures in their
introductions but their successes are here to haunt us to day.
I am extremely jingoistic about our fauna. Maybe I am an anachronism formed
from the 60s when Wedge-tailed Eagles were destroyed in their 1000s and
their destruction was celebrated (those poor cute lambs they were knocking
off). Maybe I remember too much of what the early days of the modern
conservation movement were like ("why would you want to save that?!!").
Even so, you will have to put up with me. I am a too deeply committed
chauvinist for Australian animals. And I too have sharp claws, excellent
canines and interesting communication skills, which I have offered up to
them.
Sure, go for the science, I enjoy it too, and have degrees coming out of my
ears. But put our fauna first or defend yourself. And, sure, be a citizen
of the world, but I drop out when this leads to uniform, world, gene pools.
(Did anyone see Anneke de Vries' top 50 birds of backyards in the world
based on those who replied to her request on BirdChat?)
Just an end note: and several nature writers have discussed this point:
Australians only really started appreciating and acknowledging their fauna
when they suddenly discovered Japanese tourists were coming over in their
droves to see it. Remember the Frill-necked Lizard toy (still available)
that was a hit, with a handle and wheels and the backlegs revolved in
bipedal motion. The irony is delicious.
Yes, life-challenge exotic doves.
Glen Ingram
Brisbane, Australia.
----------
> From: rob leask\ian leask <>
> To: Glen Ingram <>
> Cc:
> Subject: Re: Life-challenging exotic doves
> Date: Saturday, 23 August 1997 10:51
>
> surely new zealand is a prime example of introduced wildlife doing great
> damage? the possum is an incredible nuisance.they are killed in their
> thousands but the destruction of native trees is heartbreaking.driving
> at night at many locations is to see possums every few metres,kilometre
> after kilometre - both dead and alive.they have been shown to eat
> nestlings. magpies are also generally loathed.when mynahs take over an
> area few other birds are seen in that locality, etc etc: not to mention
> the terrific {and horrific} destruction of native bird species by
> introduced weasels,stoats,ferrets and blasted cats. and why carp at
> killing animals when the majority of people are content to let millions
> of animals be slaughtered every day simply because they like the taste
> of their flesh??
> rob
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