Trevor Ford and Peter Milburn both implied that the likelihood of a threatened
taxon receiving Government funding for conservation actions would be increased
if the taxon was classified as a species rather than as a sub-species. They even
suggested that scientists and/or bureaucrats could justify scientific dishonesty
or deception in order to gain this supposed benefit.
I'll leave aside the significant issue of scientific ethics for now, except to
say that I'm with David James on this one. However, I cannot let the idea that
sub-specific status results in inferior conservation attention go unchallenged.
Federal and most State wildlife conservation legislation caters for taxa down to
sub-species level and beyond. Modern legislation [eg the federal Endangered
Species Protection Act and Victoria's Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act] focuses on
biodiversity conservation and recognises the importance of recognisable
populations, whatever their current taxonomic status. Take a look at the taxa
listed on the schedules of the federal Endangered Species Protection Act - the
majority of birds are sub-species [eg King Is form of Brown Thornbill, Tas form
of Wedge-tailed Eagle, south-eastern form of Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Kangaroo
Is. form of Glossy Black-Cockatoo, Helmeted Honeyeater, eastern form of Star
Finch, western form of Partridge Pigeon, Mt Lofty form of Southern Emu-wren
etc]. These sub-species are all receiving conservation attention with no
discrimination because of their taxonomic level.
Therefore, the various albatross populations will receive attention, if they
occur within Australian territory, regardless of the taxonomy one follows. So,
in my humble opinion there is no excuse for not doing good, solid, old-fashioned
science when doing taxonomic studies. And we should all demand such rigour from
the taxonomists.
Peter Menkhorst
Threatened Species and Communities Section
Flora and Fauna Program
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
PO Box 500 East Melbourne 3002.
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