At 13:49 6/02/2001 +0800, you wrote:
>
>Hello Andrew and others
>
>I don't really know how to respond to this. My postings are about birds and
>the reason for writing them is related to my interest in protecting them.
>Previously you (AS) or others have made similar assertions when confronted
>with alternative views. However I think I am Marilyn Davis and I am certain
>that I am not a Night Parrot or Mr Warner. I cannot explain any similarities
>in style. Maybe more than one person on this list has learned to use plain
>text.
>
>Or are you trying to change the subject away from the adverse consequences
>of cannon netting? Thanks Hugo for explaining that firing projectiles
>pulls a net over the birds.
>Some of the information I would like discussed is: What are the standard
>code of ethics, which governs cannon netting? How close are the birds when
>the net is fired? How many birds are too many or not enough to fire the
>nets? What are the prescribed maximum periods of time the birds are held
>before release? What are the standards that must be met relating to how
>assistants participate? What weather conditions are not acceptable? What
>qualified veterinary assistance is on hand to attend to injured birds? What
>accountability and public reporting mechanisms are there when birds are
>killed and injured? What happens during the worst cannon netting events and
>what caused them to go wrong? What is the average mortality from all cannon
>netting exercises including those events that went horribly wrong? Are
>there any quality sanctuaries or no go areas where concentrations of waders
>can get refuge from these activities? Are there any favourable seasons when
>flocking waders are protected from netting. What reviews are held to examine
>the research purpose and practice of cannon netting?
>
>There are other questions too, but that is probably enough for today.
>
>
>Marilyn Davis
>
>
Dear Marilyn
I'm not sure why I am answering this, since I am not a canon netter and
cannot answer many/most of your questions. However, I hope that I may
be able to lower the temperature of this debate somewhat.
First, I believe that you are genuinely concerned about the birds'
welfare and have every right to ask these questions and to start the
debate on this topic.
Secondly, I think that some of your questions are un-answerable, a bit like
the question on the length of string. Examples are "What weather conditions
are not acceptable", "How many birds are too many or not enough ..."
These are questions that cannot be answered readily, being affected by so
many environmental factors - the size of the area, the substrate, the danger
of submersion, the size of the net, the number of assistants available, etc
etc etc.
The only realistic answer is "it depends on the opinion of an experienced
operator".
If you want serious replies, then I'd suggest that you don't ask open-ended
questions
like this.
Some of your other questions are more directed and could be answered in a
sentence
or two but I don't have the answers to them and I'm not sure if the data
are readily available.
Can anyone else help out here?
Finally, I think that the point should be made that the people doing this
banding
are NOT TRYING to kill or injure birds. This is the very last thing they want
because a disabled [or dead!] bird is not going to behave naturally and so
will not
provide the answers they are looking for about the population. They are going
to be doing their best to ensure the survival of all the birds caught.
Again it boils down to whether you consider the risk to a few individuals is
out-
weighed [thanks for pointing out my previous lapse, Philip] by the benefits
from the research. I think that most researchers agree the the most serious
threat to these birds is from habitat loss, on the breeding grounds, on the
wintering
grounds and in between. You would probably save many more birds by lobbying for
habitat protection.
Yours
Pete
Dr Peter Woodall email =
Division of Vet Pathology & Anatomy
School of Veterinary Science. Phone = +61 7 3365 2300
The University of Queensland Fax = +61 7 3365 1355
Brisbane, Qld, Australia 4072 WWW = http://www.uq.edu.au/~anpwooda
"hamba phezulu" (= "go higher" in isiZulu)
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