Marilyn-
Thank you for enlightening me. If one can land, then so can two, or three.
If you think this poses no risk, you might like to look at some of the
well-documented impacts resulting from the establishment of 'ship assisted'
introductions in other places. Places where complacency or . Are you
prepared to put the welfare of a small number of magpies, house crows, or
whatever above the vast numbers of native animals potentially affected?
Further, once things like magpies or house crows are established, there will
be an outcry because of their impacts on flora, fauna, or agriculture. Then
of course will come the control programmes which will necessitate taking
lives of many animals. Those who advocate a laissez-faire attitude to the
establishment of exotic species are advocating cruelty far greater than that
necessary to ensure no additional stresses are placed on native fauna.
Preventing the establishment of exotic species is not a pleasant job. It is
preferable to the alternatives, including the 'do nothing' alternative.
Australians, particularly those claiming some interest in natural history or
the environment should not need reminding of the damage that can occur
through introduction of exotic flora and fauna. The evidence is all around
us. If you still need some graphic proof of the dangers, and need to look
at a vertebrate example, have a look at the impact of introduction of Brown
Tree Snakes to Guam. Hardly a bird left, and now, thousands of snakes dying
horrible deaths as well.
It is very easy to be a critic. Much harder to be constructive. If you
have some way of ensuring human assisted arrivals are 100% safe for fauna,
environment and agriculture, nobody would be happier to hear from you than
me.
Scott O'Keeffe
-----Original Message-----
From:
Behalf Of Marilyn Davis
Sent: 17 March 2001 14:54
To: ; ;
Subject: Magpie destruction
Basic biological theory is that it takes two to tango!
Regards
Marilyn
>From: "Scott O'Keeffe" <>
>To: "Phil Gregory" <>, "birding-aus"
><>
>Subject: RE: [BIRDING-AUS] Magpie destruction
>Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 15:03:55 +1000
>
>Phil-
>
>You wrote:
>
>Interesting to see Lloyd Nielsen's note that the
>Black-billed Magpie has been destroyed by AQIS as
>it may introduce disease. I assume this means that
>AQIS will also be destroying all migrants birds as
>well?
>Is this all foot and mouth related hysteria?
>
>No, its to do with the fact that perhaps the second greatest threat to
>biodiversity, worldwide, after habitat destruction, is the deliberate or
>accidental introduction of non-native flora and fauna to new areas, by
>humans. Corvids are good candidates as potential environmental pests,
>because many of them are opportunists/generalists,and are very adaptable.
>I
>am intimately familiar with the magpie, and within its natural range it
>occupies many types of 'open' habitats. . This species would probably be
>very much at home in the woodland areas of Australia, and it could well do
>significant damage there. It is a frequent nest/nestling predator, and an
>aggressive competitor. Do you think it is worth the risk letting them turn
>up, reside and possibly become established? Local species and ecosystems
>will, over long periods, have reached some sort of equilibrium with natural
>migrants, so the two things- migrants and introduced by humans- are a
>world
>apart. If you disagree, as some do, and say that it can't possibly do any
>harm, or things will reach some natural balance, then lets bring on the
>lantana, goats, foxes, ship rats, rubber vine, cats and all the other
>things
>which have been mistakenly judged as benign.
>
>Scott O'Keeffe
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From:
> Behalf Of Phil Gregory
>Sent: 16 March 2001 10:59
>To: birding-aus
>Subject: [BIRDING-AUS] Magpie destruction
>
>Interesting to see Lloyd Nielsen's note that the
>Black-billed Magpie has been destroyed by AQIS as
>it may introduce disease. I assume this means that
>AQIS will also be destroying all migrants birds as
>well? Is this all foot and mouth related hysteria?
>
>Regards Phil
>
>Birding-Aus is on the Web at
>www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
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>
>Birding-Aus is on the Web at
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