>HANZAB states the following " FOOD: Carnivorous; specialized
in taking medium to large-sized arboreal mammals, mainly
Common Ringtail Possums and Greater Gliders; also roosting
birds and occasionally large beetles. Mammals take mostly in
weight range of 50 - 100% of adult Owl body-weight (Kavavagh
1997)."
In my own experience here in southern Victoria, I know that
Powerful Owls do prey extensively on birds at times - things
like choughs, currawongs, kookaburras. You'd need to have a
firm contract in place with the owls that they should only
eat Little Corellas and Galahs. Almost inevitably the owls
would start munching through the population of something much
more sensitive than the various feral and out-of-balance pest
species.
The Common Brushtail Possum on Kangaroo Island is a large
subspecies - the owls would have little impact on adults.
There are rare examples of Powerful Owls taking young Koalas,
but it's unlikely to be at population controlling levels!
Someone else already alluded to the scarcity of suitable
breeding habitat for Powerful Owls on Kangaroo Island. The
vegetation is primarily mallee, with areas of Sugar Gum and
Manna Gum in the north and west. Any owls which did
establish would be very localised, and would probably end up
being nest competitors with the endangered Glossy Black-
Cockatoos!
Please - no more introductions to KI!!!
L.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Lawrie Conole
2/37 Myrnong Crescent, Ascot Vale Vic 3032
AH 03 9370 3928 Mob 0419 588 993
Senior Zoologist
Ecology Australia Pty Ltd
88 B Station Street, Fairfield Vic 3078
BH 03 9489 4191 Fax 03 948 7679
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
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