From: Martin on 13/11/2002 10:00 AM
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Subject: ABC news item Nov '02
This news item just appeared in the ABC Newsmail. Thought it of interest.
Has anyone seen birds 'falling out of the trees'?
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*Outback wildlife latest victims of killer drought*
The drought gripping large parts of the country is starting to take its
toll on the wildlife of outback Australia.
The drought has become so bad in the far west of New South Wales that
birds are dropping out of the trees.
Coolabah resident, Phil Lysaght, says he was fishing on the Barwon
River, near Brewarrina, when he saw at least two red tailed black
cockatoos fall to the ground.
"We were fishing between Brewarrina and Walgett and there were black
cockatoos squawking above us, and next thing you know they are falling
out of the trees," he said.
"I tried to revive one, but I think they are just dying of hunger."
Dubbo bird expert Judie Peete says the birds are probably staying close
to the river in the hope of finding food.
Meanwhile, in the parched far west of South Australia camels on the
Nullarbor are being killed by trains in their desperate search for
water.
Locals say the camels are coming south in unprecedented numbers.
Lyndon Wade from the Ceduna weather station, has just returned from a
visit to the remote railway township of Cook, where he says the animals
are causing major problems.
"They're pretty dumb apparently and they're licking the dew on the
railway lines in the morning and when they hit them they bounce under
the train and the drivers can hear them rattling away under the train as
they skittle them," he said.
"They cleaned up eight in one hit there. There's not much they can do
about it."
Martin O'Brien
Executive Scientific Officer, Scientific Advisory Committee
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
4/250 Victoria Pde., East Melbourne 3002
Tel: 9412 4567 Fax: 9412 4586
(prefixes: Interstate 03 International 613)
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