A simple message is needed during bushfires and droughts - supply water for
wildlife! The media should be encouraged to issue this message.
In Canberra, 16 houses were lost in my brother's street, but his own house
survived. The bowerbirds in his garden survived too but their bowers were
destroyed. My brother had not thought to put out food or water for the
refugee bowerbirds (and any other creatures), until I reminded him.
In the drought here in Capertee Valley, I have many water dishes out for
animals and birds. I was feeding the starving wallabies with calf pellets
until I realized this is the WRONG FOOD for wallabies. Some pelleted feeds
including calf pellets contain urea which can kill wallabies (and horses too
apparently). You need to give wallabies and roos either baled lucerne, or
"Kangaroo Pellets" of a type used by Dubbo Zoo, which contain NO nasty
additives such as urea, lactose and proteins.
There would be quite a lot of people out there who would be happy to feed
and water wildlife (animals and birds), if they were encouraged to do so by
the media, and if they were told what sort of feeds might be suitable.
Vicki Powys
Capertee Valley NSW
ps Georgia Peach (skycrane) is currently waterbombing the fires which are
moving into Capertee Valley from Wolgan Valley. There's lots of action
visible just east of Mt. Gundangaroo, but the weather is mild and Georgia is
winning thus far.
on 31/1/03 1:36 PM, at
wrote:
> Chris makes some good points regarding arguments regarding hazard
> reduction reduction etc and the "blame" for fires. This, however, is
> beside the point and not something that Birds Australia need not get
> involved in at this stage (if at all).
>
> All I'm suggesting is that there a lot of people out there (as evidenced
> by the public reaction during and after the NSW Christmas 2001 fires) that
> want to do something for displaced wildlife. Surely Birds Australia can
> provide that information. The problem is that people do not know it is
> there. The same applies for the current drought situation.
>
> I'm not suggesting BA launch into a "membership drive", I'm merely
> suggesting that getting out there in front of the public providing
> information about how to assist displaced wildlife (not entering into a
> debate about the fires) raises the public profile of Birds Australia.
> This, in turn, may have a long term benefit for membership.
>
> Cheers
>
> David Geering
>
>
>
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> those of the individual sender, and are not necessarily the views of the
> NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
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