The timing of this story is interesting. The Canberra Times has a story this
morning of the second platypus caught in fishing line
Anglers warned after platypus deaths
BY CLAIRE LOW
15 Jan, 2010 08:24 AM
The carelessness of Canberra anglers has resulted in the death of at least
two platypuses and severe injuries for other native wildlife.
On Wednesday, recreational fisherman Dusan Tomasev was saddened to find that
a platypus he had seen swimming on several occasions in Lake Burley Griffin
near the National Museum of Australia had been strangled by someone else's
discarded fishing line.
Mr Tomasev tried to lift the platypus out of the water but couldn't - the
creature was trapped by a line tied to a tree, with the other end wrapped
around its neck. He had to cut the line to take it out of the lake.
''He was very friendly. He used to sit there watching people. I saw him
swimming in different spots. Very nice, you know.''
RSPCA ACT is pleading that people who fish remember how their activities can
harm native wildlife.
In the last few days, the animal welfare charity received into care a
seriously harmed platypus, a swan and a turtle. The turtle and swan are
recovering in Weston, but the platypus died.
Chief executive Michael Linke said it was ''a tragedy for this unique and
rare animal''.
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Tim Jones
Sent: Thursday, 14 January 2010 10:27 PM
To: birding aus
Subject: FW: [Surfbirdsnews] Derogatory article on twitchers
in latest AnglingTimes
Dear All,
Thought you might like to see the following (see link below in the chain).
Just shows that there it doesn't matter which side you are on, there are
always ignorant idiots who will stop at nothing to make a point. I like the
clever tactical mention of 'cold clear and precise detail' in the first
paragraph. It's possible that the second and third paragraphs are factually
correct (although 'almost certainly a birdwatcher' might be just a tad
presumptuous). After that? All cold, clear and precise detail? No wonder the
guy hasn't got a job with a real newspaper (well maybe I could think of a
couple of rags who would happily employ him).
If any of you rabid animal liberationist twitchers visit the UK, suggest you
watch out for the retaliatory attacks from the reactionary FFFFF (factionary
fascist fly-fishing front)!
Of course I am not personally condoning the attack itself...
Happy twitching!
Tim
http://www.gofishing.co.uk/Angling-Times/Section/News--Catches/General-News/
January-2010/Steve-Partner-The-dark-heart-of-twitching/
From:
To: ; ;
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Subject: Re: [Surfbirdsnews] Derogatory article on twitchers in latest
AnglingTimes
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:52:48 +0000
I'm a fisherman almost as much as I am a birder, I naively thought the two
went together as fundamentally its an understanding of nature, pursuing a
quarry, and the being out in the great outdoors but it looks like I'm the
exception to the rule!.
Note how there is absolutely no evidence that this assault was done by a
birdwatcher but they just presumed that the attacker was most probably a
birdwatcher. Why?? No mention made of a scope or bins, almost certainly not
a birder at all, and I will risk putting my head above the parapet and say
that most birders are not that passionate about the plight of a single
Cormorant either.
Back now to my little bubble world - its nicer there!
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