Last weekend, rescuers at two wetlands found 46 more dead birds. That's 37 game
species, shot and left behind, and nine protected species.This includes a large
cygnet, the tenth swan found this season on patrols of only 3-4 wetlands.
A photo album can be viewed here:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150258879633125.373312.638123124&l=834304ae6f
Thank goodness we're only two weekends away from the end of the season.For
those interested, this was a media event (that no media attended) outside the
HQ of the DSE in East Melbourne. We photograph and count the birds and
cross-check them with a wildlife officer.Then the wildlife officer takes all
the birds away for examination at Atwood.They're tested for avian influenza,
among other things.
Duck rescuers run a metal detector over all birds.
Here are the species totals:
24 Hardhead7 Pacific Black Duck4 Grey Teal1 Wood Duck1 Blue-winged Shoveler
Protected species:
2 Dusky Moorhen4 Eurasian Coot1 Great Crested Grebe1 Galah1 large cygnet
Even though it's his job to expedite hunting for duck shooters, the wildlife
officer had some opinions he shared. 'What was acceptable 20 years ago is no
longer (OK)'.'I'm coming around to your way of thinking' (ie against
shooting).(Looking at a Hardhead): 'They're beautiful birds. It's a waste on
two fronts. Killing it in the first place and then leaving it.''I struggle with
the idea of shooting what you won't eat.'
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