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Short-tailed Shearwater wreck in Port Melbourne

To: Tom Tarrant <>, Tim Jones <>
Subject: Short-tailed Shearwater wreck in Port Melbourne
From: Debbie Lustig <>
Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2013 19:11:04 +1100
Neil Blake from the St Kilda EcoCentre dissected a few and found plastic pieces 
- though the birds weren't full of it.

Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2013 18:06:05 +1000
Subject: Short-tailed Shearwater wreck in Port Melbourne
From: 
To: 
CC: ; 

Discussed the same thing with Nikolas Haas this weekend, surely a possibility 
of correlation with these ranges, has anyone tested the corpses for increased 
radiation levels?


Tom 

On Sun, Nov 10, 2013 at 2:55 PM, Tim Jones <> wrote:

I wonder if the stuff I have read about regarding potential ecological disaster 
in the pacific linked to Fukushima has anything to do with this. After all this 
seems to relate to a large part of their wintering range?




Sent from my iPhone



> On 10 Nov 2013, at 4:59 pm, "Debbie Lustig" <> 
> wrote:

>

> The same thing was happening at St Kilda on the same day (Saturday 9/11), 
> albeit on a slightly smaller scale. The strong birds were gliding and 
> swooping over the waves while the rest either bobbed about, resting, doing 
> nothing to avoid the numerous kite-surfers, or lay dead on the sand. I 
> watched one weak bird pounded and dragged about in the waves for a while, and 
> felt that it was worth trying to rescue. I sought help from an animal rescue 
> professional. He arrived and we debated the options of who to take it to. 
> Several phone calls later, we learned the following:


> Melbourne Zoo and the DEPI's protocol is to euthanise any ST Shearwaters

> A Frankston carer had 40 ailing birds handed in and none survived longer than 
> three hours. Apparently, they can't handle the stress of being rescued and 
> being in captivity

> All the birds handed in were well below their normal weight and had 
> breastbones 'like razors' ie they were wasted and starving

> There are some wildlife rehab people who specialise in seabirds but none near 
> the inner city beaches

> Someone in St Kilda (illegally) rescued two birds, which died soon after

> None of this should put people off trying to rescue other injured birds. The 
> hard part can be finding an experienced carer to nurse them back to health. 
> All vets are supposed to at least assess injured or sick animals and 
> hopefully send them to an appropriate wildlife carer. Or you can try Wildlife 
> Victoria, who do a good job but are overworked.


> I share Richard's sadness at this awful situation, and wish we could help. 
> But it seems we can't. All I can suggest is we go out and watch the birds 
> that are still capable of flight, and enjoy the spectacle of them while we 
> can. If I'm not mistaken, you need to get right out on the ocean to see ST 
> Shearwaters, normally.


>

>

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-- 
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Tom Tarrant
Kobble Creek, Qld

http://www.aviceda.org

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