John Young's talk in Melbourne last night has further boosted interest
in the Night Parrot and what can be done to protect the population
discovered by John in south-west Queensland, and indeed any other
populations that may be out there.
Given that we know now that these critically endangered birds are
being killed by feral cats, I remain deeply concerned that there is no
government involvement in moves to protect them. The suggestions of
some folk that all governments are evil and hopeless and should be
kept in the dark about the whereabouts of the parrots are ill-advised
and dangerous. If these people had their way, the Lord Howe Island
Woodhen would have been extinct long ago. So too the Orange-bellied
Parrot. The Noisy Scrubbird would be a distant memory. The fact is
that notwithstanding some mistakes, active intervention by governments
both in Australia and overseas has consistently been critical in
saving endangered species. The facts are beyond dispute.
I've ventured before the opinion that the Night Parrots discovered by
John belong neither to him nor to the leaseholders of the grazing
property where they occur. It should be remembered that the Queensland
Government has a legal responsibility to act to protect the parrots.
That said, I think John Young is an obvious person to be appointed by
government to co-ordinate or play a key role in the implementation of
an environmental management program to protect the parrots. His skills
and experience would contribute enormously in the planning of measures
to control feral cats; in undertaking further research into the
parrots; and in engaging in wider management issues such as fire and
grazing controls.
Given that governments are cash-strapped these days, there could be an
important role for an organisation like Bush Heritage Australia to
take over ownership of the grazing property.
So there's my suggested solution for a pathway forward: a combination
of John Young, private enterprise and government. Stranger things have
happened.
Finally, there is an obvious need for calls of the parrot to be
distributed. It is a no-brainer. That will do more than anything to
try to pinpoint other populations before cats or whatever knock them
off. Hopefully John will recognise the wisdom of that before it is too
late.
Greg Roberts
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