Final Solution for Sick Rotto Quokkas
May 12th 2004, 2:03 am
#1
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Joined: Sep 2002
Location: Ilukapool. WA
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Final Solution for Sick Rotto Quokkas
http://www.thewest.com.au/20040512/n...sto124800.html
Sick and injured Rottnest quokkas that cannot be returned to relatively good health within 24 hours will be killed in new gas chambers.
Guidelines to deal with the quokkas officially replace the old practice of sending some to the mainland for care and to be hand-reared or killing sicker animals with a blow to the back of the head.
Clubbing of quokkas, which led to an outcry last year, resulted in Tourism Minister Bob Kucera calling in experts to develop new rules for the best treatment of the marsupials.
Rottnest Island Authority conservation manager Claire Wright said three mobile carbon dioxide chambers had been bought because inhalation of that gas was the preferred method of killing. But in extreme circumstances, clubbing would be allowed.
She said there would be no delay in euthanasing badly injured animals because rangers would carry the chambers in their vehicles.
A new wildlife station has been built on the island for the care of sick and injured quokkas. The small shed-like treatment centre and enclosure has room for three animals.
Ms Wright said under the new rules, a decision would be made after 24 hours whether a quokka could be returned to the wild on the island or euthanased. If quokkas were removed from their environment for longer than that, they had difficulty returning to the wild.
"That timeframe relates to their ability to be reintroduced," Ms Wright said. "After that time, they lose their territory and, by putting them back into the wild population, they are exposed to harassment and fighting and attacks."
Ms Wright said any injured or sick quokka would be euthanased if it could not be returned because guidelines prevented animals being hand-reared. Rangers would care for the animals and euthanase those that could not be saved.
There was no justification for a veterinarian on the island because rangers were properly trained.
Until last year, injured quokkas or deserted joeys that could not go back to their environment were sent to the mainland to be cared for at the Chidlow Marsupial Hospital.
But the guidelines reinforce the decision to end that practice, saying that sending quokkas to the mainland puts at risk, through disease, the rare and endangered species of quokkas in the Stirling Range and jarrah forests near Dwellingup and Harvey.
Posters and brochures have been developed urging tourists not to feed or interfere with quokkas and particularly not to handle joeys. Ms Wright said that if joeys were removed from their territory by tourists, they could not be returned to their mothers.
Sick and injured Rottnest quokkas that cannot be returned to relatively good health within 24 hours will be killed in new gas chambers.
Guidelines to deal with the quokkas officially replace the old practice of sending some to the mainland for care and to be hand-reared or killing sicker animals with a blow to the back of the head.
Clubbing of quokkas, which led to an outcry last year, resulted in Tourism Minister Bob Kucera calling in experts to develop new rules for the best treatment of the marsupials.
Rottnest Island Authority conservation manager Claire Wright said three mobile carbon dioxide chambers had been bought because inhalation of that gas was the preferred method of killing. But in extreme circumstances, clubbing would be allowed.
She said there would be no delay in euthanasing badly injured animals because rangers would carry the chambers in their vehicles.
A new wildlife station has been built on the island for the care of sick and injured quokkas. The small shed-like treatment centre and enclosure has room for three animals.
Ms Wright said under the new rules, a decision would be made after 24 hours whether a quokka could be returned to the wild on the island or euthanased. If quokkas were removed from their environment for longer than that, they had difficulty returning to the wild.
"That timeframe relates to their ability to be reintroduced," Ms Wright said. "After that time, they lose their territory and, by putting them back into the wild population, they are exposed to harassment and fighting and attacks."
Ms Wright said any injured or sick quokka would be euthanased if it could not be returned because guidelines prevented animals being hand-reared. Rangers would care for the animals and euthanase those that could not be saved.
There was no justification for a veterinarian on the island because rangers were properly trained.
Until last year, injured quokkas or deserted joeys that could not go back to their environment were sent to the mainland to be cared for at the Chidlow Marsupial Hospital.
But the guidelines reinforce the decision to end that practice, saying that sending quokkas to the mainland puts at risk, through disease, the rare and endangered species of quokkas in the Stirling Range and jarrah forests near Dwellingup and Harvey.
Posters and brochures have been developed urging tourists not to feed or interfere with quokkas and particularly not to handle joeys. Ms Wright said that if joeys were removed from their territory by tourists, they could not be returned to their mothers.
May 12th 2004, 2:52 am
#2
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Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Notts to Perth, Perth to Notts
Posts: 1,748
Here is one.... ( if it works!
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