Big ideas

[Waterrat]

Everybody interested in conservation and animal keeping / breeding should listen to this program. Greg Miles, Mike Archer and Rosie Cooney discuss the state of our mismanaged wildlife and reptile keeper's (i.e. us) contributions to the body of knowledge about reptiles and our role in conservation. Give yourself 50 minutes and listen to what the great minds have to say.

cheers
Michael

[FONT=Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]ABC iview [/FONT]

 

[Wild~Touch]

Thank you Michael, this is essential for everyone to take on board

 

[saximus]

I know what I'm gonna be doing instead of work for the next hour. Thanks for the link

 

[Snakeluvver2]

Thanks I'll watch after my exam today.

 

[Fuscus]

As stated in that program, every single idea has been around for ages and just meets a wall of bureaucratic indifference and/or stupidity. They mentioned sugar gliders, which is one of the animals very suited to captivity but Queenslanders are apparently too immature to keep, despite the amazing success that overseas and South Australian breeder have had. Heck, we can't even keep Hopping mice! Every time I have to deal with DEA/EcoAccess/DERM or whatever they are called this week I come away with the feeling that their primary purpose is to justify their own existence and put a wall between people and wildlife ( unless you own a bulldozer ).
And on a related note ( or a continuation of the above rant ) it appears that in order to get or continue to do snake relocation in QLD you are now required to hold a senior first aid certificate.

 

[Waterrat]

it appears that in order to get or continue to do snake relocation in QLD you are now required to hold a senior first aid certificate.

Very true mate, next thing you will have wear protective gear, hard hat, goggles and have an isolated compartment in your car to transport reptiles (approved by some gov. body).

But lets not get side-tracked, the discussion was a very important event, uniting some high calibre influential scientists and us reptile keepers in many principles.

 

[imported_Varanus]

Many thanks for the link, WR! Let's hope we see some action along these lines sooner rather than later.

 

[Laghairt]

Thanks for posting Michael, I'll have a listen tonight.

 

[Snakeluvver2]

It really does seem that goverment bodies have got the idea of conservation backwards.
On a lighter note I'm buying that book they mentioned at the end. Going Native.

 

[Waterrat]

I hope that every APS member and visitors will have a chance to view this program over the weekend, it's so topical and it's important to understand that we are here to play very important role and why.
This is the beginning - thing have to change!

 

[Kenno]

Great program with some very refreshing ideas.

 

[jahan]

May be if private keepers were allowed to
keep Tassie devils,they might have been in a
better position today.

 

[Renenet]

Thanks for the heads-up, Michael. I wanted that program to keep going, the ideas and the panellists were so interesting.

When it comes to conserving fauna, the hands-off, softly-softly school of thought clearly isn't working. It's getting to the point where we're losing species at a frightening rate and we need to actively do something to save what's left. Maybe we'll make a few mistakes along the way, but we stand to lose so much more if we do nothing.

It's always frustrated me that human beings need to place an economic value on things in order to consider them valuable, but that strategy might be just what we need to bring conservation to a wider audience. Private money is sorely needed and if that's what it takes, I'd be quite happy to see most of the ideas mentioned put into practice. I'd like to get directly involved if I ever get a chance.

The fundamental question seems to be: why do we have bureaucrats in charge of wildlife management? Bureaucracy moves slowly and is the last to embrace new ideas. Sadly, they can't even keep up with the cane toad front. I want to scream with frustration! :x

 

[ramzee86]

That was really reallly interesting, thanks Michael!

 

[Dan40D]

Fantastic link Michael, the best discussion i have heard on the conservation of native wildlife yet.

There are many species that this theory could be applied to, take the Orange-bellied Parrot for example, less than 35 birds left in the wild now and doomed to extinction, governments have long since given up caring. There are only a few captive collections of OBP that produce less than 20 young per year which are released, this is never going to sustain the species, yet if at least some of the young had been kept and bred out then released to the private collectors like virtually every other native parrot species, there is very little doubt that they would now exist in far greater numbers at least in a captive sense, which would have ensured that the species at least survived rather than been lost forever. The wild population only exists now by being artificially propped up by feeding tables and artifical nest boxes, how does this differ greatly from keeping them in captivity??

 

[cement]

"kneels down and bows with respect"

With the encroaching of human activity just around here in my backyard (the central coast NSW), we can only guess at how the wildlife is taking it. I have years of records of captured, released or cared for wild reptiles and our organisation has the same for marsupials, macropods, all bird species, mammals and others but there is no research that i know of, being done to monitor it. I am up for it, but it is such a huge task sorting through the records that the time to do it just won't present itself......yet.

Cheers Michael, lets hope that something good comes from this show and that it is seen by many. Keep the ball rolling.
The government dept's that control the destinies and so forth of this countries native species needs waking up and a good shake.If they won't do anything about the situation, then get out and make room for some one who will.

 

[saximus]

I finally got a chance to watch this because my work computer was playing up. All I can say is wow. This has really motivated me to research more information and ways that I can help with things like this. That was just amazing

 

[Laghairt]

Some very interesting discussion, really highlights how misguided the current policies are - especially the discussion relating to the captive breeding of RSPs.

 

[daveandem2011]

Cheers for the great link Michael. Was well worth the watch very informative.

 

[Wild~Touch]

I downloaded the audio version and put it on my ipod - everytime I hear those "Nature Gods" speak I get more out of it