Thanks for posting that pic Fay, i've been flat out since early last week and have hardly had a chance to sit down at the comp. Here's a pic of the second animal from last week. It's late i'll be back in the morning to answer questions.
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oenpelli's are like prehistoric Antaresie sp. makes me wonder if they actually belong to the Morelia genus, No i am not saying they belong to Antaresia but they don't resemble any other Morelia species.
by the way, she/he is awesome! congrats!
Thanks for posting that pic Fay, i've been flat out since early last week and have hardly had a chance to sit down at the comp. Here's a pic of the second animal from last week. It's late i'll be back in the morning to answer questions.
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The permit is for 4. Does that mean one goes back?
so in the next 10 years we can all have one??
That is the plan!
The small number reflects the justification for removing them from the wild. That is that they are presumed to be declining like many animals in Kakadu (and therefor in Arnhem Land also). That is possibly true in Kakadu but let's not go into that here. He is not collecting in Kakadu.
TOs say they mostly eat fruit bats and there is no suggestion of any population stress with them.
I believe that they have a far greater distribution through Arnhem Land than is currently recognised and I have communicated this to Gavin in person.
Yea I just sent him congrats.
Re my earlier comment, Gavin has had 2 for some time now and Faye's post suggests he has recently acquired another 3 = 5. I believe the Section 19 permit is for 4. I have no problem with Gavin or this project but I am far from convinced that the numbers have fallen and there is an urgent need for a captive breeding program to "save the species" anyway. Countrymen dont seem to think so.
My issue is that very often whitefellas make agreements with blackfellas and then exceed or break the contract. I believe Gavin is honorable but I am always a tad wary with these things given what I have witnessed in the past.
Right now Gav has 4 Steve, 3 mature girls, 1 subadult girl and yearling boy.
Thanks for all the pics Gordo, they are unreal. How about a naming comp for the boy , it will get national coverage I am sure ??
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