Newsletter compiled by Hayley Ricardo,
Anthea Wallhead and Craig Webb.
Online publication by Peter Wallhead.
Editions: [Current] [Dec.
2008] [May
2008] [Feb.
2008] [2007]
Members Open Day!
 Come
and see how your support is helping rehabilitate Tasmania’s
injured and orphaned wildlife. See for yourself the state
of the art facilities and meet the residents.
DATE: Sunday 20th September
TIME: 12:30 pm
Drinks & BBQ available *gold coin.
A Refuge Raffle will be running
All financial members welcome.
Reminders
Our AGM:
Sunday 20th September 11:30am
@ the Refuge
2010 Calenders
Out soon, place your orders now.
Features stunning photographs of Tasmanian wildlife.
Membership $$ now due
Y our support directly aids Tasmania’s injured and
orphaned wildlife.
Who Are We? The Refuge moves ahead in leaps
and bounds
 
Craig has been working tirelessly keeping
the Refuge looking great and keeping the current residents
happy. Along with site landscaping and construction of
the new owl aviary, Craig has built new furniture for
the existing pens. He has also been working hard to secure
support for the new education facilities and ongoing material
and equipment needs.
The slatted aviaries are up and running:
they are currently home to 2 Swamp Harriers, an Australian
Hobby & a Brown Falcon recovering from various injuries,
and a beautiful masked owl.
Can you help?
Wanted:
- old blankets and towels
- volunteers for a range of activities
- lend/buy/donation of a 3point linkage post hole digger
for the Refuge as hole digging is a constant chore : )
- Mice/rat breeders to help feed the hungry residents
The Funny!
Q: How do you identify a bald eagle?
A: All his feathers are combed over to one side.
Craig Webb
The world around us: Tasmanian Native Hens
Slate grey with hues of velvet
olive green, those piercing ruby red eyes, the rubbery
dull yellow mantle to shield its body when scrambling
through dense thickets, the distinguished strut (the aristocrat
of the bird world), powerful leg muscles to effortlessly
catapult the bird to exhilarating speeds, that most penetrating
of calls that could not originate from any other creature.
Whatever our impression of our uniquely Tasmanian native
hen, we surely have one. But just how much do we really
understand about this odd, ever present friend? The Tasmanian
native hen is a group-living, co-operatively breeding
flightless rail. Groups are highly organised, everything
about the behavioural ecology of the native hen relies
on group solidarity.
For example; single members falling victim
to road-kill directly affect the intricate dynamics of
a groups’ ability to retain resources within territories,
thus directly affecting survivorship. As a flightless
species, native hens have evolved a complex network of
communication between group members. There is evidence
to suggest that individual group members play unique roles;
whether they be in territorial contests or alerting other
group members of predator threats. As I have seen in trials,
any disruption to group unity affects group continuity.
Until 2007 our native hen was one of only
a handful of avian species left unprotected here in Tasmania.
Unfortunately, the timely new status accompanies a new
threat – the European red fox. Understanding native
hen evolutionary ecology is key to understanding the potential
impacts of this new threat. With its keen sense of smell,
the fox is capable of locating and flushing out the fluffy
black chicks lying motionless and unseen in tall grass
(conversely the feral cat is a visual predator relying
strongly on sight). Native hens rely on some members of
the cohort ‘budding’ off to form new groups,
or joining with pre-existing groups. Interruption to this
dispersal strategy weakens genetic diversity, and effectively
stifles population expansion. It remains uncertain just
how many foxes it may take to hold our native hen in jeopardy.
One thing is more certain however; our flightless native
hen is likely to directly contribute to fox expansion
here in Tasmania.
Martin Pepperday
(Martin conducted studies of native hen populations in
2006-2007)
Member contribution
Entertained by eagles
My home is a hide.
Tiny robins and wrens in reds and blues dart across the
lawns and sedges.
Swallows glue mud nests to my mud brick walls.
Black cockatoos squawk and flap past on their way
to the Huon.
And wedge-tailed eagles soar and loop and screech and
perch against blue sky.
I don’t know where the eagles nest; they come and
go.
The first time they went away for many months I missed
them, was happy when they returned.
A few years ago a third eagle appeared, smaller than the
two.
This one also comes and goes; I hope it finds a mate.
The eagles loom large up close.
One day I came home and for a moment thought a plane was
near the house.
Another day, as hundreds and thousands of silvereyes flocked
and chattered in the grass, my dog looked slowly
upward.
An eagle was above us: silent, almost still, yet circling.
How different birds can be.
The eagles make great use of their stage.
They do aerobatics against the backdrop of Bruny Island,
especially when I have guests.
For an encore they fly way behind the house to a tall,
dead tree.
They watch as I scramble up the hill with my camera, let
me reach the tree, but still they are silhouettes
in the distance.
From there they can see from Hartz Mountains to Tasman
Island, and just as far north and south.
And humans think they invented Google Earth.
Bryony Bennett
MY SPOT
Dear members,
As I always start my spot, I will do so again - it’s
been another hectic and busy time at the Raptor and Wildlife
Refuge, and we will continue to be this way as recent
media has created more awareness about the Refuge’s
aims and goals statewide. Thus, more animals are making
their way here for TLC, which is fantastic. The more people
aware of the Refuge the more animals in need can receive
the help they require.
Recent developments include a new preparation/hospital
room, landscaping, construction of aviary furniture, and
pouring of footings for a new owl aviary. This aviary
is a purpose-built slatted aviary, and very large, even
by my standards. I would like to take this opportunity
to thank Josh Bradshaw from Roaring 40s for supporting
us in this venture. Josh and I have been working closely
together, as Roaring 40s is responsible for a considerable
number of wedge tailed eagle deaths, and one of the ways
the company is addressing this is by supporting the Raptor
and Wildlife Refuge with our rehabilitation facilities.
There is a long way to go but I feel so strongly about
the path I have chosen that to continue is not a choice
but destiny.
In addition, the Aurora Energy Sponsorship Committee visited
the Refuge recently, to discuss possible ongoing support,
including the installation of power poles for my third
massive raptor flight aviary. Also on the agenda was possible
sponsorship for the impending Education Centre. In conjunction
with other sponsors, we are looking forward to progressing
with the Centre. This facility will be a central point
of learning, with a huge emphasis on the message of conserving
Tasmania’s ecology and wildlife.
The need for more aviaries/enclosures is simply to be
able to have the best facilities available at any given
time, as we are now well and truly on the map as a world-class
rehabilitation centre. The focus on rehabilitation is
arguably more important than ever before, considering
what is happening to Tasmania’s native wildlife.
With the Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease, Tasmania’s
ecology is rapidly changing, and the Wedge-tailed eagle,
being an apex predator, must be looked after at all costs.
The problems and threats facing many of our raptors are
simply not going to go away; therefore, rehabilitation
is paramount to the survival of some of these species.
Currently at the Refuge, I am housing an Australian Hobby,
two Swamp Harriers, a Masked Owl, a Brown Falcon, six
Wedge-tailed Eagles, a White Goshawk and a Sulphur-crested
Cockatoo, and the list of animals that have visited the
Refuge is extensive. Sadly a number of these were euthanized,
but this is part of the bare facts of the Wildlife Refuge.
The support of the network of wildlife carers is heartwarming,
and gives peace of mind to know that there is a long list
of individuals that may be contacted at any time to offer
advice and support on tricky patients. These people play
an integral part in Tasmania’s wildlife care system,
and should not go unnoticed. I think that the Department
of Primary Industries and Water do a great job in liaising
with licensed wildlife carers, and I’m proud to
be part of this system.
I thank all members for their continued support, and would
like to remind you to remain financial. Memberships run
from June to June. I also look forward to meeting you
at our open day, the date of which will be announced in
this newsletter.
The Raptor & Wildlife Refuge of Tasmania WILL
continue to be a voice for ALL native Wildlife.
Craig Webb
Public Officer
craig@raptorrefuge.com.au
0408725869
Bruny Island Cruises is a proud supporter of
the Raptor Wildlife Refuge
Ph: (03)62931465 www.brunycruises.com.au
Untouched wilderness and abundant wildlife are the highlights
of the Bruny Island three hour Environmental Cruise. Visit
the Friar Rocks, home to over 1000 Australian Fur Seals.
Observe dolphins and extensive birdlife.
Ziggy’s Corner: A kids’ perspective
on wildlife
Why Tasmania should have wildlife refuges:
Tasmania should absolutely have wildlife refuges, because
if we don’t, all Tasmania’s wildlife will
die out! But why? Good question! Tasmania’s wildlife
refuges save animals from dying, and help them survive
sicknesses. Tasmania’s wildlife will eventually
disappear and a lot animals will become extinct without
them. Not only that, but if our wildlife dies out, our
whole food chain collapses, and most animals including
humans will starve. The refuges cure sick/injured animals
which result in animals being healthy and being able to
breed, so Tasmania’s wildlife grows. If this doesn’t
happen, Tassie will have to say their goodbyes to wildlife!
I believe that Tasmania’s wildlife needs our help,
so after considering the above points, Tasmania should
definitely have wildlife refuges.
Katie Palmer, Grade 6, Collegiate
College
There are lots of reasons for having wildlife refuges.
These include helping Tasmania’s rare species of
wallabies and birds that are hit by cars, orphaned or
shot. This leads to them being left, injured and hungry
until they starve to death. Wildlife refuges create a
safe, secure environment where animals can recover and
get specialist treatment. One of the advantages of wildlife
refuges is that more people can be voluntarily employed.
For instance, if there are many animals, more people will
be needed. It may not be a paid job, but the volunteers
will be doing something nice for nature and wildlife.
Volunteers get a lot of satisfaction from being involved
with Tasmania’s native wildlife, knowing that they
are helping out animals that they care deeply about. Furthermore,
having more wildlife refuges decreases the number of animals
being attacked while they are injured and helpless. If
we have refuges, there may be a small increase in animal
numbers, taking some out of the endangered zone. This
will mean that there has to be more forests saved to accommodate
these animals.
Thus in summary, I consider that having more wildlife
refuges is the correct way to go. Different wildlife refuges,
that specialize in different areas will create a network
of carers working together to help Tasmania’s native
wildlife. The injured animals can be transferred between
refuges according to their requirements and that can care
for their needs. This saves and protects many animals;
therefore it is the perfect way to save Tasmania’s
unique and endangered species.
Sarah Krieg, Grade 6, Collegiate College
Treasurer’s report
Principally due to donations and strong sales of last
year's fund raising calendar, the Refuge has over $3,000
in the bank and this assures the Refuge's future for at
least the next 12 months. Craig is continuing his efforts
to obtain a wildlife exhibition licence (WEL) and we are
hopeful the WEL will issue before the planned open day
in September. Once the WEL issues we intend to concentrate
on construction of an on site education centre to enable
us to cater for visits by school and other groups. A number
of parties have been approached to assist in funding the
education centre and we are hopeful of a positive outcome.
To enable the work of the Refuge to continue I urge you
to renew your membership and if possible to enlist a new
member.
Oyster Cove Chandlery
For all your boating needs
Proud supporters of the Raptor and Wildlife Refuge of
Tasmania
Feature Bird
Who Am I?!
I:
• Point my tail down when I call
• Have a curved bill with a distinct hook at the
tip
• Have a deep gravelly call
• Have a white eye-ring around the pupil
• Am found in a range of habitats from alpine
forests, to coastal scrub, as well as human modified
areas such as orchards and pine plantations
• Can be found in non-breeding flocks of up to
100 birds in winter.
• Almost completely black including legs and beak.
I eat:
• An omnivorous diet, mainly insects, small
lizards and birds and eggs.
• Carrion (dead animals), including road kill.
• I also can cache (hide) surplus food.
How come I’m so special?
• I am the only corvid (crow/raven) species
in Tasmania
I am...
Forest raven
Corvus tasmanicus
Source: www.birdsinbackyards.net
A special thanks from Craig:
As usual, our team of volunteers has played an important
role in the running of the Refuge, and my thanks goes
to these people for their commitment and energy - in particular
our secretary Anthea Wallhead, our treasurer Alastair
Shepherd, Wallhead Multimedia for our brilliant website
development, Brian Owens for his photographic contributions,
and Don Knowler for his continual Mercury articles. Nick
Mooney’s support is just wonderful as he is undoubtedly
a walking raptorial encyclopedia. I cannot list everyone,
but to say it’s a team effort is putting it mildly.
Contact us
For more information on the Refuge or to find out how
you can help check out the website www.raptorrefuge.com.au
or contact the Raptor and Wildlife Refuge Tasmania Inc.
email: craig@raptorrefuge.com.au
Ph: 0408725869
Post: PO BOX 108 Kettering 7155 |
The
Crest Chronicle
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