Why put in something about land birds in a marine magazine, because it says a lot about the way we regard and regulate threatened wildlife more generally, especially predators. Centuries old negative attitudes are still entrenched.
Source: From “Recent Massacre of Wedge-Tailed Eagles in Victoria: an Eccentric Event?” By Nick Mooney BirdLife Australia Raptor Group
Photo: Sea eagle, David Watts
In September 2018 we saw the conviction of a farm labourer for killing numerous wedge-tailed eagles by deliberate poisoning on several adjacent properties at Tubbut, northeast Victoria. Court documents released to the public showed the unlawful killing of a protected species by misuse of registered agricultural chemicals. The labourer actually voluntarily approached Victorian authorities, confessed, gave them his very detailed work diaries and indicated where baiting occurred and where carcases and chemical caches were hidden. It seems the labourer was intent on incriminating the landowner over a dismissal issue. Prosecution was based on the physical remains of 136 wedgies and other protected species although the diaries recorded 420 wedgies killed by a variety of farm chemicals, essentially organophosphates registered for vegetable spraying.
He said he acted under instructions to increase lamb survival. The man was jailed for 14 days and fined $A2,500, “equating to 48 minutes jail and a $6 fine for each eagle”
There have been many grumblings about the inadequacy of the penalties but it is the first time someone has been actually jailed in Victoria for a wildlife offence.
Although farmer groups have generally condemned the law breaking some have suggested compensation be available for losses to eagles. Others claiming to be farmers have anonymously supported the labourer and there have been calls on talkback radio for farmers to be allowed to shoot eagles in the manner they are allowed to shoot kangaroos (ie under routinely issued permits). Limited cull permits for eagles can be issued in any State but NSW and Victoria are the only States to do so and the latter hasn’t done so for many years.
Most notoriously, a note was sent in reply to someone writing to a newspaper protesting the shootings:
“What would a Labour voting greenie from Hurstbridge living in a McMansion know about us 5th generation farmers in Gippsland? Bet your Toorak tracktor has no gone past the local shops. We watch foxes, wild dogs and eagles take young baby lambs at a rate over the last ten yrs, you wouldn’t even know. Nobody in Dan’s Labour party gives a fk. Fine us farmers -good luck! Come down and stick your greenie nose in our area and see what happens –I shoot what I want! Including stinking eagles.” (Sydney Morning Herald 27/9/2018)
Nick’s article remind me of an old quote I saw recently, “Mr. Stevenson is to be congratulated in adopting the right attitude towards the useless Tasmanian tiger. From the past experience of early settlers this relentless destroyer of sheep, pigs, fowls, young calves, and even young horses, should be absolutely exterminated, and let its skeleton be the only thing left in our museums to remind us of its depredations”. “The Examiner” 1937
Lucky we have a more refined sensibility now. We are happy to protect predators rather that view only their bones from the safety of a museum? How about this one…?
