Media Release Media Release Media Release

1 April, 2010

STOP THE ANNUAL TASMANIAN SHEARWATER SLAUGHTER

Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania (AACT) is leading the charge to stop the killing of short-tailed shearwaters. AACT is supported by the Tasmanian Conservation Trust (TCT) and Wildlife Tasmania in opposing this annual massacre of wildlife in Tasmania.

“Year after year in Tasmania there is a cruel slaughter of thousands of shearwater chicks by the hands of a minority of malevolent individuals.” announced Chris Simcox of AACT, “Licensed killers are allowed to rip innocent chicks from their burrows and violently break their necks. This is government-sanctioned cruelty and abuse and is simply intolerable.”

The recreational shearwater killing season starts on Saturday 3rd April 2010. In two weeks it is possible for each recreational license-holder to kill up to 400 chicks each.  Last year there were nearly fifty thousand chicks killed during the season.

TCT Director Peter McGlone added that “In the 21st Century Tasmanians should end all government-licensed recreational killing of native wildlife, including shearwaters. The way shearwaters are killed means that many inevitably suffer before dying and this is made worse by many inexperienced and unsupervised people participating.”

Peter Power of Wildlife Tasmania claims “The mass slaughter of shearwaters is totally unacceptable in this day and age, as it is barbaric and senseless cruelty. These defenseless creatures are preyed upon by killers who are known to drag the chicks out of their burrows with long and sharp hooks and kill them by crushing their skulls. We are also very concerned about the destruction of shorebird habitat when these killers stamp about in search of their prey. Tasmania is in the dark ages compared to other states such who give full protection to these birds. We want an assurance from the newly elected Tasmanian government to protect these precious seabirds.”

For more information contact:
Chris Simcox, Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania, Ph: 0408 970 359
Peter Power, Wildlife Tasmania, Ph: 0417 017 105