| Wednesday
April 8
One million deaths sparks
call for an immediate end to 'muttonbird' season
Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania
today demanded an immediate end to the current Short-Tailed Shearwater
(muttonbird) season after reports that a million chicks have perished
on Babel Island, near Flinders Island.
Jennifer Beer, spokesperson
for Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania announced:
“We demand an immediate
halt to the Short-tailed shearwater seasons. One million chicks perishing
on Babel Island alone has devastating implications for the entire Shearwater
population. If these deaths are due to a food shortage then it will likely
affect colonies right around Tasmania.”
As a result of the one million
Shearwater chick deaths, the Aboriginal Land Council has shut down the
season on Babel Island.
Ms. Beer added:
“Clearly Short-tailed
Shearwaters are a threatened species, evidenced by the massive death toll
in just one of over two hundred colonies. The closure of commercial 'muttonbirding'
in the largest Shearwater colony is a huge warning sign that these birds
are in serious trouble. If chicks are dead and dying in these sort of
numbers then the entire species is at risk of catastrophic decline.”
Part of the Short-tailed Shearwaters'
diet is krill and scientists have reported a tenfold decline in krill
populations during the past 10 years. The British Antarctic Survey completed
a study in November 2004 stating that there has been an 80 percent decline
in krill since the 1970's.
Ms Beer continued:
“With Short-Tailed Shearwaters
exposed to these threats there is a need to conduct comprehensive studies
of Shearwater populations in southern Australia, including Tasmania. Meanwhile
the only responsible decision is an end to all Shearwater killing now.”
For more information contact:
Jennifer Beer, Against Animal
Cruelty Tasmania – 0408 970 359 |
