The craziness........

It happened again today, the craziness of some people who are allowed to drive on the road. So many people, and none watching for anything on the road other than what might damage their vehicles, holiday makers these are. They travel to other places, usually the quiet, calm places so they can make all the noise they want and and race their motorbikes round the area and tear up the ground. Because they're not allowed to do this in the city where they live. They think they can do it in the countryside where they holiday. Their kids shouting and fighting out in the rural and forested areas, they are on holiday and think this is all right. Not once thinking of the people whose lives they disturb.

They drive the country roads like they have been designed and built for their use alone.

Two magpies on the side of the road, one lying on the gravel at the very edge of the tar, the other standing close to it alive and well, but obviously wondering why it's mate isn't getting up. Possibly even mourning. A fast travelling four wheel drive, a big flash thing that demonstrates the driver needs something to compensate for a lack in lower abdomen body part, mows it down. It lays on the road side, 300 mm on the tar, off the gravel. Still alive, but badly hurt.

We're coming up the other way to this slaughtering traffic, on this straight stretch of road and come to a screaming halt with traffic hazard lights flashing. My partner with “Wildlife Rescue” orange vest in hand is already out of the car, and we watch as another of these compensatory giants come toward the birds. The driver must have seen us come to a stop and the hazard lights screaming for caution right in front of them, while it was still a good 400 metres away. The driver has seen my partner leap out of the passenger side of the car and wave the orange vest and the person slowed not even a little. They must have seen the magpie struggling on the road, and should have stopped, or at least slowed and moved a little to one side to indicate caution to the cars behind. It ran straight over the magpie, crushing it to death.

Our jaws had no time to drop, as they poured vitriol after the driver, who just sped up even more, as my partner raced across the road and moved both bodies out of harms way to where other cars would not run over their already crushed bodies again and again.

If that driver saw none of this with all that time to spare, they should not have been driving that car. If they completely ignored the stupid people who were indicating that it should slow, they are culpable and if they killed that bird to show just how omnipotent they are, they have deluded themselves and should be flogged and jailed.

Some say the world is not a good place at the moment. We say the world is wonderful, but people are starting to become more callous and sick than ever before. There are some, like that driver who are degenerating more and more all the time. They are the sad dregs of our society, they care for nothing but themselves.

Frank the galah............

Frank the galah was handed to us in good condition, after being found on the side of the road and unable to fly. Though when we checked his wing, there appeared to be no breaks, so a muscle or sinew injury was assumed. After about 7 or 8 weeks he was allowed out and though he put his wing out as he ran away, it was obviously healing, but he didn't try to do any flying or flapping it. Being content to run away just wasn't good enough, so he was again caught and ensconced in his small aviary once again.

We decided to keep him a while longer, but didn't know off hand just how long a while would be. Three months in all and there were two galahs calling to him and he responding to their salutations, so we decided it was worth another shot at letting him go to see what he might do and where he might go. The result was that he didn't try to get out of his aviary, but walked past the open door then finally hopped out on the ground.

We thought it was a dead loss and his wing was not yet ready. However he heard the pair again and saw them fly a short distance away and suddenly he was flying and joined them. All three were heading someplace else as we watched and we assume the other two will have him as a friend and they will get along just fine. Though the breeding season which is now coming into full swing, could be a bit problematical for Frank.

Driver warning from police.........

The police in Bendigo have warned drivers to take care when driving on country roads, especially at night here:

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/police-issue-kangaroo-warning-20101230-19b5b.html

It's a timely warning that should be out in the public domain all the time. When drivers leave the city they should be able to see signs warning them of all the native animals they may encounter as they move into the rural and country areas.

The destruction of all wildlife species on the roads of all states of Australia is enormous. That a driver can not avoid a slow moving echidna or turtle that has ventured onto the road beggars belief and the drivers who kill these animals need to do some real serious self examination. They Are not drivers, but killers, because if they cannot drive round these creatures then how will they have good enough reflexes to avoid killing any child that may run out onto the road in the towns and cities. There are few road conditions where an animal on the road cannot be seen, though there are times, that wombats will run out in front of a car. If drivers who use country roads familiarise themselves with the habits of animals and birds, fewer would be killed.

Any animal on the road is unpredictable. It can get a fright any of a number of sources other than the approaching car. The driver is unable to determine if the animal is road smart or just there for the first time, and doesn't have any idea what it may expect.

Wildlife carers get sick of seeing the animals that are Australia's heritage being killed in large numbers all over the country. The orphaned and injured animals keep too many wildlife carers awake and weeping as they go about the business of trying to save animals that are victims of car collisions, one way or another.

So drive carefully, not only in holidays and on long trips, but all the time.

This is a perennial warning that should be heeded.

Starting Somewhere:

There will probably be many cute and interesting photographs of Australian wildlife in this blog. Wildlife caring may appear to be idyllic and because we enjoy it we may make it appear so. It involves a great deal of time, work, a huge commitment and a steep never ending learning curve. These obstacles need to be negotiated in this voluntary field.

To make a wildlife shelter work, do its job responsibly and most importantly save and succour these who share their environment with us. Whom we hurt with just about everything we do as western civilization human beings in need of justification for our existence, one needs to have patience in abundance, and dedication. That's also probably why wildlife rescue and rehabilitation is left to volunteers and not to a business and paid personnel. There are no set hours, their is no set time, and one must sometimes fight to the bitter end for a small living being and when all is finally lost to remember the others in care as well. Move on.

Human beings have a terrible burden taught by society. That being, to think they must do something, must fashion something out of the world they have found themselves born into and dwell within for a short time. This driving force is indoctrinated into the species and is heightened in those who find greed a large portion of their make up. Those who have large egos and those who need to feel the fabric of power are even more zealous in pursuit of trying to justify their existence.

There are all manner of volumes and gradients of these traits, and that's why wildlife carers are required. Because those who have the above mentioned flaws, fail to take into consideration other beings of their kind, or other species. Therein lies the problem that impacts upon all life and this planet upon which it resides.

Evolution is a dirty word to many people, because it suggests slow progress, when immediate gains are demanded and receive the accolades. Yet evolution is on going and it can only be hoped that the humans and the animals wildlife carers help, will be able to evolve quickly enough to survive the increasing greed and power that is sought by so many.

Habitat Loss

Habitat loss is one of the main pressures on not only Australian wildlife, but wildlife world wide, and it doesn't need to be like that. But that's for another time.

However with so much habitat being lost, it's impossible for wildlife carers and shelter operators to remain out of the political arena, demanding that no more is lost till there is an audit of what's still surviving. A detailed study about how the habitat can be retained, reintroduced to urban areas and how people can live within that habitat of our native wildlife and enjoy it no less than they do their “landscaped” gardens.

The clever species of this planet should not need to bulldoze everything flat and start building from scratch, that is the brute force imbecile species that works in this way. The clever species studies, explores and finds ways to move into an environment to complement their lifestyle and have very little impact on what is already there. Leave that which has evolved over millennia, stood the test of time and has an existing ambiance and energy which can be utilised for best experience and practice of human species.

This is the new frontier of course, to be able to design living areas and wellbeing for all people of the planet within the confines of existing environments. Forests, deserts, mountains, plains and every kind and mix in between. There is infinite choice, and living in these environments without bulldozing everything, without using materials that create pollution, without any but the most minimal disturbance. This is where the pioneers of our race will venture and become expert. Or so it can only be hoped.