September 2011 President message
‘Cute’ animals still need management
Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia is having itself another wildlife management issue. It seems, yet again, that the advice of wildlife professionals is being undermined by ‘cute animal syndrome’.
Back in the 1990s, the then SA State Government didn’t take the advice from wildlife scientists; they failed to conduct a cull to immediately reduce the island’s excessive koala population that caused massive habitat degradation. After spending $5 million between 1997 and 2008 on sterilisation and relocation, a parliamentary committee was reportedly concerned about the high cost of the management program. The koala population at that time was said to be around 16,000 and growing. It was reported that wildlife scientists agreed that the sensitive environment on the island could really support only 5000 to 8000 animals.
Although the parliamentary committee, Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Board and the scientists involved again recommended a cull immediately take place to return koala numbers to a sustainable and non-destructive level, the government failed to act. It was scared by the media and animal rights groups into believing that any lethal management would damage the island’s reputation and tourism industry. These groups didn’t understand the reality of the situation, where ecosystem balance and health is the most important factor.
It has recently been reported that Kangaroo Island has another wildlife management issue on its hands. There are calls for New Zealand fur seals to be culled to prevent a ballooning population feasting on a declining population of fairy penguins. The seals are native to the area (unlike the island’s koalas), even though their name implies differently.
Unlike the koala situation, where vegetation bore the brunt of an escalating population, this situation puts two rather popular native animals against each other. Unfortunately, it’s highly possible that once again, whatever management options are chosen will be purely based on political decisions and not science, fact and reality. One of these animals isn’t as ‘cute’ as the other and one probably returns more tourism dollars in a variety of locations. This is a political ‘hot potato’ in the making.
The media has already started to contaminate public discussions and has tried to make culling an inappropriate course of action. This is exactly what they did years ago with the koala problem. The government, fearing a tourism backlash and unnecessarily listening to animal rights groups, will probably again override a commonsense management option.
The SA Department of Environment and Natural Resources says it will not rule out any options until it receives an expert report. If the report does establish the need for a cull, hopefully, the Environment Minister will direct the department to do what’s required, instead of repeating the mistakes of the past. The ongoing koala management issues that the island faces could have been dealt with years ago at a fraction of the cost and the resultant environmental benefits there for all to see.
Of course, the above is just one example of the ‘cute animal syndrome’ that is kept alive by some elements of the media and those groups with unrealistic ideologies about the environment. We, as hunters, however, understand the food chain. We know we are part of it and we can see the benefits of game and wildlife management. We engage with the environment and we as its custodians have the responsibility to ensure its management and sustainability.
Call it what you like - the Bambi factor, fluffy bunny theory or cute animal syndrome - but idealistic, impractical solutions do more damage to the environment than doing nothing at all. Speak out when the do-gooders do bad!
Bob Green
SSAA National President
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