Latest news with #WIRES
The Age
4 days ago
- General
- The Age
From friend to foe: The possum in my driveway has become a problem
At this point, I should've said something like, 'OK, the possum has gone to sleep now!' aware that to feed a possum once is to encourage it forever. Instead, I said: 'Should we go and get another carrot?' And so we did. Night after night, this became a ritual. I would return from work with a bag of carrots, and we would wedge one in the tree for our new friend (a young male common brushtail possum, thank you, Google) and wait for him to surface – a wholesome exchange between man and marsupial. According to the Reddit thread R/Possums, this was absolutely the wrong thing to do because possums are very territorial and shouldn't be tamed. Admittedly, I had experienced this firsthand growing up: a family of wild, shrieking possums setting up shop inside our roof, much to the frustration of my parents, who spent thousands of dollars having them 'rehomed' (dumped miles away in a park). But our possum wasn't like that, he seemed loveable and charming, cuddly even, the kind of possum Mem Fox had in mind when writing Possum Magic. And anyway, given the possum was already in his own home, there was nothing to worry about; we were dropping off groceries. For a while, the system worked well. I felt confident that a strong bond had been established, and people in the building called me 'the possum guy', a nickname I quite enjoyed. But things took a turn when my son decided to eat the carrot one night rather than share it. Have you ever seen a possum hiss and growl at a two-year-old? It's unpleasant, but not as unpleasant as being stalked down your own driveway by a possum you once considered a friend. The following night, the possum returned, this time with two buddies. Word had clearly spread, and being outnumbered changed the whole dynamic of the agreement; it became less like a brush with nature and more like a debt to be paid. On the advice of every person I spoke to and every possum forum I visited, I stopped feeding them immediately, which only appeared to anger the group. Leaving the house meant wondering if a gang of rightfully upset possums would be waiting for me, my Safe! Reliable! Predictable! suburb now a prison of my own making. Eventually, the only option was to call WIRES and admit what I'd done, which led to a polite-but-firm lecture from a lady named Christine, who had clearly had this conversation too many times to count. 'Firstly, stop feeding them. Secondly, buy some floodlights and possum-repellent spray; that should do the trick. Are you close to a Bunnings?' Of course, I am Christine; I live in the suburbs.
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
From friend to foe: The possum in my driveway has become a problem
At this point, I should've said something like, 'OK, the possum has gone to sleep now!' aware that to feed a possum once is to encourage it forever. Instead, I said: 'Should we go and get another carrot?' And so we did. Night after night, this became a ritual. I would return from work with a bag of carrots, and we would wedge one in the tree for our new friend (a young male common brushtail possum, thank you, Google) and wait for him to surface – a wholesome exchange between man and marsupial. According to the Reddit thread R/Possums, this was absolutely the wrong thing to do because possums are very territorial and shouldn't be tamed. Admittedly, I had experienced this firsthand growing up: a family of wild, shrieking possums setting up shop inside our roof, much to the frustration of my parents, who spent thousands of dollars having them 'rehomed' (dumped miles away in a park). But our possum wasn't like that, he seemed loveable and charming, cuddly even, the kind of possum Mem Fox had in mind when writing Possum Magic. And anyway, given the possum was already in his own home, there was nothing to worry about; we were dropping off groceries. For a while, the system worked well. I felt confident that a strong bond had been established, and people in the building called me 'the possum guy', a nickname I quite enjoyed. But things took a turn when my son decided to eat the carrot one night rather than share it. Have you ever seen a possum hiss and growl at a two-year-old? It's unpleasant, but not as unpleasant as being stalked down your own driveway by a possum you once considered a friend. The following night, the possum returned, this time with two buddies. Word had clearly spread, and being outnumbered changed the whole dynamic of the agreement; it became less like a brush with nature and more like a debt to be paid. On the advice of every person I spoke to and every possum forum I visited, I stopped feeding them immediately, which only appeared to anger the group. Leaving the house meant wondering if a gang of rightfully upset possums would be waiting for me, my Safe! Reliable! Predictable! suburb now a prison of my own making. Eventually, the only option was to call WIRES and admit what I'd done, which led to a polite-but-firm lecture from a lady named Christine, who had clearly had this conversation too many times to count. 'Firstly, stop feeding them. Secondly, buy some floodlights and possum-repellent spray; that should do the trick. Are you close to a Bunnings?' Of course, I am Christine; I live in the suburbs.
ABC News
16-05-2025
- General
- ABC News
Shipment of emus that swam to mainland New South Wales now thriving at Potato Point
Every resident in Potato Point has a story to tell about their most unusual neighbours. The little town on the NSW south coast, population 159, is home to one of the only thriving emu colonies on the Australian east coast. Local WIRES volunteer Rachel McInnes didn't know Potato Point, 8 kilometres east of Bodalla, had emus when she moved to the area 18 years ago. "It's a joy to go out your back or front door and see a couple of emus walking down the street," she says. "It's hilarious when you look down on the beach and think: 'What's that? Is that a person? No, it's an emu.' "That's just more icing on the cake of living in such a beautiful area." A businessman shipped in a population of about a dozen emus from Western Australia 30 years ago to live on his private island — Horse Island — at the mouth of the Tuross River. What he didn't realise was that emus are proficient swimmers, and soon his imported pets had made a break for the mainland — 20 to 100 metres away, depending on the tide. "I didn't know emus could swim," Ms McInnes says. The population struggled at first. But now, with the National Parks and Wildlife Service placing fox baits throughout the national park, Potato Point and the surrounding Eurobodalla National Park have become an emu haven. "Every year we see chicks, and lots of them," Ms McInnes says. "It's a topic of conversation when the new chicks are hatched: 'How many have you seen?'" This year, one local spotted a male emu with 21 chicks. For her PhD, Western Sydney University ecological statistician Julia Ryeland researched the fluctuations in emu populations along the east coast. "There are lots of records of emus being all throughout Sydney and along the east coast," Dr Ryeland says. "However, there are only a few areas where they remain on the east coast, and Eurobodalla National Park is one of them." Dr Ryeland says emu populations along the coast have declined from historical levels because of hunting, loss of habitat, and introduced predators such as foxes. It makes the little oasis at Potato Point important for the iconic Australian species. Dr Ryeland says emus are catalysts for bush regeneration by transporting seeds that get stuck in their claws or that pass through their digestive system. "It looks like they are quite a key seed disperser among different landscapes," she says. "They are one of the few species that are completely generous. They more or less eat anything, and they can transport really large amounts of seed really quite far distances. Ms McInnes says humans and emus live together in harmony at Potato Point. "They are protected here. We give them space and they are happy to coexist," she says. Sometimes tourists will turn up and ask a local where to see the emus. But Ms McInnes says they are not tame pets. "Don't ever think you're going to get a selfie with a wild emu. They are absolutely a wild animal," she says. "When we have visitors, they are absolutely tickled to see emus. To top it off, they might see a couple of kangaroos hopping down the main street. It's very cliché, but I love that we have them here. "We have the coat of arms living in our village. How lucky are we? "It's such a privilege to have them."
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Sad find in Aussie garden as Aussie state looks to introduce new pet rules
Another sobering reminder of the toll domestic and feral cats take on Australia's native wildlife has surfaced, as the nation's most populous state moves closer to introducing stricter pet containment laws. This week, a vet in Wollongong, on the NSW South Coast, shared yet another casualty of a cat attack, urging owners to keep their animals indoors. The bandicoot was presented to the Austinmer and Helensburgh Veterinary Hospital "in shock" after being found in a resident's garden. "After veterinary examination, it was found to have wounds consistent with a cat attack," the clinic wrote online. "Thankfully, X-rays showed he was fracture-free. His wounds were flushed and cleaned, and the bandicoot was able to head straight into care with a local WIRES volunteer." "Billy the bandicoot was lucky. Sadly, most end up needing to be put to sleep with cat attack injuries." This heartbreaking discovery is just the latest in a long line of similar incidents across the country, with cats responsible for killing an estimated two billion animals annually, including around 1.4 billion native mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs. Australian National University research found feral cats kill an average of 740 animals per year. In Greater Sydney alone, it's estimated that roaming pet cats kill approximately 66 million native animals, according to the Invasive Species Council. The Council's Jack Gough has been campaigning hard for a national approach when it comes to feral and domestic cat containment. He spoke to Yahoo and called for a joint national action plan. "We know that feral cats and roaming pet cats are incredible hunters, incredible killers, and have had this enormous toll on wildlife," he recently said. "Over 20 of our mammal species have gone extinct, with cats being the major driver of extinction. Over 200 species that are listed as on the brink of extinction have feral cats as one of the key threats to their survival." These tragic statistics have prompted the NSW government to review its pet laws, particularly cat management policies regarding containment and desexing. Under the current legislation, local councils lack the authority to enforce cat containment or curfews, allowing pet cats to roam freely. In contrast, other jurisdictions like Victoria have empowered councils to implement cat containment laws, with over half adopting such measures. The ACT has also mandated cat containment territory-wide. Advocates argue that NSW should follow suit to better protect its native fauna. Iconic species faces 'being lost forever' over $18 billion threat Homeowner's garden photo highlights 'devastating' problem Predators forced out of national park with 2,000 hectare fence The review also explored the topic of mandatory desexing, with NSW currently requiring cat owners to obtain an annual permit for non-desexed cats, but there is no uniform statewide requirement for desexing at this stage. The public consultation period for the review closed on May 4, and the government is now analysing the submissions and will consider potential legislative changes based on the feedback received. Controlling feral cat populations in Australia has cost over $18 billion, making them the most expensive invasive species in the country. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Surprise discovery after 'massive' tree falls in front of suburban Aussie home
It's hard to 'get an appreciation' of just how big the tree was that narrowly missed crushing an Australian home this week. It's understandable that first responders initially had no idea something very tiny had survived the incident and was clinging onto a branch. 'Houses out there are massive. And the tree was huge,' seasoned animal rescuer Di Bowen told Yahoo News after returning from a property in Castle Hill, in Sydney's northwest. As NSW State Emergency Service (SES) crews worked to make the front yard safe and clear branches from the road, the homeowner was surprised to find a native flying fox had come down with the tree and was scrambling towards her neighbour's garage. Bowen is a volunteer with wildlife rescue service WIRES, and she got the call to try and find the bat on Wednesday night. Her initial concern was the animal could have been injured by the tree fall, so she was determined to locate it as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the garage was empty. So Bowen turned her attention back to the tree branches. 'I was able to get under the tree and shake it,' she said. Ordinarily, flying foxes make a high-pitched screech or cheep when they're chattering with other members of their colony. Frightened and alone, the animal remained completely silent. But luckily for all involved, the shaking of the tree forced a nervous, involuntary reaction. 'The bat weed, so I knew exactly where he was,' Bowen revealed. 'I thought it's not been raining, this tree should not be wet.' Because the flying fox was low to the ground he was unable to fly, so Bowen knew he had to be close. The SES team helped by shining their powerful torches across the branches above where the wee had come from. 'He was just sitting there in the tree. He'd obviously got caught on the tree somehow and come down with it,' Bowen said. 'I put a towel around him and detached his claws to get him off. He gave a bit of a screech.' Luckily for the bat, apart from a bloody nose, he was uninjured. So, it's hoped he'll be released sometime in the coming days. Colony of bats' eerie evening habit spooks concerned woman Big W apologises after mailing banned gardening product to customer Tragic detail in daring rescue highlights 'serious threat' to Aussie animals While grey-headed flying foxes are commonly seen in Australian cities, they are classified as vulnerable to extinction because their populations have dramatically shrunk. Most birds are territorial in Australia, and flying foxes are the nation's only long-range pollinators, ensuring that forests are able to stay healthy. Finding food remains an ongoing challenge for many flying fox colonies, and native forest logging continues to reduce supply. They congregate around cities where they can survive off food from street trees, backyard gardens, and parks. Climate change continues to pose a risk to many colonies, because they struggle to survive once the temperature soars above 38 degrees. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
