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From: rcb33483@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Kehaar)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: falconry
Message-ID: <1990Oct1.015822.6627@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Date: 1 Oct 90 01:58:22 GMT
References: <3999@gara.une.oz.au> <1990Sep28.194421.11089@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> <1224@cluster.cs.su.oz.au>
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Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
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andrewt@cs.su.oz (Andrew Taylor) writes:


>I don't think so. The only Australia raptor likely to be shot on suspicion
>of taking lambs or calves is the Wedge-Tailed Eagle. Until about 25 years
>ago there was huge persecution of them with 100,000s being shot encouraged
>by government bounty. Though I was very young, I can still recall the 
>gruesome sight of eagle carcasses strung along a farm fence. A study by
>the CSIRO found they took very few healthy lambs but many rabbits and
>were a net benefit to farms. This was instrumental in the Wedge-Tails becoming
>protected and ending the persecution (farmers have considerable respect for
>the CSIRO). Today, Wedge-Tails are widespread and, for an eagle, abundant.
>There are probably more Wedge-Tails now than before Europeans arrived.

>I'd guess more raptors are shot (illegally) for taking farmyard chickens.
>The prime candidates would be Brown Goshawk & Brown Falcon which are 
>common open country birds and under no threat. It would be worrying if
>Grey Goshawks (uncommon birds of the coastal forests) were being shot but
>I suspect this rare and their main problem is habitat destruction.

>>The population simply can't take the strain of the most insidious raptor-killer
>>of them all: the falconry black market.

>It wouldn't be a conservation problem for the common Australian raptors (e.g
>Brown Falcon). I doubt an accompanying illegal trade would threaten the rarer
>species. I'm presuming the elusive inland nomad the Grey Falcon and the
>mysterious Red Goshawk of the coastal forests would not interest falconers
>(unfortunately egg-collecters still may bother them). Unlike elsewhere
>Peregrines still have a healthy population here (as do Ospreys).

>I not sure of the history but the reason taking raptors from the wild
>wwill stay is that after 200 years of destruction Australians have
>become very sensitive about exploitation of their native wildlife.

>I'd guess many former falconers still get to satisfy their desires by
>rehabilitating and where this is not possible keeping injured raptors.

I digress.  Most of the information applies to the Western Hemispere,
where import of raptors from South America and Mexico (as well as a host
of other birds) is becoming a serious threat to their conservation.  However,
those nasty things I said about hunting in Meditternean countries still stands.

BTW, Aussie sheep ranchers have by no means cornered the market on ignorant
raptor killing.  Our own uncultured American farmers have done that...and 
usually wind up shooting themselves in the back because of the lifting of
selection pressure from pest rodents...
 
--
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R. Cody Buchmann                             ^.^  
   "Kehaar"                 
                                       "He tell *me* the plan...I *know* the 
email: rcb33483@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu        plan!"  -Watership Down. 
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