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No, the Voice to Parliament would not force people to give up their private land

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-galloway-9907">Kate Galloway</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> In the polarised debate about the Voice to Parliament referendum, some proponents of the “no” vote have <a href="https://www.aap.com.au/factcheck/voice-legislation-does-not-authorise-a-land-grab/">claimed</a> the creation of the new advisory body would lead to the conversion of private land titles in Australia to native title. The implication is that people will be forced to give up their land. This has sown fear among some Australians. Last week, a false letter purporting to be from a member of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria was distributed to homes in regional Victoria, saying the body was moving into the “next phase of reacquiring land”. The minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/fake-letter-scaremongering-about-indigenous-land-claims-sparks-outrage-20230912-p5e43n.html">called</a> it a “another example of the dirty tricks campaign” being waged to sow doubt over the Voice referendum. Similar concerns were raised following the High Court decision in the <a href="https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/mabo-case">Mabo case</a> in 1992 and passage of the <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2017C00178">Native Title Act</a> a year later. Like the fear-mongering over the Mabo decision, the current alarm over the potential loss of private lands with a Voice to Parliament is unwarranted because this claim is manifestly incorrect. There are two foundational legal reasons why: <ul> <li> because of the words of the proposed constitutional amendment itself </li> <li> and because of the way that native title works. </li> </ul> <h2>Would the proposed Voice have powers related to land?</h2> The proposed constitutional amendment that would create the Voice is very simple. It seeks to insert one new section into the Constitution, which reads: <blockquote> In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia: <ol> <li> there shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice; </li> <li> the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; </li> <li> the Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures. </li> </ol> </blockquote> The words clearly provide for only one activity to be undertaken by the Voice. The new body “may make representations” on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. There is no express or hidden power to either take people’s land or give land to First Nations people. The Voice is a committee that may provide advice to parliament and government on issues relating to First Nations people. That is all. And this advice is not binding. The parliament of the day is free to ignore it, if it wishes to. The new provision also gives one sole power to the parliament – it would have the capacity to set up the Voice. It is not possible to understand this provision as creating a special power to take people’s land, or to “convert” land to native title. Importantly, the power to establish the Voice would not be given to the government – it would belong to parliament. In exercising this power, normal parliamentary processes will apply and the parliament will be accountable to the public. There are no other changes to the Constitution proposed in this referendum. <h2>How native title works</h2> In the famous Mabo case, the High Court found that the land title of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, held under their traditional law and custom, survived the introduction of British sovereignty over Australia. Mabo confirmed native title can only be claimed over land where there is no interest in conflict with the exercise of this right. Native title will always give way to grants of exclusive land use. Following this decision, the law now states that every grant of freehold land (“private” land) extinguishes native title. Further, in the later case of <a href="https://jade.io/article/68082">Fejo v Northern Territory</a>, the High Court confirmed that once native title has been extinguished, it cannot be revived. Consequently, even if the constitutional change creating the Voice did (somehow) recognise native title, it is not possible to “convert” freehold land to native title. On private land, native title no longer exists under Australian law. To put these claims of “land conversion” in context, it is helpful to recall the public response to the Mabo decision. Following the High Court judgement in Mabo, the mining industry ran a national campaign asserting that native title would threaten people’s back yards. The managing director of Western Mining, Hugh Morgan, <a href="https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=(Id:library/prspub/raf10);rec=0">said</a> the High Court’s decision "put at risk the whole legal framework of property rights throughout the whole community." This campaign led to significant public fear about the effects of native title. These claims about native title after Mabo were incorrect. Private landholdings have not been threatened. Indeed, on the ten-year anniversary of the Mabo decision, former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett even <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/i-was-wrong-on-mabo-kennett-20020601-gdu9dt.html">admitted that his initial fears had been unfounded</a>. In reading or listening to claims about the effect of the Voice, it is prudent to question the source of information. If you have questions, seek a reliable source to read the words of the proposed amendment and understand the objective of the constitutional change. If you hear of a claim that seems extreme, it may well be aimed at diverting the public’s attention from the real issues.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212784/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-galloway-9907">Kate Galloway</a>, Associate Professor of Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-the-voice-to-parliament-would-not-force-people-to-give-up-their-private-land-212784">original article</a>.

Legal

Magpie murderer slapped with massive penalty

A Victorian man has copped a $2,349 penalty after inflicting “callous” acts on magpies. His sentence comes after an investigation by Victorian authorities who were tipped off that birds were being shot at a property in the state’s Sunraysia region. After inspecting the property in 2021, investigators discovered four dead magpies as well as two so severely injured they had to be euthanised. The 57-year-old was placed on a good behaviour bond after appearing at the Mildura Magistrates Court. He admitted to 10 offences of wounding and inflicting aggravated cruelty on the native birds. While Victoria does allow wildlife to be killed by property owners, they must apply for a permit before they start shooting. After the sentence was handed down, the state’s Conservation Regulator Glen Smith warned offenders would be prosecuted. “Magpies are an iconic native bird and they are protected in Victoria. There is no excuse for unlawfully killing or injuring them," he said. “The Conservation Regulator takes wildlife crime extremely seriously and this court result should act as a warning that we will pursue penalties for offenders.” These “callous” acts on the native birds come soon after another Australian man was found guilty of <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/man-who-killed-350-kookaburras-ordered-to-pay-fine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shooting and killing</a> a staggering 350 kookaburras. Anyone with information about wildlife crime can report it anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Image credit: Shutterstock

Legal

Don’t kill the curl grubs in your garden – they could be native beetle babies

<figure><a style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tanya-latty-132">Tanya Latty</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/chris-reid-1402564">Chris Reid</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a></figure> Have you ever been in the garden and found a large, white, C-shaped grub with a distinctive brown head and six legs clustered near the head? If so, you’ve had an encounter with the larva of a scarab beetle (family: Scarabaeidae) also known as a “curl grub”. Many gardeners worry these large larvae might damage plants. So what are curl grubs? And should you be concerned if you discover them in your garden? <h2>What are curl grubs?</h2> Curl grubs turn into scarab beetles. There are more than 30,000 species of scarab beetles worldwide. Australia is home to at least 2,300 of these species, including iridescent Christmas beetles (<a href="https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/christmas-beetle/">Anoplognathus</a>), spectacularly horned rhinoceros beetles (Dynastinae), and the beautifully patterned flower chafers (<a href="https://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/aus_museum/flower_chafers/key/Cetoniinae/Media/Html/key.htm">Cetoniinae</a>). While the adults might be the most conspicuous life stage, scarabs spend most of their lives as larvae, living underground or in rotting wood. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A bird holds a curl grub in its beak." /></a><figcaption>Curl grubs make an excellent meal for hungry birds. Shutterstock</figcaption></figure> <h2>Scarab larvae can help the environment</h2> Soil-dwelling scarab larvae can aerate soils and help <a href="https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy.library.sydney.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0006320708001420">disperse</a> seeds. Species that eat decaying matter help recycle nutrients and keep soils healthy. Most scarab larvae are large and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684676/">full of protein and fat</a>. They make an excellent meal for <a href="https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/2018/08/12/organic-control-of-curl-grubs-in-lawn/#:%7E:text=The%20most%20useful%20natural%20enemies,digging%20them%20out%20of%20lawns.">hungry birds</a>. Besides being important for ecosystems, scarabs also play a role in <a href="https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1093&context=entomologypapers">cultural celebrations</a>. For example, the ancient Egyptians famously worshipped the sun through the symbol of the ball-rolling dung beetle. In Australia, colourful Christmas beetles traditionally heralded the arrival of the holiday season. Sadly, Christmas beetle numbers have <a href="https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/christmas-beetles/">declined</a> over the last few decades, likely due to habitat loss. <h2>Are the curl grubs in my garden harming my plants?</h2> Most scarab larvae feed on grass roots, and this can cause damage to plants when there’s a lot of them. In Australia, the <a href="https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/517487-Cyclocephala-signaticollis">Argentine lawn scarab</a> and the <a href="https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/olives/african-black-beetle-horticulture">African black beetle</a> are invasive pest species that cause significant damage to pastures and lawns. Native scarab species can also be pests under the right circumstances. For example, when Europeans began planting sugar cane (a type of grass) and converting native grasslands to pastures, many native Australian scarab species found an abundant new food source and were subsequently classified as <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/1/54/htm">pests</a>. Unfortunately, we know little about the feeding habits of many native scarab larvae, including those found in gardens. Some common garden species, like the beautifully patterned <a href="https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/fiddler-beetle/">fiddler beetle</a> (Eupoecila australasiae), feed on decaying wood and are unlikely to harm garden plants. Even species that consume roots are likely not a problem under normal conditions. Plants are surprisingly <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00442-011-2210-y">resilient</a>, and most can handle losing a small number of their roots to beetle larvae. Even while damaging plants, curl grubs may be helping keep soil healthy by providing aeration and nutrient mixing. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="manicured grass and garden" /><figcaption>Most plants can handle losing a small number of their roots to beetle larvae. </figcaption></figure> <h2>How do I know if I have ‘good’ or ‘bad’ beetle larvae in my garden?</h2> Unfortunately, identifying scarab larvae species is challenging. Many of the features we use to tell groups apart are difficult to see without magnification. While there are identification guides for scarabs larvae found in <a href="https://cesaraustralia.com/pestfacts/scarabs-and-cockchafers-identification/">pastures</a>, there are currently no such identification resources for the scarabs found in household gardens. Since identification may not be possible, the best guide to whether or not scarab larvae are a problem in your garden is the health of your plants. Plants with damaged roots may wilt or turn yellow. Since most root-feeding scarabs prefer grass roots, lawn turf is most at risk and damage is usually caused by exotic scarab species. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Unfortunately, identifying scarab larvae species is challenging. </figcaption></figure> <h2>What should I do if I find curl grubs in my garden?</h2> Seeing suspiciously plump curl grubs amongst the roots of prized garden plants can be alarming, but please don’t automatically reach for insecticides. The chemicals used to control curl grubs will harm all scarab larvae, regardless of whether or not they are pests. Many of the most common treatments for curl grubs contain chemicals called “anthranilic diamides”, which are also <a href="http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/chlorantraniliprole.html#howwork">toxic</a> to butterflies, moths and aquatic invertebrates. And by disrupting soil ecosystems, using insecticides might do more harm than good and could kill harmless native beetle larvae. So what to do instead? Larvae found in decaying wood or mulch are wood feeders and are useful composters; they will not harm your plants and should be left where they are. Larvae found in compost bins are helping to break down wastes and should also be left alone. If you find larvae in your garden soil, use your plant’s health as a guide. If your plants appear otherwise healthy, consider simply leaving curl grubs where they are. Scarab larvae are part of the soil ecosystem and are unlikely to do damage if they are not present in high numbers. If your plants appear yellow or wilted and you’ve ruled out other causes, such as under-watering or nutrient deficiencies, consider feeding grubs to the birds or squishing them. It’s not nice, but it’s better than insecticides. Lawns are particularly susceptible to attack by the larvae of non-native scarabs. Consider replacing lawns with <a href="https://www.sgaonline.org.au/lawn-alternatives/">native</a> ground covers. This increases biodiversity and lowers the chances of damage from non-native scarab larvae. Scarab beetles are beautiful and fascinating insects that help keep our soils healthy and our wildlife well fed.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/191771/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Image credit: Shutterstock <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tanya-latty-132">Tanya Latty</a>, Associate professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/chris-reid-1402564">Chris Reid</a>, Adjunct Associate Professor in Zoology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-kill-the-curl-grubs-in-your-garden-they-could-be-native-beetle-babies-191771">original article</a>.

Home & Garden

American zoo apologises to disgruntled New Zealanders

An American zoo has issued an apology after admitting it made a “huge mistake” that outraged an entire country. Footage of Miami Zoo’s paid encounters with Paora the kiwi went viral online, showing the bird being handled and passed around for pictures in broad daylights and under bright lights despite being a shy, nocturnal animal. The handling of their national icon had New Zealanders fired up, with a petition to save the “mistreated” animal being launched amid the video, which received more than 10,000 signatures. “He has been tamed and is subjected to bright fluorescent lighting four days a week, being handled by dozens of strangers, petted on his sensitive whiskers, laughed at, and shown off like a toy,” the petition read. “Kiwi are nocturnal animals, who should be kept in suitable dark enclosures, and minimally handled. “The best practice manual for kiwi states that they shouldn’t be handled often or taken out of their burrow to be held by the public. He is kept awake during the day, with only a small box in a brightly lit enclosure to mimic his natural underground habitat.” The zoo’s communications director Ron Magill has confirmed the attraction has been cancelled and has issued his own apology in an interview with the New Zealand Herald. “We regret the unintentional stress caused by a video on social media depicting the handling of Paora, the kiwi bird currently housed within Zoo Miami,” Magill said. He also told RNZ he had informed the zoo’s director that “we have offended a nation”. “When I saw the video myself I said we have made a huge mistake here,” he said. “I am so sorry. I am so remorseful. Someone asked how would you feel if we did that to your bald eagle, and you’re 100 per cent right. “I never want to come across as making excuses, I am here to apologise … to everyone. I feel profoundly terrible about this.” However, Magill noted Paora was healthy and well despite the uproar. “He eats like he’s on a spa day every day and he’s doing well. It doesn’t excuse what he was subjected to. But I promise it will never happen again,” he said. After the video went viral, the zoo was bombarded with complaints, with New Zealand’s Department of Conservation confirming it would be “discussing the situation with the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums to address some of the housing and handling concerns raised”. New Zealand prime minister Chris Hipkins also weighed in, claiming the ordeal “shows a lot of Kiwis take pride in our national bird when they’re overseas”. “The New Zealanders who witnessed what was happening there caught it pretty quickly,” he said, adding that the zoo had “made public statements of regret on what’s happened, and I acknowledge that and thank them for taking it seriously”. The kiwi is considered to be a Taonga species - native birds, plants and animals of special cultural significance and importance to native New Zealanders. Image credit: Getty

Travel Trouble

Child hospitalised from dingo attack

A primary school-aged girl has been hospitalised after getting attacked by a dingo while swimming at Queensland’s K’gari-Fraser island. It is understood that the girl was swimming in shallow water on the eastern side of the island on April 3 when the dingo launched at her in an attempt to drag her underwater. Family members on the island were able to free the girl, however, she suffered bites to her head and fingers. A RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter arrived at the scene and she was treated by paramedics and a critical care doctor before being flown to Hervey Bay Hospital where she remains in a stable position. The girl was pictured sitting upright and holding a stuffed toy when the helicopter arrived at the hospital. The incident comes after a five-year-old boy was attacked by a dingo and suffered a bite to his arm, head and buttocks while playing on a beach at K’gari-Fraser Island. The boy was with his nine-year-old brother in the sand when the incident occurred. Authorities said the attack was unprovoked and the boy’s father “quickly intervened” to pull the dingo off his young son. An off-duty paramedic rushed to the boy’s aid before he was flown to hospital to be treated for his injuries. K’gari dingoes are protected by law as native species on the island. There are an estimated 20 to 30 packs of the animals in K-gari, with each consisting of three to 12 dingoes. Visitors are urged to use caution as the wild animals are unpredictable and dangerous. Image credit: Shutterstock

News

James Cameron caught giving fans the bird after being booed

Legendary director James Cameron has been caught flipping off the fans who booed him for not signing autographs over the weekend. After the famed director attended a screening of his new film, Avatar: The Way of Water, in LA, he refused to stop for a crowd of autograph-seeking fans. Cameron, 68, powered past the group of people asking him to sign their items, which caused the crowd to turn on him and shout. “F**k Avatar,” one person yelled, as Cameron was escorted into a black car. As the cheering and jeering continued, the Titanic filmmaker slightly rolled down his tinted window to reveal his middle finger. Fans were divided over the interaction, with some calling him a “jerk” and “annoying.” Others dubbed him “a legend” and argued that the people booing him weren’t real fans. “They were fake fans ready to resell autographed stuff 100%. The embarrassing way they reacted to his refusal proves that. Jim was right for ignoring them let’s be serious,” one person wrote on Twitter. Check out the footage and see for yourself. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> James Cameron flips off crowd who boos him for not signing autographs <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AvatarTheWayOfWater?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AvatarTheWayOfWater</a> <a href="https://t.co/frDDoY4alM">pic.twitter.com/frDDoY4alM</a> — Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) <a href="https://twitter.com/CultureCrave/status/1604621184611471360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote> Images: Twitter

Movies

Two-time Big Brother winner's tragic health news

TV personality Reggie Bird, who won Big Brother twice, has taken to social media to share tragic news. The 48-year-old told her thousands of followers that she had recently been diagnosed with Usher syndrome, a condition that affects sight and hearing. Bird was first declared legally blind in 2008 following her diagnosis with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and has now shared news that she said was “the worst thing you could have”. “It’s not what I wanted to hear,” Bird said in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ReggieBirdBB/videos/1343107059766143" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a video</a> shared online, with clips showing her in an interview and in August when she received her diagnosis. “I’m gonna find out today what my link is for my RP. I had my DNA taken 13 years ago and it’s just been found what the genetic link will be,” she explains in the clip. After being told that she has Ushers syndrome, Bird fought back tears. “It’s the worst thing that you could have. I’m going to be deaf-blind.” According to <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15046-usher-syndrome" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cleveland Clinic</a>, Ushers syndrome is a genetic condition that causes varying degrees of hearing and vision loss, as well as balance issues in some cases. After shooting to stardom following her 2003 win, Bird’s condition worsened. In 2014, she revealed that she had no peripheral vision and that her field of vision had become constricted to only 10 degrees. Earlier this year, she made her return to TV on Big Brother’s ‘Contenders vs Royalty’ season and won once again, taking home another $250,000 in prize money. “I’m honestly so proud of myself for going in and doing what I did and having a go,” Bird said after her second win. “I just wanted to show people who do live with disabilities that you can get out there and achieve anything that you put your mind to. “I’m so proud to represent people with a disability.” Since making her announcement, Bird took to social media again to thank fans for their support. “A s**t announcement really, finding out that I’ve got Ushers syndrome,” she said. “But, you know, life goes on and you’ve gotta make the most of each day and I’m gonna have so fun and I’m gonna get fit again. “Love you all, and thank you for listening.” Image: @reggiebirdbb (Instagram)

Caring

Sneezing with hay fever? Native plants aren’t usually the culprit

Hay fever is a downside of springtime around the world. As temperatures increase, plant growth resumes and flowers start appearing. But while native flowering plants such as wattle often get the blame when the seasonal sneezes strike, hay fever in Australia is typically caused by introduced plant species often pollinated by the wind. <h2>A closer look at pollen</h2> Pollen grains are the tiny reproductive structures that move genetic material between flower parts, individual flowers on the same plant or a nearby member of the same species. They are typically lightweight structures easily carried on wind currents or are sticky and picked up in clumps on the feathers of a honeyeater or the fur of a fruit bat or possum. Hay fever is when the human immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. It is not only caused by pollen grains but fungal spores, non-flowering plant spores, mites and even pet hair. The classic symptoms of hay fever are sneezing, runny noses, red, itchy, and watery eyes, swelling around the eyes and scratchy ears and throat. The problem with pollen grains is when they land on the skin around our eyes, in our nose and mouth, the proteins found in the wall of these tiny structures leak out and are recognised as foreign by the body and trigger a reaction from the immune system. <h2>So what plants are the worst culprits for causing hay fever?</h2> Grasses, trees, and herbaceous weeds such as plantain are the main problem species as their pollen is usually scattered by wind. In Australia, the main grass offenders are exotic species including rye grass and couch grass (a commonly used lawn species). Weed species that cause hay fever problems include introduced ragweed, Paterson’s curse, parthenium weed and plantain. The <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5102629/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">problematic tree species</a> are also exotic in origin and include liquid amber, Chinese elm, maple, cypress, ash, birch, poplar, and plane trees. Although there are some native plants that have wind-spread pollen such as she-oaks and white cypress pine, and which can induce hay fever, these species are exceptional in the Australian flora. Many Australian plants are not wind pollinated and <a href="https://blog.publish.csiro.au/austpollinatorweek/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">use animals</a> to move their clumped pollen around. For example, yellow-coloured flowers such as wattles and peas are pollinated by insect such as bees. Red- and orange-coloured flowers are usually visited by birds such as honeyeaters. Large, dull-coloured flowers with copious nectar (the reward for pollination) are visited by nocturnal mammals including bats and possums. Obviously Australian plant pollen can still potentially cause the immune system to overreact, but these structures are less likely to reach the mucous membranes of humans. <h2>What can we do to prevent hay fever attacks at this time of the year?</h2> With all of this in mind, here are some strategies to prevent the affects of hay fever: <ol> <li>stay inside and keep the house closed up on warm, windy days when more pollen is in the air</li> <li>if you must go outside, wear sunglasses and a face mask</li> <li>when you return indoors gently rinse (and don’t rub) your eyes with running water, change your clothes and shower to remove pollen grains from hair and skin</li> <li>try to avoid mowing the lawn in spring particularly when grasses are in flower (the multi-pronged spiked flowers of couch grass are distinctive)</li> <li>when working in the garden, wear gloves and facial coverings particularly when handling flowers consider converting your garden to a native one. Grevilleas are a great alternative to rose bushes. Coastal rosemary are a fabulous native replacement for lavender. Why not replace your liquid amber tree with a fast growing, evergreen and low-allergenic lilly pilly tree?</li> </ol> <h2>If you do suffer a hay fever attack</h2> Sometimes even with our best efforts, or if it’s not always possible to stay at home, hay fever can still creep up on us. If this happens: <ul> <li>antihistamines will reduce sneezing and itching symptoms</li> <li>corticosteroid nasal sprays are very effective at reducing inflammation and clearing blocked noses</li> <li>decongestants provide quick and temporary relief by drying runny noses but should not be used by those with high blood pressure</li> <li>salt water is a good way to remove excessive mucous from the nasal passages.</li> </ul> Behavioural changes on warm, windy spring days are a good way of avoiding a hay fever attack. An awareness of the plants around us and their basic reproductive biology is also useful in preventing our immune systems from overreacting to pollen proteins that they are not used to encountering. This article first appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/sneezing-with-hay-fever-native-plants-arent-usually-the-culprit-190336" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Body

You’re less likely to die if you’re treated in your own language

<div> Hospital patients who speak the same language as their physicians end up healthier, according to new research. The study, which was <a href="https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.212155" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, found that hospital patients had shorter stays and were less likely to die, fall, or catch infections during their treatment if they had a physician speaking their language. The researchers examined medical records for home-care care recipients in Ontario, Canada, between 2010 and 2018. In total, they looked at 189,690 records. A third of Ontario’s population doesn’t speak English as a first language. Among these home-care recipients, 84% were English speakers (Anglophones), 13% spoke French (Francophones) and 2.7% spoke other languages (Allophones). The researchers examined whether these patients were treated by a physician who spoke their first language (language concordant) or didn’t (language discordant). “We found that patients who received language-discordant care had more adverse events (such as falls and infections), longer hospital stays and were more likely die in hospital,” the researchers told Cosmos over email. Francophones treated by a French speaker were 24% less likely to die, while Allophones’ chances of death dropped by 54% when they had language-concordant care. The authors float a few reasons for this disparity. Previous studies have shown that better patient-physician communication leads to faster and more accurate diagnoses, and more patient cooperation – both of which have better health outcomes on average. Language discordance, on the other hand, correlates to cultural differences between patients and healthcare workers, which is typically bad for patients. “These are staggering findings that make a strong case for providing care in the same language for linguistic minorities in hospitals,” says co-author Dr Peter Tanuseputro, a physician scientist in the Department of Medicine of The Ottawa Hospital, Institut du Savoir Montfort and Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario. “It’s clearly easier to convey important information about your health in your primary language. Regardless, the more than doubling in odds of serious harms, including death, for patients receiving care in a different language is eye-opening.” Just 44% of Francophones and under 2% of Allophones received care from physicians who spoke their language. For comparison, 58% of physicians in the study spoke English exclusively. “We expect these disparities to be more pronounced in linguistically diverse populations for the following reason: the odds of receiving care from a physician who speaks your primary language decreases if there are more linguistic groups in the population,” the researchers told Cosmos. “We believe that the results of our study highlight the importance of identifying patients who live in minority language communities so that appropriate strategies can be implemented to increase the provision of language-concordant care to these patients.” This means hospitals should ask patients what languages they speak, establish directories of their staff’s language proficiencies, refer patients to doctors who share their languages, and use professional interpreters. “Furthermore, a healthcare system’s ability to provide language-concordant care depends on the languages spoken by physicians, which should match that of the general population,” say the researchers. “This could be optimised by recruiting physicians with specific language proficiencies, and by dedicating resources to increase opportunities for medical education among minority language communities.” Image credits: Getty Images </div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/language-hospitals-care/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com </a>and was written by Ellen Phiddian. </div>

Mind

How to attract more birds to your garden

Turn your garden into a flurry of feathered activity by choosing a selection of plants that will produce an abundance of food over a long period of time. <a href="https://www.bhg.com.au/australian-native-plants">Australian natives are a great choice as they are available in colours known to attract wildlife</a>, and are particularly laden with nectar and seeds – both of which birds love. Here are six native plants known to seduce our feathered friends. <h3 dir="ltr">Grevillea</h3> Many <a href="https://www.bhg.com.au/how-to-grow-grevilleas">grevillea species are highly desirable to birds</a> because of the nectar produced. To attract a variety of bird species, consider planting both large- and small-flowered cultivars. Grevillea ‘Fire Sprite’ has large, showy flowers offering plenty of nectar, while Grevillea ‘Scarlet Sprite’ is a smaller variety providing plenty of protection. <h3 dir="ltr">Banksia</h3> These are like a buffet for nectar-feeding and seed-eating birds, such as wattlebirds and cockatoos. Many species also flower in winter, when other natural food sources are scarce. Try Banksia ericifolia, which produces orange flower spikes through autumn and winter, providing ample nectar for many bird species. <h3 dir="ltr">Kangaroo Paw</h3> <h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 23pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you don’t have room for a small tree or shrub, consider this option. Kangaroo paw used to be hard to grow in some locations, but modern breeding has meant varieties will now flourish just about anywhere. All species have strap-like leaves and tubular flowers that attract honeyeaters. Try the Bush Gems range, which is compact and free-flowering, or the red and green kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos manglesii), which features flowers borne on 600mm stems.</h3> <h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"></h3> <h3 dir="ltr">Bottlebrush</h3> Bursting into bloom from early spring, bottlebrush delivers rich pickings for birds. They also provide shelter and nesting material and attract insects. Tree shapes and sizes vary considerably, so there’s one suitable for just about any garden. Plant crimson bottlebrush to lure nectar-feeders, or the weeping bottlebrush, which gives excellent protective cover for small birds and an abundance of nectar for honeyeaters. <h3 dir="ltr">Wattle</h3> <h3 dir="ltr">A bird magnet! Insectivorous birds, such as robins and some honeyeaters, use these trees for shelter, while cockatoos, rosellas and native pigeons favour the seeds. <a style="text-decoration-line: none;" href="https://www.bhg.com.au/how-to-grow-wattle">Several wattle varieties</a> have nectar glands on the leaf stalk, such as Sydney golden wattle Acacia longifolia, which attracts small honeyeaters and insects.</h3> <h3 dir="ltr">Eucalyptus</h3> These trees often have hollows in the trunk or branch forks, which provide shelter. Eucalypts, such as scribbly gum (Eucalyptus haemastoma), also bear nectar and fruit so you might find honeyeaters and other nectar-feeding birds enjoying the blossoms, and cockatoos and rosellas feeding on the fruit. Image: Shutterstock

Home & Garden

TikTok shows bird inside cabin on flight from Europe to US

A passenger on a flight from Europe to the US has shared a video of a bird that was trapped inside the cabin during her flight. Brooke Frazier uploaded a video to TikTok of a bird flying throughout the cabin of the plane she was on, writing, "Bird stuck on our eight hour flight from Europe lil guy about to be so confused.” In the caption, she wrote that the bird had “hopped on” the flight in Belgium and was “going crazy” during the flight to the US. <div class="embed"><iframe class="embedly-embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7051627241830403374&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40totallychillfemale%2Fvideo%2F7051627241830403374&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2F7dd3104a4c624e7ebda67ae7affa603c_1641834912%7Etplv-tiktok-play.jpeg%3Fx-expires%3D1642078800%26x-signature%3D26FoJY0C1LvfiLhbFiJa3bTZQBc%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" scrolling="no" title="tiktok embed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div> The video has received almost 12 million views, almost 2 million likes, and over 20,000 comments. Commenters were quick to see the humour in the situation, with one suggesting it was something out of a movie, writing, “Pixar movie. European bird runs away cuz all his family bullied him for being small. now he's raised by a bunch of pigeons from Jersey”. Brooke herself responded with her own movie synopsis, saying, “migrant bird opens a bakery in jersey to show his pursuit of the american dream while going back to his roots with family recipes”. Another commented “Omg I hope he speaks English,” while another said, “He’s gonna have to learn to fly on the right side.” Brooke posted a followup video once they’d touched down, asking, “Does anyone know if Pfizer protects against bird flu?” Many users wanted more information on the bird’s fate, with one person writing, “They should provide a free return trip for him”, while another said, “It’s gonna be so lonely without its friends”. Brooke herself commented, “I started tearing up bc it's whole family is in Belgium and it's gonna get off and have to make new friends." Image: TikTok

Travel Trouble

Garden birds are struggling: four ways to help

More than a quarter of Britain’s birds are now on the RSPB’s <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/uk-conservation-status-explained/" target="_blank">red list</a>, meaning that their numbers are in severe decline. Some of the recent additions to the red list are thought of as common garden birds, such as the greenfinch. Others, such as the swift and house martin, only spend spring and summer visiting the UK before migrating to warmer climes. But the environment they encounter in the UK, as well as along their migration routes, affects their survival significantly. Many of the species that we feed in our gardens and on balconies are under threat. Here are four ways to help them. 1. Clean your bird feeders and bird baths In the wild, with a few exceptions such as starlings, birds don’t come into close contact with each other much. This lack of contact makes it harder for diseases to spread. Bird feeders change this dynamic. The presence of a bird feeder means that many individual birds from many different species feed in the same area. This leads to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bto.org/community/news/201803-feed-birds-scientists-highlight-risks-disease-garden-bird-feeders" target="_blank">spread of disease</a>, because birds often poo where they eat, leaving pathogens to infect the next visitor. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/438076/original/file-20211216-23-13tbwiw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Two birds on a house shaped feeder" /> Greenfinches on a bird feeder. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/greenfinches-perching-on-bird-feeder-spring-1667803654" target="_blank" class="source">Chamois huntress/Shutterstock</a> The greenfinch, a once common garden bird now added to the red list, has suffered because of this. The disease <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/gbw/gardens-wildlife/garden-birds/disease/trichomonosis" target="_blank">trichomonosis</a>, which used to just infect pigeons and doves, has spread to greenfinches with deadly consequences. Regular cleaning of your garden bird feeders and bird baths can reduce this risk. 2. Install bird nesting boxes Many people help birds by putting up nest boxes in their gardens. But these boxes are mostly made for robins and tits who nest in open boxes, or ones with small holes. These nest boxes mimic the crevices and holes that would be available in mature trees. Swifts and house martins are new entrants to the red list, and both of these will readily use man-made nesting places if we provide them – with a few modifications for their needs. House martins will nest in a pre-made or home-made <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/how-you-can-help-birds/nestboxes/how-to-attract-house-martins/" target="_blank">nest cup</a> which mimics the mud nests house martins make for themselves. Swifts will <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.saveourswifts.co.uk/attractswifts.htm" target="_blank">nest in boxes</a>, but they take a bit more work to attract. The best way to do this is to play their screeching call from a speaker placed close to the nest box, to get them to investigate and hopefully nest. You can make nest boxes attractive to these species by installing them in the eaves of your home, as they need them to be up high so they can take flight from them easily. 3. Add some insect-friendly plants Many of the species entering the red list, such as the house martin and house sparrow, feed on insects. Insects numbers have <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2019/february/the-world-s-insect-populations-are-plummeting-everywhere-we-look.html" target="_blank">declined rapidly</a>, so it is no surprise that these avian predators are finding it hard to feed themselves and their chicks. You may love a neat and tidy garden or balcony, but set aside an area to be a bit messier and weedier to attract insects. Adding <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/conservation-biodiversity/wildlife/plants-for-pollinators" target="_blank">pollinator-friendly plants</a>, such as lavender, foxglove and sedum, could really boost insect numbers – natural bird food – in your garden. 4. Reduce dangers to birds <a rel="noopener" href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0049369" target="_blank">Pet cats are predators</a> and can target species like house sparrows, which remain on the red list. Even the presence of cats could be enough to <a rel="noopener" href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.12025" target="_blank">scare birds</a>, reducing the number of young they may be able to have. This may have a more damaging impact on bird populations than the number of birds killed by cats. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/438077/original/file-20211216-17-10dzdgj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Cat stalking along fence under roses" /> Cats are predators and their presence affects bird populations. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cat-burglar-front-roses-on-prowl-1503499694" target="_blank" class="source">Lilly P. Green/Shutterstock</a> If you own a cat, there are ways for you to reduce its effect on bird numbers. A collar with a bell is an effective way to warn birds and other animals about a cat’s presence. In addition, you could consider restricting when cats are allowed outside to just the daytime, as birds can be more vulnerable in the very early morning when they wake and start to look for food. Alternatively, you could keep cats inside entirely. It is very common in Australia and the US for cats to remain indoors. These changes may seem small and your garden or outdoor space may not be big, but gardens in the UK <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/habitats/towns-and-gardens" target="_blank">cover more area</a> that all of our nature reserves put together. Encouraging wildlife in these garden habitats can make a big difference.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/173025/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/becky-thomas-506528" target="_blank">Becky Thomas</a>, Senior Teaching Fellow in Ecology, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/royal-holloway-university-of-london-795" target="_blank">Royal Holloway University of London</a> This article is republished from <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/garden-birds-are-struggling-four-ways-to-help-173025" target="_blank">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Home & Garden

Why dingoes should be considered native to mainland Australia – even though humans introduced them

Dingoes are <a href="https://academic.oup.com/cz/article-abstract/57/5/668/5004458">often demonised</a> as a danger to livestock, while many consider them a natural and essential part of the environment. But is our most controversial wild species actually native to Australia? Dingoes were brought to Australia by humans from Southeast Asia some 4,000 years ago. Technically, this means they are an introduced species, and an “alien” species by <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article-abstract/68/7/496/5050532">classic ecological definitions </a>. By contrast, most legal definitions consider dingoes native, because they were here before Europeans arrived. Though it sounds academic, the controversy has real consequences for this ancient dog lineage. In 2018, the Western Australian government declared dingoes <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-the-wa-government-is-wrong-to-play-identity-politics-with-dingoes-102344">were not native fauna</a> due to crossbreeding with domestic dogs. This potentially makes it easier to control their numbers. In a <a href="https://meridian.allenpress.com/australian-zoologist/article-abstract/41/3/358/472935/An-eco-evolutionary-rationale-to-distinguish-alien">new research paper</a>, I find dingoes do indeed fit the bill as an Australian native species, using three new criteria I propose. These criteria can help us answer questions over whether alien species can ever be considered native, and if so, over what time frame. <h2>Why does alien or native status matter?</h2> Humans have been moving animal species around for millennia. Thousands of years ago, neolithic settlers <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2907.1992.tb00129.x">moved rabbits</a> to Mediterranean islands, traders unwittingly took black rats from India to Europe and Indigenous Southeast Asian people took pigs to Papua New Guinea. The rate of species introductions has ramped up with the movement and spread of people, with many recent arrivals posing a major threat to biodiversity. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435486/original/file-20211203-25-eianud.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435486/original/file-20211203-25-eianud.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Pigs were introduced to Papua New Guinea by Indigenous people thousands of years ago. Does that make them native? Shutterstock Researchers often distinguish between alien and native using the year the species was introduced. There are obvious problems with this, given the dates used can be arbitrary and the fact perceptions of nativeness can be based on how much <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0309132507079499">humans like the species</a>, rather than its ecological impact. For example, there has been strong opposition to killing “friendly” hedgehogs in areas of Scotland where they are introduced, but less cute animals like American mink get no such consideration. For conservationists, alien status certainly matters. <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/abs/10.1098/rspb.2006.0444">Alien species act differently</a> to native species in their new environments, which can give them an advantage over locals in terms of competition for food, predation and spreading new diseases. This can cause native population declines and extinctions. As a result, species considered alien in their ecosystems are often targets for control and eradication. But species considered native are usually protected even if they have extended their range significantly, like eastern water dragons or the Australian white ibis. Native status is, of course, a human construct. Past definitions of nativeness have not directly considered the ecological reasons for concern about alien species. This is what <a href="https://meridian.allenpress.com/australian-zoologist/article-abstract/41/3/358/472935/An-eco-evolutionary-rationale-to-distinguish-alien">my new research</a> seeks to address. <h2>An ecological definition of nativeness</h2> What I propose are three staged criteria to determine when an introduced species becomes native: <ol> <li> has the introduced species evolved in its new environment? </li> <li> do native species recognise and respond to the introduced species as they do other local species? </li> <li> are the interactions between introduced and established native species similar to interactions between native species (that is, their impacts on local species are not negative and exaggerated)? </li> </ol> For dingoes on mainland Australia, the answer is yes for all three criteria. We should consider them native. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435474/original/file-20211203-23-1o19jql.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435474/original/file-20211203-23-1o19jql.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Dingoes on mainland Australia meet the criteria for native status. Peter Banks, Author provided Firstly, dingoes are not the same dogs first brought here. Dingoes are now <a href="https://www.mapress.com/j/zt/article/view/zootaxa.4564.1.6">quite different</a> to their close ancestors in Southeast Asia, in terms of behaviour, how they reproduce and how they look. These <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-14515-6">differences have a genetic basis</a>, suggesting they have evolved since their arrival in Australia. Their heads are now shaped differently, they breed less often and have better problem solving skills than other close dog relatives. Second, it is well established that native prey species on mainland Australia <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/abs/10.1098/rspb.2018.0857">recognise and respond to dingoes</a> as dangerous predators – which they are. Finally, dingo impacts on prey species <a href="https://meridian.allenpress.com/australian-zoologist/article-abstract/41/3/338/447847/Introgression-does-not-influence-the-positive?redirectedFrom=fulltext">are not devastating</a> like those of alien predators such as feral cats and foxes. While hunting by dingoes does suppress prey numbers, they don’t keep them as low (and at greater risk of extinction) as do foxes and cats. Of course, dingo impacts were unlikely to have always been so benign. Dingoes are <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1191/0959683603hl682fa">linked to the extinction</a> of Tasmanian tigers (Thylacines), Tasmanian devils and the Tasmanian flightless hen, which disappeared from mainland Australia soon after the dingo arrived. In my paper, I argue such impacts no longer occur because of evolutionary change in both dingoes and their prey. We can see this in Tasmania, which dingoes never reached. There, prey species like bandicoots still show <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0161447">naiveté towards dogs</a>. That means we should not consider dingoes to be native to Tasmania. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435484/original/file-20211203-23-101r65w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435484/original/file-20211203-23-101r65w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Native prey species on the mainland recognise and respond to dingoes. Shutterstock <h2>Alien today, native tomorrow?</h2> This idea challenges the dogma alien species remain alien forever. This is an unsettling concept for ecologists dealing with the major and ongoing damage done by newer arrivals. <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article-abstract/62/3/217/358332">Some argue</a> we should never embrace alien species into natural ecosystems. This makes no sense for long-established introduced species, which might now be playing a <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-dingo-fence-from-space-satellite-images-show-how-these-top-predators-alter-the-desert-155642">positive role</a> in ecosystems. But it’s a different story for recently introduced species like cats, given not enough time has passed to get past the exaggerated impacts on local species. These ideas are not about considering all species present in an ecosystem to be native. Introduced species should still be considered alien until proven native. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435482/original/file-20211203-27-1atm2p2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435482/original/file-20211203-27-1atm2p2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Cat sitting in the outback" /></a> Cats are a bigger threat to Australian wildlife than dingoes. Shutterstock This approach suggests ways of classifying species which might be native to a country but have moved to new places within the country through mechanisms like climate change or re-wilding. For example, we can’t simply assume returning Tasmanian devils to <a href="https://theconversation.com/bringing-devils-back-to-the-mainland-could-help-wildlife-conservation-43121">mainland Australia</a> more than 3,000 years after dingoes drove them extinct there would count as reintroducing a native species. Defining nativeness in this ecological way will help resolve some of the heated and long-running debates over how to distinguish alien and native species. How? Because it targets the key reason conservationists were worried about alien species in the first place – the damage they can do.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172756/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-banks-7272">Peter Banks</a>, Professor of Conservation Biology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-dingoes-should-be-considered-native-to-mainland-australia-even-though-humans-introduced-them-172756">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Domestic Travel

More than 200 Australian birds are now threatened with extinction – and climate change is the biggest danger

Up to 216 Australian birds are now threatened – compared with 195 a decade ago – and climate change is now the main driver pushing threatened birds closer to extinction, landmark new research has found. The <a href="https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/-/media/OEH/Corporate-Site/Documents/Animals-and-plants/Scientific-Committee/Determinations/Preliminaries/conservation-assessment-mukarrthippi-grasswren.pdf">Mukarrthippi grasswren</a> is now Australia’s most threatened bird, down to as few as two or three pairs. But 23 Australian birds became less threatened over the past decade, showing conservation actions can work. The findings are contained in a new <a href="https://ebooks.publish.csiro.au/content/action-plan-australian-birds-2020">action plan</a> released today. Last released in 2011, the action plan examines the extinction risk facing the almost 1,300 birds in Australia and its territories. We edited the book, written by more than 300 ornithologists. Without changes, many birds will continue to decline or be lost altogether. But when conservation action is well resourced and implemented, we can avoid these outcomes. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434641/original/file-20211130-21-1i8g2ou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="small bird perches on twig" /> Without change, threatened birds such as the southern emu wren, pictured, will be lost. Barry Baker <h2>The numbers tell the story</h2> The 216 Australian birds now at risk of extinction comprise: <ul> <li>23 critically endangered</li> <li>74 endangered</li> <li>87 vulnerable</li> <li>32 near-threatened.</li> </ul> This is up from 134 birds in 1990 and 195 a decade ago. We assessed the risk of extinction according to the <a href="https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/RL-2001-001-2nd.pdf">categories and criteria</a> set by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in its <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/assessment/red-list-index">Red List</a> of threatened species. As the below graph shows, the picture of bird decline in Australia is not pretty – especially when compared to the global trend. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434586/original/file-20211129-22-xrs2e5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /> Authors supplied <h2>What went wrong?</h2> <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434618/original/file-20211130-24-11eplat.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" alt="two black birds nuzzling" /> Birds are easily harmed by changes in their ecosystems. Dean Ingwersen/BIRDLIFE AUSTRALIA Birds are easily harmed by changes in their ecosystems, including introduced species, habitat loss, disturbance to breeding sites and bushfires. Often, birds face danger on many fronts. The southeastern glossy black cockatoo, for example, faces no less than 20 threats. Introduced cats and foxes kill millions of birds <a href="https://www.nespthreatenedspecies.edu.au/media/eeufmpqx/112-the-impact-of-cats-in-australia-findings-factsheetweb.pdf">each year</a> and are considered a substantial extinction threat to 37 birds. Land clearing and overgrazing are a serious cause of declines for 55 birds, including the swift parrot and diamond firetail. And there is now strong evidence climate change is driving declines in many bird species. A good example is the Wet Tropics of far north Queensland. Monitoring at 1,970 sites over 17 years has <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.23.453540v1">shown</a> the local populations of most mid- and high-elevation species has declined exactly as climate models predicted. Birds such as the fernwren and golden bowerbird are being eliminated from lower, cooler elevations as temperatures rise. As a result, 17 upland rainforest birds are now listed as threatened – all due to climate change. The Black Summer <a href="https://www.awe.gov.au/sites/default/files/env/pages/ef3f5ebd-faec-4c0c-9ea9-b7dfd9446cb1/files/assessments-species-vulnerability-fire-impacts-14032020.pdf">bushfires</a> of 2019-20 – which were <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-020-00065-8">exacerbated</a> by climate change – contributed to the listing of 27 birds as threatened. We estimate that in just one day alone – January 6, 2020 – about half the population of all 16 bird species endemic or largely confined to Kangaroo Island were incinerated, including the tiny Kangaroo Island southern emu-wren. Some 91 birds are threatened by droughts and heatwaves. They include what’s thought to be Australia’s rarest bird, the Mukarrthippi grasswren of central west New South Wales, where just two or three pairs survive. Climate change is also pushing migratory shorebirds towards extinction. Of the 43 shorebirds that come to Australia after breeding in the Northern Hemisphere, 25 are now threatened. Coastal development in East Asia is contributing to the decline, destroying and degrading <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms14895">mudflat habitat</a> where the birds stop to rest and eat. But rising seas as a result of climate change are also <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rspb.2013.0325">consuming</a> mudflats on the birds’ migration route, and the climate in the birds’ Arctic breeding grounds is <a href="https://www.fullerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Wauchope-et-al-2017.pdf">changing</a> faster than anywhere in the world. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434625/original/file-20211130-17-1o8c7vz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="dead bird lies one charred ground" /> The Black Summer bushfires devastated some bird populations. James Ross/AAP <h2>The good news</h2> The research shows declines in extinction risk for 23 Australian bird species. The southern cassowary, for example, no longer meets the criteria for being threatened. Land clearing ceased after its rainforest habitat was placed on the World Heritage list in 1988 and the population is now stable. Other birds represent conservation success stories. For example, the prospects for the Norfolk Island green parrot, Albert’s lyrebird and bulloo grey grasswren improved after efforts to reduce threats and protect crucial habitat in conservation reserves. Intensive conservation efforts have also meant once-declining populations of several key species are now stabilising or increasing. They include the eastern hooded plover, Kangaroo Island glossy black-cockatoo and eastern bristlebird. And on Macquarie Island, efforts to <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/26198759.pdf">eradicate</a> rabbits and rodents has led to a spectacular recovery in seabird numbers. The extinction risk of nine seabirds is now lower as a result. There’s also been progress in reducing the bycatch of seabirds from fishing boats, although there is <a href="https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/conservation/marine-and-coastal/marine-conservation-services/reports/final-reports/antipodean-albatross-fisheries-overlap-2020.pdf">much work</a> still to do. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434639/original/file-20211130-13-1suwehz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="lyrebird under leaves" /> The Albert’s lyrebird has been a conservation success. Barry Baker <h2>Managing threats</h2> The research also examined the impact of each threat to birds – from which we can measure progress in conservation action. For 136 species, we are alarmingly ignorant about how to reduce the threats – especially climate change. Some 63% of important threats are being managed to a very limited extent or not at all. And management is high quality for just 10% of “high impact” threats. For most threats, the major impediments to progress is technical – we don’t yet know what to do. But a lack of money also constrains progress on about half the threats. What’s more, there’s no effective monitoring of 30% of the threatened birds, and high-quality monitoring for only 27%. Nevertheless, much has been achieved since the last action plan in 2010. We hope the new plan, and the actions it recommends, will mean the next report in 2030 paints a more positive picture for Australian birds.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172751/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-garnett-4565">Stephen Garnett</a>, Professor of Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/barry-baker-1295242">Barry Baker</a>, University associate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-200-australian-birds-are-now-threatened-with-extinction-and-climate-change-is-the-biggest-danger-172751">original article</a>. Image: Shuttershock

Family & Pets

How do birds make their nests?

The first thing to know is not all birds make nests. For example, emperor penguin fathers carry their precious egg on their feet (to keep it off the frozen ground). Some birds, such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuckoo">cuckoos</a>, will lay their eggs in someone else’s nests. Others lay them on the ground among leaves or pebbles, or on cliffs with very little protection. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/433852/original/file-20211125-25-1be6ny0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/433852/original/file-20211125-25-1be6ny0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" alt="Eggs among pebbles" /></a> Some birds will lay their eggs among pebbles on the ground, which doesn’t offer them much physical protection. Shutterstock For the birds that do build nests, there is one main goal: to keep their eggs and chicks safe. <h2>Many places to build a nest</h2> Many birds also make their nests in tree hollows, including parrots. That’s just one reason it’s important to not cut trees down! Meanwhile, kookaburras use their powerful beaks to burrow into termite nests and make a cosy nest inside. And the cute <a href="https://www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/spotted-pardalote">spotted pardelote</a> will dig little burrows in the side of earth banks – with a safe and cosy spot for its eggs at the end of the tunnel. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/433827/original/file-20211125-19-1en7ivf.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/433827/original/file-20211125-19-1en7ivf.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> The tiny spotted pardalote is one of the smallest Australian birds, and measures about 8 to 10 centimetres in length. Shutterstock Some birds, such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_brushturkey">brush turkeys</a>, spend months building huge mounds on the ground which can heat up from the inside. The male turkey makes sure the ground is exactly the right temperature inside the mound, and then lets the female lay the eggs inside. He’ll take big mouthfuls of dirt surrounding the eggs to check it’s not too hot or cold. <h2>What materials do they use?</h2> Birds construct many different types of nests. There are floating nests, cups, domes, pendulums and basket-shaped nests. They can be made out of sticks, twigs, leaves, grasses, mosses or even mud. <a href="https://www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/white-winged-chough">Magpie-larks</a> (also called “peewees”), <a href="https://birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/apostlebird">apostlebirds</a> and <a href="https://www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/white-winged-chough">choughs</a> make mud bowl nests that look like <a href="http://www.birdway.com.au/corcoracinae/apostlebird/source/apostlebird_100486.php">terracotta plant pots</a>. To do this, they gather mud and grasses in their beaks and shake it around to mix it with their saliva. They can then attach it to a branch and build upwards until the nest is complete. In fact, bird saliva is a really strong and sticky material to build nests with. Birds will often mix saliva and mud to make a type of glue. And some swiftlets make their nests entirely out of solidified saliva. People will even eat these nests in <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-12/birds-nest-soup-bird-blown-to-australia/11953830">bird’s nest soup</a>! <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/433823/original/file-20211125-23-7mufq4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/433823/original/file-20211125-23-7mufq4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Some swiftlets will make their nest entirely out of solidified saliva. Shutterstock Willie wagtails use another type of glue - sticky spiderwebs. They “sew” grasses together using spider webs and the webs help keep the nests strong against wind and water, too. They have to perfect the technique of gathering the spiderweb though, otherwise it can get tangled in their feathers. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/433824/original/file-20211125-19-3ejs71.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/433824/original/file-20211125-19-3ejs71.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Willy wagtail’s nest is a neatly-woven cup of grasses, covered with spider’s web on the outside and is lined with soft grasses, hair or fur. Shutterstock Magpies and crows, both common visitors to our gardens, are also clever nest builders. Not only can they expertly layer their sticks into a bowl, but they also use many human-made materials in their nests. You might find them using fabric, string or a wire to hold a nest together. Some birds such as red kites have even been seen “decorating” their nests with human rubbish. And Australian babblers line the inside of their nests with a thick wall of kangaroo poo, followed by soft fluff, to keep their chicks warm. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/433851/original/file-20211125-23-ljn8ga.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/433851/original/file-20211125-23-ljn8ga.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> The chestnut-crowned babbler lives in the desert and can have up to 23 birds roosting in one nest. Shutterstock <h2>The building process</h2> To actually weave the nests, birds will usually create a base by layering sticks or twigs in the place they want it. Then they use their beaks and feet to weave a chosen materials through, to hold the sticks in place. They can pull strips of material with their beaks over and under, just like weaving a rug. They can even tie knots! Nests can take a really long time to make, so they’re often reused year after year. Weaver birds are so good at weaving, they can build complex nests that <a href="https://www.wired.com/2014/08/absurd-creature-of-the-week-the-bird-that-builds-nests-so-huge-they-pull-down-trees/">cover entire trees</a> and have several chambers. <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kVlyUNRtQmY?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Check out this baya weaver bird build an incredible hanging nest using the weaving method. These birds are found across the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. To summarise, birds are really intelligent animals. They use their intelligence, along with their beaks and feet, to find the most clever ways to make nests with whatever materials are available. And they get better at this by learning from others, such as their parents or peers.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172391/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kiara-lherpiniere-1276069">Kiara L'Herpiniere</a>, PhD Candidate, Wildlife Biologist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-how-do-birds-make-their-nests-172391">original article</a>. Image: Shuttershock

Family & Pets

Wildlife advocates call for Bunnings to ditch bird-killing poisons

BirdLife Australia, the country’s largest bird conservation group, has called on Bunnings Warehouse to stop the sale of certain poisons used to kill rats and mice, claiming that native birds are being killed after eating the poisoned pests. The group has launched a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.actforbirds.org/ratpoison" target="_blank">petition</a> imploring Bunnings, the largest hardware chain in Australia and New Zealand, to “Take bird-killing poisons off [their] shelves!” The petition explains that Bunnings controls about half of Australia’s DIY hardware market share, and sells a larger variety of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticide products (also known as SGARs) than any other major outlet. SGARs are the poisons that work most effectively on rodents, and sales of such products have increased dramatically as a result of the plague of mice that swept eastern Australia this year, leaving shelves at stores around the country completely bare. BirdLife Australia says that native birds of prey, including wedge-tailed eagles, southern boobooks and possibly even powerful owls are dying after eating rodents that have been poisoned by SGARs. As the group explains in the petition, there are alternative products that are “just as effective that don't poison our natural foodchains”. SGARs have been restricted for sale in many parts of the world, including the US, Canada, and parts of Europe. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GdAQPiC2dsA" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> SGARs work by causing internal bleeding, but when pests like rats and mice eat bait that has been poisoned, they become poisonous themselves, harming and even killing animals that eat them. BirdLife’s petition states that studies have already shown how southern boobooks and wedge-tailed eagles have been affected by the increased use of SGARs, and they are currently researching the impact on powerful owls. BirdLife argues that first generation anticoagulant rodenticide products have active ingredients like warfarin and work just as well as SGARs, but do not have the same impact on non-target species. In addition, the group recommends snap traps as the most humane option for dealing with pests. A Bunnings spokesperson <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/take-your-bird-killing-poisons-off-your-shelves-bird-lovers-call-for-ban-on-popular-buy-at-bunnings-c-4297277" target="_blank">told 7News</a> that it offers many rodent control products that are safe for wildlife, and that it was working with suppliers to help shoppers make informed purchases. “We always respect community feedback and we recently met with BirdLife Australia to understand their views and to explain the steps we are taking to educate customers about rodent control products,” Bunnings general manager, merchandise, Adrian Pearce said. Pearce went on to say that Bunnings understands there are risks associated with the use of SGARs, and that they “proactively promote the safe use of these products and support customers in making informed purchasing decisions.” He added that the retailer offers a range of rodent control products that are not poisonous, including repellers, live catch traps, regular rat traps, and natural bait pellets. Pearce explained Bunnings’ next steps, saying, “In addition, we are creating further training for our team members to help improve their knowledge about this topic. We are also in the process of implementing the separation of first generation and second generation rat poison varieties, along with naturally-derived rodenticides on our shelves to further assist with easier customer product selection. “We will continue to closely follow the advice of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), and work with our suppliers to innovate in this area.” Image: Ken Griffiths/Getty Images

Family & Pets

“It broke my heart”: Native Americans outbid to buy back their own sacred site

Over 290 prehistoric Native American glyphs that depict people, animals, and mythological figures adorn the walls of Picture Cave in eastern Missouri. The cave has been deemed an “ultimate sacred site” by the Osage Nation, who were pushed out of the land as a consequence of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Since the 1950s, the land has been owned by the extremely wealthy Busch family, who mostly used it as a hunting ground. When the Busch family announced last year that they would be selling the cave, and the 43 acres of land surrounding it, the Osage Nation began a campaign to procure their land back. They teamed up with the Conservation Fund, as well as Fish and Wildlife Services, on the account of endangered bats living in the cave. Despite their mammoth efforts, the Osage Nation could not gather enough money to buy their sacred land back. “[Picture Cave] is our ultimate sacred site,” says Andrea Hunter, a member of the Osage Nation and director of its Historic Preservation Office. “It was our land to begin with and we then had to resort to trying to buy it back. “And we’ve got landowners who don’t understand the history of the place they live in and whose significance doesn’t amount to more than monetary value [for them].” The Busch family sold the land to an anonymous buyer for $2,200,000USD, just $200,000 more than the Osage Nation offered. “Watching it get to $2 million stopped my heart,” said Hunter. “It broke my heart.” Hunter and her team are currently trying to contact the anonymous bidder from Nashville to explain the historical and cultural significance of the land. So far, they have not been successful in their communications. Image credit: Youtube - Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers

Art

Should we keep native Australian animals as pets?

<h2>Should we keep native Australian animals as pets?</h2> <h2>If we turn Australian mammals into pets on a large scale, will it help or hinder their survival in the wild?</h2> <div class="copy"> This article first appeared in Cosmos Weekly on <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/palaeontology/new-south-australia-park-preserves-dawn-of-time-creatures/" target="_blank">23 </a><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/animals/home-truths/" target="_blank">July </a><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/palaeontology/new-south-australia-park-preserves-dawn-of-time-creatures/" target="_blank">2021</a>. Mike Archer has opened his home to possums, flying foxes, quolls and wallabies. But although he’s a renowned biologist, he’s no wildlife carer. The native Australian animals have been his pets. “I’ve had so many wonderful native animals that have shared my house and my backyard,” Archer tells me. “I think we’re nuts for just feeling we have to stick with the introduced alien species as pets.” The adoption of native Australian mammals as pets is a divisive topic. My introduction came with sugar gliders. When a friend said they were thinking of getting pet sugar gliders I was quietly horrified. It’s not illegal – you can keep sugar gliders in Victoria, the Northern Territory and South Australia if you have a licence – but it didn’t sit right with me. They should remain in their natural habitat, I thought. They’re wild animals after all. But as Archer points out, many native animals are not doing too well in their diminishing natural habitat. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-text-align-right"> Our mammals live in a world of fractured national parks and narrow corridors between human cities, towns and farmland, where they’re vulnerable to hungry cats and foxes. </blockquote> “We’re squeezing these animals into ever tinier corners,” he warns. “Wildlife is increasingly not safe in the wild.” And it’s true. In Australia, where most of our mammals are endemic (found nowhere else), we’ve managed to eliminate over 30 species since the arrival of Europeans – the highest mammalian extinction rate in the world. <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/science-environment/2014/06/australian-endangered-species-list/" target="_blank">Many more species are endangered</a>. “We need every strategy we can find to give these animals a chance to survive into the future,” Archer says. “Keeping native animals as pets is going to mean having breeding facilities, it’ll mean a population of them as a safety net that won’t go extinct, and it will enhance people’s interest in them.” Our mammals live in a world of fractured national parks and narrow corridors between human cities, towns and farmland, where they’re vulnerable to hungry cats and foxes. The smaller the population, the less resilient it is after bushfires, droughts, or flooding. <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/conl.12682" target="_blank">A research paper published in 2019</a> found that the Australian government spends $122 million a year on threatened species recovery. That’s about a tenth of what the US spends, and according to the researchers, it’s around 15% of the amount that’s actually needed to recover Australia’s threatened species. Archer has been keeping native mammals since the 1970s. In 2015 he recruited Senator David Leyonhjelm to the cause, with Leyonhjelm suggesting to the Senate that “the quoll may replace domestic cats”. This may sound crazy, but it’s a decent point – there are 3.8 million pet cats and another few million feral cats in Australia, and each one kills <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.nespthreatenedspecies.edu.au/media/eeufmpqx/112-the-impact-of-cats-in-australia-findings-factsheetweb.pdf" target="_blank">between 200 and 800 native animals a year</a>. But many don’t agree. “WIRES strongly believes that [keeping native pets as animals] will not lead to better conservation outcomes,” says WIRES campaigns manager Kristie Newton. “I fear that young people will have a disconnect with the animals in the wild. How can they understand they are threatened by extinction, for example, when you can go buy one at your local pet shop?” As was starkly highlighted in the lockdown TV series hit Tiger King, there are at least <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/5-things-tiger-king-doesn-t-explain-about-captive-tigers" target="_blank">5,000 captive tigers</a> in the US (most are privately owned), which is significantly more than the number remaining in the wild. But allowing people to keep tigers has done very little to help conservation of their wild brethren. Many of the “pet” tigers have inbred or mixed genetics, which makes them <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/is-ohio-zoo-slaughter-a-setback-for-tiger-conservation-3926" target="_blank">unhelpful for breeding</a> programs. Plus, the regulations are so lax that there’s no way to even count how many privately owned tigers are in the country, let alone a system to plan for their conservation. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-text-align-left"> The Australian government spends $122 million a year on threatened species recovery. That’s about a tenth of what the US spends, and around 15% of the amount actually needed to recover Australia’s threatened species. </blockquote> Another exotic species increasingly popular as a pet in the US is the sugar glider – legal to own in nearly every state, though a licence is required to breed them. Websites advertise their purchase for around $800 each. These animals require specialised care, and although there is a community of owners who love having these marsupials as pets, many animal rights groups and conservation organisations are unimpressed. “There has been evidence in the US of gliders kept as solitary pets developing behavioural issues, refusing to eat or self-mutilating through over-preening,” says Newton. “They are very prone to stress. Most vets lack training or experience with these species, so diagnosing and treating health issues can be difficult.” Many animal researchers fall somewhere in the middle. Three quoll scientists wrote an article for <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/pet-quolls-are-practically-useless-for-real-world-conservation-39039" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> a few years ago, saying that although quolls could make good companion animals and reducing cats in Australia would be ideal, they think that pet quolls – in the same vein as US tigers – would be practically useless for conservation reasons. <img style="width: 354px; height: 199px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843967/native-pets-2-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e33422983647440a84676a75d66ee377" /> Dingo researcher Kylie Cairns agrees. “It could increase knowledge about the plight of our native animals in Australia and engage the public better in caring for our native animals,” she says. However, “it is more likely that the captive animal population would become domesticated over time and follow selective breeding for easier-to-handle ‘pets’. “It is unlikely that captive animals kept as pets would be bred in a manner that would allow them to be returned to the wild, or used for rewilding projects, and so their utility for conservation is limited.” But there’s another question here, too. Apart from the small number of native pet owners we already have, do most people really want to replace their cat or dog with a native animal? In a number of states around Australia you can already obtain licences for keeping quolls, gliders, wallabies and dingoes. Once you have a licence to keep a native animal, most of the time you don’t need a separate licence to breed them. But in my home state of Victoria, once you spend the hundred dollars on a licence, you need to find someone to sell you an animal. On online sales site Gumtree, there is a waitlist for sugar gliders – and one squirrel glider for sale for $600. Which isn’t always easy. “The availability of mammals varies widely,” explains Nicholas Petropoulos, a wildlife presenter and breeder. “If you wanted, say, hopping mice or sugar gliders you could find some for sale today. Ringtail or brushtail possums you’d likely have to wait until spring when babies are being weaned. For others, like quolls, you’d likely need to go on a waiting list for a breeder. “To actually get them you’d join marsupial societies, get to know licenced breeders on social media, and contact zoos about their surplus lists.” It seems that even if I wanted to replace my cat with a quoll, there are limited systems in place to acquire one. And most people, like me, are probably still uncomfortable with the idea of locking up native animals in our homes. Perhaps it’s easier to keep them out of sight and out of mind, imagining them in idyllic native surrounds, far from humans, cats or foxes. Although native animal researchers might have significantly different views when it comes to keeping native animals as pets, all agree that not enough is being done to protect them in the wild. Even Archer is adamant that keeping native mammals as pets is just one step in a much larger conservation project – but one that he believes is critical. “No animal we’ve ever put our arms around has ever gone extinct. They go extinct when we ignore them on the other side of the fence.” This article first appeared in Cosmos Weekly on 23 July 2021. To see more in-depth stories like this, subscribe today and get access to our weekly e-publication, plus access to all back issues of Cosmos Weekly.  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=160176&title=Should+we+keep+native+Australian+animals+as+pets%3F" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> </div> <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/animals/native-animals-as-pets/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/jacinta-bowler">Jacinta Bowler</a>. Jacinta Bowler is an accomplished science journalist who has written about far-flung exoplanets, terrifying superbugs and everything in between. They have written articles for ABC, SBS, ScienceAlert and Pedestrian, and are a regular contributor for kids magazines Double Helix and KIT. </div>

Family & Pets

Handy tip to keep birds out of your bin

We all know that birds and other wildlife can wreak havoc on bin day by sorting through our garbage bins. But a woman has discovered a handy trick to stop this from happening. The woman posted her trick to the Cleaning and Organising Inspiration Australia <a rel="noopener" href="https://honey.nine.com.au/social-media" target="_blank" title="Facebook">Facebook </a>group, saying she'd seen the method on one of her neighbour's rubbish bins. "On my walk today whilst in lockdown I came across one of the smartest tricks I've seen in a while," she posted. Her post showed a photo of a red garbage bin with two water bottles cable-tied to its handles. The woman added: "The reason for this is to keep birds out of your bins so they don't create mess. Thought it may be helpful to someone who may be having this problem.” The woman’s post received over 1600 reactions, with hundreds sharing their appreciation for the simple trick in the comments. "So clever!!!" one person wrote. "This is genius; I'm sick of the birds getting in and rubbish flying everywhere. Thanks," another person praised. Birds are the main culprits It seems that birds - particularly cockatoos – are the main culprits for picking through garbage bins on bin day. However, a woman shared evidence it can be other wildlife also doing some sifting and sorting: The woman posted: "We have this problem too except found out at night time it wasn't birds!!” While some people aren’t so worried about wildlife going through their bins quite a few others noted the handy trick could be useful against the natural elements. "Great idea for windy days to keep the lid down too," one person added. "Also would stop your bin blowing over," another poster wrote. Image: Facebook

Home & Garden

Parrot alerts owner to fire tearing through his home

A parrot has saved the life of his owner after he alerted the sleeping man to a fire raging through his house in Queensland. Eric the parrot woke his owner in the middle of the night after his timber house caught on fire. "Eric, my parrot, he started to yell, so I woke up and I smelt a bit of smoke, I grabbed Eric, opened the door and looked to the back of the house and saw some flames," the man told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/parrot-alerts-owner-to-house-fire-kanagroo-point-brisbane-queensland-news/166b45e0-a4b4-4746-b041-b49b4726bed3" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">9News</a>. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838619/parrot-body.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9a4a94c28db140aabb6978569ba28989" /> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> The house was destroyed in the blaze despite best efforts from firefighters to save the home. The man and his parrot are unharmed. </div>

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