Act Now To Save Native Wildlife Or It'll Be Too Late

Sydney Morning Herald

Saturday January 10, 2009

This letter is an appeal on behalf of all our endangered native creatures being destroyed by the ever-increasing numbers of feral animals.

The Federal Government estimates there are 18 million feral cats roaming our countryside killing our unique marsupials and birds in numbers that equate to a massacre.

There are also countless numbers of foxes doing their best to wipe out our wildlife.

And those are only two of the dreadful "invasive" animals, as the Government calls them. There are also cane toads, carp, pigs and goats.

Unfortunately for our native creatures there is not a politician in Australia who seems to be interested in this matter. They will jump up and down about whales, but ask them to show some interest in our native wildlife and they are struck dumb.

If you ask the political parties they will say they have policies to solve these problems but that is empty rhetoric. No one is doing anything constructive to address this problem.

In the case of feral cats, I am advised that governments have access to a number of viruses that could be used with some success but I can only surmise these brave politicians are afraid of a backlash from the "domestic cat lobby", even though there are vaccines available to protect pet cats.

The one party that I thought might show an interest in this problem, the Greens, hides behind a screen of policy statements that means absolutely nothing unless implemented with some positive action.

Perhaps someone with some interest in this terrible problem and who has the clout to do something about it might start the ball rolling to protect our native wildlife. Otherwise future generations of Australians may see our brilliant birds and fascinating marsupials only in zoos.

Neville Ridge Bowral

© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald

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