Wednesday 21 November 2012

TOURIST TURTLES


Kate holding the second Green Turtle found off Wollongong within a month. This poor creature died due to plastic ingestion!

If only that were true - two sub adult green turtles within a month of each other! Both of the turtles should have been in North Queensland, not in the cold waters of Wollongong. So something was obviously very wrong.

The first turtle was found south off Wollongong with damage to his ‘shell’, possibly a boat strike. The second turtle found just to the north (spotted by a member of the public, Anthony and his children). The turtle was covered in seagrass and presenting as quite unwell, seen here with Australian Seabird Rescue team member Kate.

Being under license to National Parks, and required to contact them immediately regarding turtles, they were both transported to the ‘ magic’ team of vets at Taronga Zoo Hospital. After overnight care with Kay turtle 1 and Katie turtle 2, turtle number 1 will happily be released after repair work and R and R. Turtle number 2 unfortunately died at the zoo and an autopsy was carried out to find out why. Yep, you guessed it- a plastic shopping bag!

So this poor creature has drifted south on the current-  starving hungry - in pain with her intestines ‘Clagged’ up- unable to dive. In such a bad way she’s even been ignored by sharks.

Come on everyone- when are we going to wake up! Please if you see a discarded piece of plastic please pick it up and put it in a bin- if everyone did this it would make a big impact on what ends up in the ocean. Think twice about balloons also, especially helium-yeh they look good-yeh kids love them- but where do most end up? Yep- the ocean. ASR successfully lobbied the NSW Government to ban the mass release of balloons at Government and sporting events.

You see- floating in the water they look like jelly blubbers-the staple diet of many sea creatures and pelagic sea birds. We also just lost an endangered Northern Giant Petrel, most likely to plastic ingestion. 

Please- Stop- Think- Look- Act!!!

The ocean is part of our ‘life blood’. If we keep abusing it, the end result will be catastrophic to both human and creature existence. Even on pristine Lord Howe Island adult and baby birds that have died have had an unbelievable amount of plastic in their gut.

We do like to tell good stories- so if we all pull together it will make it a lot easier to do this.

Betty

Sunday 18 November 2012

Southie



This time of year our beautiful sea and shorebirds are susceptible to botulism. We have spoken of it before, but not to miss an opportunity we remind everyone to keep an eye out for unusual behaviour - usually along the shoreline. A prompt response saves lives as this crippling disease can kill a bird in 24 hours.

Sue, a ranger, had called Australian Seabird Rescue about a bird on a beach. After explaining botulism to her, she will now keep a look out whilst on her work duties. Unfortunately that pelican died despite our best effort.
But about a week later Sue was working at South beach Wollongong and noticed a pelican getting "barrelled" in the surf and rang us straight away. She got a lifesaver to go out and get the bird while awaiting our arrival. Quick thinking Sue - one lucky pelican!

The best part - after a week of intensive care the pelican has been happily released - is that a smile on her face in the picture?! With a flick of her tail feathers she was back in the wild with her fellow pelicans.

A big thank you to Sue for being on the ball and thanks also to South Wollongong Surf Club.

Betty

Oliver releasing a pelican who had recovered from botulism.

Tuesday 13 November 2012

Warning


Fishing line with attached sinker were tangled tightly around the wing of this pelican.


Fishing line protruding from the neck of this poor pelican.

This is exactly what we have been trying to get people to understand - the devastation careless fishing practices can and will cause.
A call came for help at 8.30 the other night from a concerned member of the public, Dane, who spotted this bird and managed to catch her and hold her until Australian Seabird Rescue team member Kate got there. The pelican was in an area known for foxes and dogs so she was fortunate Dane cared enough to call. 

Sadly for this pelican though the outcome was fatal. With fishing line around her wing and a large sinker attached, it had become so tight it had cut off the circulation, so this girl was dying a slow horrible death.
Into overnight care with Kate to make her as comfortable as possible. It was discovered in the daylight she also had a piece of fishing line protruding from her neck but no hook in sight - it had started to travel internally in her body dispelling another myth that hooks either rust away or fall out - this also would eventually killed her as it got further into her body.
Off to the vet that morning she was very sadly euthanized. A breeding female that has died unnecessarily - it just breaks my heart!
Please - once again - please be careful out there while you're enjoying the fishing. It's so easy to avoid a tragedy like this. The fisherperson has it seems just cut the line without thinking of the consequences.

Take care - thanks Kate for your devotion regardless of the late hour and your visitors.

Betty

Sunday 11 November 2012

Miss Feisty




Well this female pelican certainly has a story to tell the "girls" on Bermagui lake.

She had got herself in trouble and presented at the boat ramp with 2 tears in her pouch. Yes another hook injury - will it never end! Australian Seabird Rescue team member Penny was there trying to catch a couple of cormorants also with hook and line problems. Spotting the pelican in trouble she quickly caught her with the help of our old mate Peter. A vet was arranged for assessment. So Miss Feisty now owes her life to Moruya Vet Clinic and Penny's care as she would have starved. The vet had her in the table for 3 hours repairing the damage then in to care! After 5 days - refusing to eat and terribly stressed inflicting a few wounds to Penny, she was released in the same spot as she was caught - or was she just wanting to get back on the lake to tell the "girls" of her epic adventure! You can almost picture them over a "cup of tea". Happily though she was last seen fishing.

Thank you Moruya Vet staff and team member Penny - who by the way rescued one of the cormorants as well and I'm sure she won't rest until the other one has been attended to.

Betty

Miss Feisty - the pelican rescued on Bermagui lake.

Friday 9 November 2012

Banded Rail


The contrary Banded Rail.


This beautifully marked little bird though he was Muhammad Ali - the size of him and he wanted to argue with every effort to help him. Despite a gourmet menu of crickets and mealworms (compliment of Lindsay of SOSSA) he was difficult to care for. He presented as being unable to use his legs - 9 days in care saw him get stronger every day.

He was identified by Lindsay as Australian Seabird Rescue hadn't seen one before - you never stop learning do you!

With a big appetite to match his big squeaky voice he really was a character with a madly flicking tail when we approached. 

Keep an eye out for these cuties in well vegetated coastal areas.

Betty