it was built in the 1930s. Maybe 1936?
Exotic Birds in Australia
- Thread starter Shirokuma
- Start date
It was completely rebuilt in the '70's. it was touch and go as to whether it would be demolished as it was in poor condition. Rebuilding involved replacement of all wire, removal of partitions, rehabilitating the steel frame, construction of the walkway and of course landscaping. A major job.
what about all the birds here: http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/wildlife-trade/lists/import/pubs/live-import-list.pdf
there are IRAs for pigeons, ducks, hens and turkeys...... 
*and penguins (I forgot those)
*and penguins (I forgot those)
Australian Biosecurity will only allow in domestic or rock pigeons (Columba livia) or the eggs of domestic ducks, domestic geese and domestic turkeys. Penguins may be imported from New Zealand only, and will be assessed on a case by case basis.
Hix
Hix
In all seriousness...id leave the country!I did a big tour there a couple of years ago and of course i saw many,many, taxa i might never see again[under such circumstances Featherdale and Alice Springs Desert Park took the honours for birds] but i simply couldnt live with the restrictions placed on animal importations.And i dont understand it for bona-fide society zoos either...a person in a Queensland zoo told me that they couldnt get rabbits-as you would say over there...strewth!
Yep, you're quite right Tim. Aussie import restrictions are just about the tightest on earth, ridiculously over the top as far as I'm concerned. (Officially for biosecurity reasons, but unofficially also because governments are pandering to Animal Lib. types.)
I can understand the government not allowing the average Joe Blow to import wildlife willy-nilly but I find it stupid that bona-fide well run zoos are not trusted to do the right thing. I can't think of one species that has become an exotic pest here as a result of escaping or being released from a zoo.
I can understand the government not allowing the average Joe Blow to import wildlife willy-nilly but I find it stupid that bona-fide well run zoos are not trusted to do the right thing. I can't think of one species that has become an exotic pest here as a result of escaping or being released from a zoo.
Neither can I, but all that suggests is the restrictions work. What you should be asking is how many species have become exotic pests in countries with less restrictions?
Who decides which zoos can be trusted and which can't? And would you have enough 'trusted' institutions to maintain viable populations? Animals could escape from even the best zoo (from natural disasters, for example), or be stolen.
Australia has a responsibility to protect not only local habitats, but an entire continent of largely unique species. This may not be the only goal of the restrictions in place, but protecting these species is the most important thing.
As far as determining which zoos can be trusted is concerned, that's quite simple: whoever accredits quarantine facilities. I assume that's AQIS, but could be wrong.
No zoo in Australia can meet the requirements for avian importations, and I doubt they would want to. AQIS (now known as DAFF) have an avian importation centre at Spotswood. Spotswood housed live bird imports in the 90's, but closed down because of disease issues (which is the other major quarantine issue). I believe that's where the live pigeons undergo quarantine, and probably the eggs of the chooks, ducks and turkeys.
Hix
Hix
Brettsc is in essence right...but its plainly way over the top for many types of animal.Take penguins for instance-in the history of zoos worldwide has one ever escaped to live a feral existence?I cant help but feel theres some other agenda going on...several aussie herpeculturists have said as much[as does David Gill in his book].The other thing that was a surprise on my tour was the amount of taxa we DIDNT see-many waders,the legendary Plains-wanderer,most of the terns and gulls,most of the crows and currawongs,Alberts Lyrebird etc etc.It seems that there are fairly major restrictions even within the country,Queensland being famously over-zealous with its fauna, to an anti-conservational level almost.
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