I am happy for our Tassie Aussies they can finally enjoy seeing cheetahs and siamang at home. Also nice to know Tasmania's zoos involved in ZAA conservation breeding programs.
Out of interest: I wonder what regulations exists for maintaining / holding pets, in particular cats and dogs in Tasmania or importing/exporting them to/fro (as well as the mainland)?
Where to my personal perception restrictions are justified to protect native species: I personally would advocate some form of restrictions on any of the main 2 domestic species, cats and dogs, as - quite rightly - they are among the Continent's most significant threats to local / native wildlife and have been attributed as a factor in major declines experienced in several threatened Australian wildlife species. Same goes perhaps for the dingo - an introduced exotic (allthough many now quite unknowingly treat it as a native Australian species) -.
Whereas I accept that a consultation process may be valid for carnivores, why the general public should have anything to do with the decision-making process I really fail to see (unless someone more informed on the subject can argue otherwise). It is more a professional veterinary's/conservationist's realm to determine.
For the record: I am personally not aware of any documented case(s) of a cheetah in captivity in Australia / New Zealand predating on native species.
Out of interest: I wonder what regulations exists for maintaining / holding pets, in particular cats and dogs in Tasmania or importing/exporting them to/fro (as well as the mainland)?
Where to my personal perception restrictions are justified to protect native species: I personally would advocate some form of restrictions on any of the main 2 domestic species, cats and dogs, as - quite rightly - they are among the Continent's most significant threats to local / native wildlife and have been attributed as a factor in major declines experienced in several threatened Australian wildlife species. Same goes perhaps for the dingo - an introduced exotic (allthough many now quite unknowingly treat it as a native Australian species) -.
Whereas I accept that a consultation process may be valid for carnivores, why the general public should have anything to do with the decision-making process I really fail to see (unless someone more informed on the subject can argue otherwise). It is more a professional veterinary's/conservationist's realm to determine.
For the record: I am personally not aware of any documented case(s) of a cheetah in captivity in Australia / New Zealand predating on native species.
