TWEED
VALLEY WILDLIFE CARERS INC
Originally formed in 1989, when it came to the notice of
several interested people in the Tweed area, that we were
lacking a group concerned with caring for sick, injured
or orphaned native fauna; Tweed Valley Wildlife Carers Inc
was formed, and licensed under National Parks & Wildlife
Service GL 10051. It has continued growing in both size
and knowledge over the years.
Our objectives and aims are many and varied, but foremost
is the rescue and rehabilitation of native fauna for return
to their natural environment, using the best and most up
to date information from all relevant sources. Another main
aim of our group is the relocation of native wildlife under
threat, or causing distress to members of the public, to
other suitable habitat for that species.
All of our volunteer members are fully trained in the rescue
and care of native wildlife, and amongst our members we
have several areas of specialist expertise relating to specific
needs such as possums/gliders, macropods, monotremes, and
flying foxes. Any suffering experienced by injured, sick,
or orphaned animals is promptly alleviated by veterinary
treatment.
We also aim to educate the public by encouraging the protection
and welfare of our native wildlife and their habitat. We
are encouraged also to be involved in habitat enhancement
in the Tweed Valley by planting locally grown suitable species
on public reserves, and encourage by example, and education,
similar improvements.
Fundraising activities and education projects are also
undertaken, to maintain the viability of the organisation,
and to achieve other objectives. In late 1998 we applied
for and received charity status, which we hope, along with
our fund raising activities, will contribute to the economics
of the group, thus increasing our care, equipment, and standards
even further.
Within our main group we also have a sub-group, namely
the Seabird Rescue Group. This group is financially independant,
due to its own fundraising efforts. They are of course guided
by the same rules and guidelines as the main group.
IS IT WORTH IT?
OK, so taking into account the fact that thousands of native
animals are killed on our roads each year alone; and also
that many of the animals coming into care appear to be 'common'
~ Questions are asked ~ Why bother? Is it really worth it?
What difference can we as individuals possibly make? But
you can't save everything can you?
Well perhaps to answer these questions we could illustrate
with the following two points
(1) The Passenger pigeon (extinct - 1914)
In the 1800's the passenger pigeon was the most abundant
bird species on earth. Impossible to believe that it's population,
which in the last century contained more individuals than
all other North American birds combined, was reduced to
just one individual, Martha, who died in captivity at the
Cincinnati Zoo in 1914. Before their decimation, caused
by massive commercial over-hunting, single flocks contained
in excess of one billion birds each. To put that into context,
a single migrating flock could be 2 klms wide and over 400
klms long.
When John J. Audubon observed a migrating flock over Kentucky
in 1813, he reported that the sky was "black with birds"
for 3 days. Their nesting colonies in northeastern deciduous
forests could be 30 klms across, with so many birds per
tree that the branches broke from their weight.
Yet, there is not one single passenger pigeon left alive
today.
The reasons for their decline are well documented elsewhere,
but the point is that we can all too easily take things
for granted, and bit by bit they can slip away until we
wake up one day to find them gone.
For example you may find yourself living next to a flying
fox colony, and imagine when you see the evening exodus
of tens of thousands of furry bodies that they are very
common, pests even. After all, you see so many every day.
And yet all 4 species of flying fox in Australia are in
steady decline. If this decline continues, these highly
intelligent and social animals which can fill the night
sky in certain areas of the East coast of Australia at dusk,
may be little more than memories and fading photographs
for our Grandchildren.
EXTINCTION REALLY IS FOREVER....
(2) The Starfish story
Some of you may be familiar with this story, often used
in motivational talks, but for those who haven't heard,
it is a great story to illustrate the point that, yes, we
all can make a difference to what at first seems an insurmountable
problem.
To read the starfish story click
here
