Draft risk assessment on Savannah Cats announced
'Savannah Cats' are Africal Servals (right) crossed with Domestic Cats and a
proposal has been made for a number of these animals to be imported
from the U.S (where some States allow them) as household pets.
 Tony
Peacock has made a firm stand about the inadvisability of
this. [read the IA
CRC media release] and a great deal of media interest
resulted. Savannah Cats (left) are considerably larger
than present domestic cats and feral cats in Australia, and
have superior jumping ability (up to 2m). The concern is
that should they escape and/or breed, wildlife that can
currently cope with feral cats, such as koalas and large
possums, would be at risk. Savannah cats are also not
averse to water and can catch fish. [See our
website page for more information].
Minister Garrett has announced that the government will review
the legal loophole which allows the importation of hybrid wildcats
into Australia [read his media
release]. [
Visit the DEWHA webpage]
Comments are now invited on the suitability of the import of
'Domestic Cat x Serval hybrid specimens' into
Australia. The CRC will be making a submission.
Closing date is 17 July 2008.
Submissions must be sent in writing to:
Director
Exotic Species Regulation Section
Wildlife Branch
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
GPO Box 787
CANBERRA ACT 2601
or to WSM.Mail@environment.gov.au
Senate
Inquiry into the operation of the EPBC Act 1999
The Senate has noted the continuing decline and extinction of a
significant proportion of Australia's unique plants and animals,
and the likelihood that accelerating climate change will exacerbate
the challenges faced by Australian species. In response, an
inquiry will be held, with particular reference to the
effectiveness of responses to key threats identified within the
EPBC ACT. These include:
- land clearing
- climate change and invasive species
- potential for future measures to build environmental resilience
and facilitate adaptation within a changing climate.
This is a good opportunity to build in regulations to require
robust risk assessment of cat/dog hybrids (and other new species)
before allowing importation into Australia.
[read
our submission to the DAFF Federal Independent Quarantine and
Biosecurity Review 2008]
The Committee invites written submissions from interested
individuals and organisations, preferably in electronic form sent
by email, to eca.sen@aph.gov.au.
The email must include full postal address and contact
details. Closing date 5 September 2008.
Australian
Pest Animal Strategy
If anyone is seeking a hard copy of this document, please
email:
Anne Ferguson
Invasive Species Section
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
e: anne.ferguson@environment.gov.au
Caring for
Country 08-09 funding round open
The Caring for Country Open Grants funding will provide up to
$25M in 2008-09. The funding is targeted to biodiversity and
natural icons; coastal environments and critical aquatic habitats;
and sustainable farm practices.
Projects that address environmental and sustainable land
management outcomes in remote and northern Australia, improvements
to the national reserve system or community skills, knowledge and
engagement issues can also be addressed within these priority
areas.
The general exclusions include general R&D.
However, under Sustainable Farm Practices, theme 1 it notes that
business start-up or commercialisation activities are NOT eligible
for funding under CFOC.
Closing date for applications is Friday 1 August
2008.
[More
information]
Australian
Wildlife Management Society conference
The final flyer can be viewed [here].
It contains registration & venue information
Important dates:
August 29 - closing date for submission of abstracts
September 20 - authors advised of acceptance of abstracts
October 17 - early bird registration closes
November 24-27 - conference
Comment on
Australian innovation: wiki
If you would like to join in the discussion/debate on the Review
of Australia's National Innovation System, a new Wiki has been
opened.
The site has been established by the
Australian Information Industry Association and will be moderated
by Australian Science Communicators. Anyone can access the website,
create an account, and contribute to the debate on issues related
to the Review. The topics include: funding models; government
procurement; workplace innovation; information policy and markets;
innovation in the tropics; rural innovation; measuring innovation;
public sector innovation; and communication.
The wiki website has been opened with the
support of the Review Panel as an innovative way of canvassing as
wide a range of views on Australia’s innovation system as
possible. Until 30 June and maybe later, the Panel will be
observing the collective wisdom of contributors.
[Join
the debate here]
More information: contact Tim Thwaites (0422 817 372;
thwaites@optusnet.com.au)
or Kali Madden (0403 013 880, kali@ics.mq.edu.au).
Pest Animal
Symposium reminder
Don't forget to register for this upcoming event.
When: 19-22 October 2008
Where: Hilton Hotel, Cairns
Sponsors are sought. For the application form and
information, click [here].
Abstract submissions have closed.
Early bird registration still open: www.pestanimalsymposium.com.au.
Natural
Resource Management on Australian farms
The 2008 edition is now out. Chapter 3 relates to pests
(including insect pests). Headline findings for 2006-07
are:
- 70.4% of ag businesses reported they had a pest problem, with
presence of feral and domestic animals reports as the most commonly
reported pest type (76.7%)
- Ag businesses spent $768M on pest management, or $6351 per
business
- More than 3.1 million person days were spent nationally doing
pest related management activities
- Landholders spent 26 days per year on average on pest control
(National average)
- 33.5% of ag business did baiting on average nationaly. 57% did
shooting/trapping and 7% did biological control.
More:
http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/subscriber.nsf/0/4B8FE17686FA051BCA2574720011AEE7/$File/46200_2006-07.pdf
New Zealand
Ecological Society conference
Online registration is now open [click here].
Earlybird registration closes 31 July.
Abstract submission closes 1 July. Abstracts can be
submitted online via the registration page of the website.
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