The plight of wildlife on Magnetic Island is often brought home at monthly meetings of the Magnetic Island branch of the Australian Labor Party . Secretary of the branch , Linda Wootten , a longtime wildlife carer , on occasions brings along an animal to feed ... a possum , Friar Bird and so forth . Recently she turned up with a young , bedraggled looking Rose-crowned Pigeon in a cage . These birds are found in coastal north-western Australia and north-eastern Northern Territory, Flores and Timor and frequent fruit and berry -bearing trees.
Proceedings slowed momentarily as she gave the bird a two hourly feed with raspberries from the IGA store on the island . This involved taking the bird out of the cage, holding it in a hand and manually placing the raspberries in its beak . Branch president Mal McLean , below , carried on for Linda while she fed the lucky bird .
Invigorated, the bird went for a flutter about the venue , at one stage sat on Linda's shoulder , beaming at the salt of the earth ALP supporters who are out to capture the pigeon fanciers' vote at the next election . The young bird had been looked after by a person who in turns needed a break , so it was passed on to Linda .
Linda keeps a book in which she lists details of the large number of critters she has retrieved , some of which are kept at her residence in a variety of cages . This work involves her in round the clock feeding and calling on a local vet . In addition , she feeds a large number of birds and wallabies that come to her house .
The roadkill of wildlife on Magnetic Island is exceptional . While signs warn of koalas and vehicle crash sites on the island , there is an obvious lack of signs in parts where people resort to placing hand made signs , especially in the Horseshoe Bay area , urging motorists to slow down, watch out for other animals , wallabies and Curlews in particular .
The lack of signs and a much needed centre to look after and revive wildlife on the island , instead of loading up caring islanders through the Magnetic Island Fauna Care Organisation with much of the responsibility is obvious. MORE ON THIS SUBJECT LATER .
