Saturday, October 21, 2017

SPREAD OF WILDLIFE DISEASES ON QUEENSLAND TOURIST ISLAND

There is growing concern that a  disease  of  poultry- avian paralysis - is possibly spreading on Magnetic Island , oft  described as Townsville's  jewel in the crown.  Another outbreak of  a  similar disease  in  Lorikeets is  also  worrying .

There have been reports that  adult Bush Stone  Curlews  in growing numbers    are having difficulty standing,  falling  over   and   dying.   If  avian  paralysis  then  it is  worrying  for  the  island's birdlife  in  general.

In the case of Lorikeets , instances of  encephalomyelitis , known as clenched foot syndrome , have   been  noticed by  wildlife carers. As the name implies the afflicted  birds  have tight,  bunched up  claws.

This  disturbing  situation comes  after threats  to the   Koala  population, the  subject of   a  recent  report  by  The Guardian Australia .

Magnetic Island boasts  the  largest  number of   free roaming Koalas in the North , yet they are  succumbing to  a variety of  ailments, dog attacks , recently  the  shortage of   food  and  water  due  to  the  long  dry  spell .

The  island's  wildlife organisation  , MIFCO,   run by a small band of   residents , received a   call from a  concerned  person who  had  seen  a Koala on a road .  On investigation by MIFCO , it was  found to  be a Koala, a baby on its back , licking water  off  the road   from a  slight  shower.
Last week a  distressed  female Koala, above ,   was  found , its  eyes   full  of green ants , the fur  about its face looking as if it had been charred by fire,  possibly  even  exposed  to  acid.  The Koala  had  been  seen  high up  a  tree the day before , frequently brushed a paw across its  face .

The following day , obviously in trouble, the Koala  was  on the ground .The  frequent "waving " of its paw the  previous day obviously due to  attempting to wipe the green ants  away  from its  face .

 Wrapped in a towel , it was    brought to  the blog , its eyes mere slits, still with green ants attached . When Koalas  are run  down  green ants  attack  them .  After  the  ants were  removed   , Linda  Wootten of  MIFCO , run  off her  feet   answering calls , retrieving a wide variety of wildlife , looking after many of them in her own residence,  was  contacted . She  took it home, where it later died before  the  Koala Hospital  could  have a  look at  her .  Recently the Koala Hospital  had  seven Koalas in its care , two recovering from dog attack , one with green  ant eye  injury .

Eucalypt  leaves were being brought in from Townsville  by the  Sealink ferry service to  feed   Koalas , the  island  unable  to  do  so .   

Ms  Wootten   explained  that  during  dry periods on  the island, with   little water available,  leaves did not  contain much moisture. Old  male   Koalas , prone to kidney   problems, were  unable to  flush  their   kidneys.

 Recently, in response to a telephone call , she retrieved  an Echidna in trouble , its  feet and the tip of its snout red . Instead of being  curled up  into the usual defensive  spikey ball, it was  half open .  Placed  in a  pen   with a container of water , the anteater eventually  waddled over  and  lay in the  water for two hours , after  which  time  the  redness  had  gone  from its  feet  and snout .  It then   proceeded  to  scratch a hole in  the  portable pen- indicating it was revived and  ready to  go  bush . 

Stray dogs have been seem roaming about  houses  in Nelly Bay in recent days ; a cat was   seen sunning itself in  a nearby shopping centre  and  it is not  clear if the island now has a  pound  keeper as  the  Townsville City Council gave the  long  running   catcher  the  chop .
 
It  has been obvious  for a long time that that the wildlife  carer  set  up  on  Magnetic  is inadequate , in need of an overhaul, greater coordination and better  facilities . There is a  heavy load  placed  on   MIFCO  members . There needs to be  a greater  involvement  by  the  state  government   which  has  National Parks and Wildlife  Department   staff  and facilities  on   the island .  You  have MIFCO having  to  even  organise  the  burial  of  a large   dead  turtle   on  a beach .
 
Apart  from  the threat  of possible  avian  paralysis, a  major  problem on the island is the  paralysis  of   the  government  and  the   Townsville  City  Council   to come to grips  with  the wildlife  situation.   Telstra  is also part of the problem  as  part of  the  island  has  a   lousy , infuriating    phone and computer  service , which not  only  affects  Ms  Wootten's rescue operations  but   other   residents  transacting   their  businesses .