The National Parks and Wildlife Amendment (Adjustment of Areas) Bill 2016 was passed on Tuesday, May 31st, 2016. Item () (iii) of this allows for the taking an area of about 0.768 hectare, from the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park to facilitate the upgrade of Mona Vale road west. Part of the speeches during the Reading of this Bill focused on the necessity to make provision for a fauna bridge.
This part of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, where it relates to the Mona Vale Road West upgrade, will be transferred to Roads and Maritime Services, Mark Speakman, Minister for the Environment, Minister for Heritage, and Assistant Minister for Planning, reiterated during this week's Parliamentary sessions.
Compensatory land will be offered by Roads and Maritime Services, in almost two hectares of land being added to the adjoining Garigal National Park. This will include land surrounding Whale Rock, a significant Aboriginal rock engraving, which will greatly benefit from increased protection under the reserve system.'
The pre passage speeches and readings included a noting by the the Hon. John Ajaka, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability Services, and Minister for Multiculturalism, who moved the motion for the second reading, that the Mona Vale road west upgrade includes a proposed fauna bridge that will connect Garigal and Ku-ring-gai Chase national parks. This will be the first fauna bridge in the Sydney metropolitan area.
More HERE
Today, Sunday June 5th, is World Environment Day. This year’s theme for WED – Go Wild for Life – encourages you to celebrate all those species under threat and take action of your own to help safeguard them for future generations. This can be about animals or plants that are threatened within your local area as well as at the national or global level.
Run by the United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP), in the lead up to WED 2016 the United Nations, backed by A-list celebrities from across the globe, launched an unprecedented campaign against the illegal trade in wildlife that's pushing species to the brink of extinction, robbing countries of their natural heritage and profiting international criminal networks.
“Each year, thousands of wild animals are illegally killed, often by organised criminal networks motivated by profit and greed,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday May 25th. “I call on all Governments and people everywhere to support the new United Nations campaign, Wild for Life, which aims to mobilise the world to end this destructive trade. Preserving wildlife is crucial for the well-being of people and planet alike.”
Looking after our own local animals, our wildlife, to preserve and prevent their destruction, needs a big boost too.
This week news was received that Dr. Howard Ralph has closed the Sydney practice for Southern Cross Wildlife Care, and will have only Braidwood's Clinic from now on. Dr. Ralph was one local veterinarian who treated injured wildlife locally - it would be hard to calculate just how many lives he has saved.
Dr. Ralph worked in conjunction with Sydney Wildlife rescuers and carers. Sydney Wildlife is the 100% voluntary organisation that brings birds, reptiles and mammals who need treatment to local vets. Each year they receive in excess of 13,000 calls for help in just the Sydney Metropolitan area. They are not veterinarians and sometimes the wildlife need treatment that can only be provided by a professional veterinary surgeon.
At present some local vets will do their utmost to save our injured wildlife as well as bearing the medical costs incurred. Anyone who has had to take their own pet to an animal clinic knows how expensive surgery and animal specific anesthetics, and required medicines are to save that loved one. The volunteer rescuers and those who care for these animals post-treatment, until they can be returned to their homes, bear all other costs, including feeding, heat mats, electricity costs, cages, etc. and all also do all their work in caring, 24/7 in the cases of very young animals, in a 100% voluntary capacity.
Ensuring a Wildlife Mobile Clinic becomes a reality for the furry, scaled and feathered residents of our area when they need our help will support Sydney Wildlife's capacity in treating and caring for injured, sick and orphaned wildlife.
Now dubbed 'Wanda', this mobile clinic for our wildlife, can mean the difference between more carnage or less ... In this case human residents wanting the less and being prepared to give more to Sydney Wildlife's Wanda fundraiser will be a hop, flit, scurry and wallaby style bound towards that other kind of wandering inferred, in the right direction. If you love hearing birdsong, or blinking back at a bright eyed lizard, are thankful for being able to drive through green areas in one of the most park rich cities in the world where you may espy a furry doe eyed lovely beside that self same road - then slow down at dusk and dawn, and please give something towards this vital life saving mobile facility here: www.gofundme.com/22abqws
Wanda - the Sydney Wildlife Mobile clinic, a hopefully realised soon ambulance for our native wildlife(Concept photo only)
Sydney Wildlife rescuer and carer Lynleigh Greig will continue running her monthly wildlife column and features here. From time to time her daughter Kayleigh, another champion of and for our local wildlife, and Pittwater Young Citizen of the Year 2016, will contribute items from the her generation’s perspective. Joan Reid, Facility manager of the Sydney Wildlife Rehab Facility, will also continue to send in updates.
Lynleigh's June 2016 focus is on ‘Wanda' The Wildlife Mobile Clinic - HERE
Pittwater Online News is Published Every Sunday Morning: 8 a.m.
