Hi all,
Oh how a beautiful day can suddenly turn sour. Yesterday afternoon I was busy picking papaws when I heard the sound of dogs, baying loudly and running, in the melaleuca and mangrove forest meters away from me. Only moments before cassowary chick ‘Don’ was checking out the pawpaw trees and vegetable garden behind me, I looked for him in a panic but could not see him.
Oh how a beautiful day can suddenly turn sour. Yesterday afternoon I was busy picking papaws when I heard the sound of dogs, baying loudly and running, in the melaleuca and mangrove forest meters away from me. Only moments before cassowary chick ‘Don’ was checking out the pawpaw trees and vegetable garden behind me, I looked for him in a panic but could not see him.
I heard other dogs barking crazily and ran for my camera and out onto the road. I saw two men with five ‘pig dogs’, two of the dogs running loose and chasing something on my land. I sang out that there were young cassowaries around and that they had no right to let their dogs loose on my property. The only response from the men was their demand for me to stop taking photographs of them.
I pointed out the CCRC sign which shows dogs must be on a lead and they caught the dogs while still screaming at me to stop taking photos. They disappeared into the World Heritage Estate,{CCRC designated esplanade} with the dogs in toe. I sang out that there were cassowaries sitting on eggs and that Coquette Point was a nesting site for migratory waders but they ignored me. I heard the baying of the dogs as they walked through the rainforest. I walked into and searched the forest on my land where I had heard the dogs chasing ‘something’ but could not find any injured animal.
How is World Heritage Listing of this forest helping to protect the habitat of the special rainforest creatures that live on the Estate? Here at Coquette Point here is no sign to say that the area is part of the World Heritage Estate. The fact that CCRC gives tacit approval to people with dogs entering this area, ( their sign showing dogs must be on a lead) is an accident waiting to happen. A pack of five pig dogs, trained to hunt, could be devastating to the cassowary population of Coquette Point already under stress from TC’Yasi’. The dogs running across the rookery could likewise be fatal to the chicks. Dogs are not allowed in National Parks and there is no case for them being permitted in the World Heritage Estate, it’s about time the Wet Tropics Management Authority, WTMA, took a lead on protecting the integrity of their lands. If you agree please write to the WTMA and ask for dogs to be banned from the Wet Tropics World Heritage Estate and for them to provide signing and publicity advertising the regulation.
As a dog owner myself I feel the responsibility of protecting the wildlife on my property from my dogs. It is never easy and I think hard and long of the compromise I must make toward animal welfare for both wild and domestic animals.
As a dog owner myself I feel the responsibility of protecting the wildlife on my property from my dogs. It is never easy and I think hard and long of the compromise I must make toward animal welfare for both wild and domestic animals.
I went for a walk out onto the beach on Tuesday at low tide and encounted a local Coquette Point resident with his dog as they were walking across the rookery.
On numerous occasions I have explained to this man, quietly and calmly, that this area is a breeding ground for the Little Tern and other migratory waders however he is now abusive to me and continues to walk his dog, without a lead, over the rookery.
As he approached the rookery I saw a number of birds taking flight. I did not identify them as I was gesturing to the man to go back and not walk in the area.
On numerous occasions I have explained to this man, quietly and calmly, that this area is a breeding ground for the Little Tern and other migratory waders however he is now abusive to me and continues to walk his dog, without a lead, over the rookery.
As he approached the rookery I saw a number of birds taking flight. I did not identify them as I was gesturing to the man to go back and not walk in the area.
Around on the front beach the little soldier crabs are emerging, only small as yet and not showing the tell-tale blue colour, however they are a feast for the waders.
Although the Soldier Crabs are not running on the long beach the amazing designs of their sand deposit covered every inch of the beach.
Although the Soldier Crabs are not running on the long beach the amazing designs of their sand deposit covered every inch of the beach.
On a sand bar on the ocean front a colony of about 100 crested terns were resting. Other waders were with them.
The mangrove forest on the ocean side of Coquette Point continues to retreat and at this rate it will soon disappear. In many areas the forest in front of the dune vegetation has totally gone.
The little sunbirds continue to surprise me. For years I have watched them but obviously not looked with a photographer’s eye. This morning I heard the male sing to the female when she came off the nest.
His song was a long thrill. When she returned to the nest he displayed with tale fanning and wing lifting for some minutes. Each pose was held for at least 30 seconds as he spread his tail feathers and his wings and turned circles on a small branch. There was no vocalization during the solitary display.
Cassowary ‘Dad 2’ is still walking from house to house with his 12 month old chicks in toe. When I photographed them on Friday the chicks were opened mouthed and appeared stressed in the heat from the road.
The population of Major skinks appears to have increased. I see several every day, often sunning themselves on the road. Also on the road the male and female turtle dove. The other two males have left the nursery area.
Cheers for now,
Yvonne C.
The population of Major skinks appears to have increased. I see several every day, often sunning themselves on the road. Also on the road the male and female turtle dove. The other two males have left the nursery area.
Cheers for now,
Yvonne C.
