The ACT Government announced the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT) has decided to uphold the licences issued by the Conservator of Flora and Fauna to undertake a kangaroo conservation cull to protect biodiversity in eight local reserves.
“The outcome of the hearing supports the scientific basis that underpins the need to undertake the conservation cull of Eastern grey kangaroos in the ACT,” said Mr Daniel Iglesias, Director, ACT Parks and Conservation.
“This is the second consecutive year that ACAT has confirmed the scientific basis of the need to manage kangaroo numbers in our fragile reserves.
“ACAT has ruled that culling can take place in each of the eight proposed reserves and adjacent unleased land.
“There is a significant volume of scientific evidence which demonstrates the impact that an over-abundant kangaroo population has on grassland ecosystems and associated flora and fauna, including several local studies and countless national studies.
“The grazing impacts of over-abundant kangaroos in the ACT have been documented in scientific publications dating as far back as 1989.
“As has recently been pointed out by an eminent local scientist, denying there is science to support culling of overabundant kangaroos in conservation areas is like denying there is evidence of climate change. It is ideological opposition to kangaroo culling, rather than evidence-based opposition.
“The numbers of kangaroos to be culled have been based on scientific kangaroo counts in each location. This is then compared to what ACT Government ecologists establish as the sustainable carrying capacity for each area, taking into account the habitat requirements of grassland dependent animals and plants.”
Reserve closures will be in place from Monday 16 June until Thursday 31 July 2014 to allow the conservation cull to take place. The sites to be closed are Callum Brae Nature Reserve, Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve and adjacent unleased territory land, Jerrabomberra Grassland West Nature Reserve, Kama Nature Reserve, Mount Painter Nature Reserve, Mulanggari Nature Reserve, Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve, as well as The Pinnacle Nature Reserve and adjacent unleased territory land.
Sites, excluding Mount Painter Nature Reserve and The Pinnacle Nature Reserve, will be closed each day from 3 pm until 7 am the following morning. Mount Painter Nature Reserve and The Pinnacle Nature Reserve will be closed each day from 5 pm until 7 am the following morning.
“Due to the reduction in the amount of time we now have to undertake the cull, we may not achieve the quota. I would please ask any community to respect the closure and to respect the legal process and not do anything which could jeopardise their safety or that of our contractors. We will be issuing fines to people found within closed nature reserves and unleased territory land. Penalties of up to $7000 apply under the Nature Conservation Act 1980 for trespassing,” Mr Iglesias said.
Loading ...
