Australian wildlife

Having spent her working life as a police officer seeing the most horrific acts of human depravity and violence and where she was hurt on duty, Terri says she could handle that ... what she can't handle is the barbaric cruelty inflicted on those that cannot fight back and has seen many animals who were beyond her care because of a sickness in society today.

For close to 40 years, Terri Eather has been caring for injured and orphaned wildlife. This Angel of Australia is one of the most respected wildlife carers in this vast country. Spending a day with Terri at her Cornubia home gives you a fair idea of why this disability pensioner is the backbone of saving a plethora of native animal species.

Little "Butterfly" is her latest joey to be in her care...yet another orphan who has lost their precious mother to an uncaring driver who didnt stop to attend to this vulnerable baby. With feeds every few hours, sleep is a luxury, but Terri would never stop being a foster mother to our furry friends as well as any sick, injured or orphaned wildlife that crosses her path.

Having spent her working life as a police officer seeing the most horrific acts of human depravity and violence and where she was hurt on duty, Terri says she could handle that ... what she can't handle is the barbaric cruelty inflicted on those that cannot fight back and has seen many animals who were beyond her care because of a sickness in society today.

She counts Bob Irwin as a dear friend having known him many years because of her voluntary work back in the day that saw the beginning of Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital and was there sitting quietly in the stands when the big boy in khaki was farewelled by the world...another dear friend and one she misses deeply.

With calls coming in from every corner of Australia, this Angel takes it all in her stride giving medical advice akin to something heard in an E.R. room. The main difference is there is no wage for Terri, no grants, no government funding and paying for everything out of a disability pension leaves this proud lady scraping for coins most weeks. Terri jokes, she tries to pay for things with Koala Food Gum Leaves!

Her acreage in Cornubia is her sanctuary and when contacted about the hoons speeding up and down outside her home, a local Logan City Councillor wrote to residents requesting they please drive slowly and quietly in the immediate areas as stress from noise can kill wildlife. There also were two 1800 high steel signs in the ground with steel posts and unbelievably, one was stolen and police believe it would have taken the perpetrators over an hour to break the steel post so the sign could be removed. Patience is something Terri has bucketloads of as unfortunately drivers still speed and the hoons are still driving with excess noise. Some lovely neighbours do occasionaly bring her injured wildlife also.

Without Terri, there would be far few koalas, roos, birds, lizards, snakes and a range of other native animals able to live another day in their natural habitat...her love is felt in the Aussie bush through and through.

You can visit Terri's blog here: http://www.fourthcrossingwildlife.com/TerriEather.htm The section on wildlife information is unusual and useful.

For the Animals

Jaylene Musgrave
Vegan Warriors

Promising new approach to restoring respect for kangaroos

The Kangaroo Trail map (pictured left) is a bold initiative from the persistently performing Australian Wildlife Protection Council.

We read often in the mainstream news distressing stories about how kangaroos are too numerous and need to be culled. In fact the evidence for these statements, and for the cruel and bloody actions that follow them, is extremely poor. Definitions of how many is too many are circular. Kangaroo population statistics which ignore immigration and emigration are useless. Statistics which infer population numbers from rising road-kill without factoring in the spread of development which is driving more animals onto the roads in search of food and water should be exposed for the rubbish that they are, but are accepted instead without question.

Stooping to aphrodisiac wildlife trade depraves Australia

Do Australians really want this kind of 'productivity' or the kind of leaders who encourage it?

Wildlife in general and kangaroos in particular get a really rotten deal in this country. Apart from the usual carnage promoted by our government at all levels, it seems that some businesses will stoop to any depth to make a dollar. Despite the invention of Viagra, the extinguishing of rhinos for their horns and tigers for their penises goes on. One of the most recent abjectly flogs ground up kangaroo testes in capsules at Australian Products Info, in NSW, and I quote:

"Essence of Kangaroo is made from Australian Red Kangaroo Testis. This large, powerful animal is the most magnificent of all the Kangaroos. It can leap up to 3.6m into the air and has a top speed of 65 km/hour. It alone illustrates the Kangaroos amazing strength and vitality. The research has found that male Kangaroo produces twice as much semen as a bull. The research has also proven that Essence of Kangaroo is extremely potent as it is rich in natural hormones, proteins, zinc and iron, which are able to increase physical strength and enhance the sexual energy. (...) Suggested Serving: Adults only. Take 1-2 capsules with meals per day or as directed by nutritionist."

Kangaroo trail tourist map restores respect for beautiful and gentle wildlife

So it is with relief and admiration for a group which punches a lot higher than its weight - the Australian Wildlife Protection Council (AWPC) that I am able to report on a magical new idea to improve the public, business and government perception of kangaroos.

It is the Kangaroo trail tourist map. This is a beautiful colour pamphlet with images of the fifty kangaroo species located in their regions on a map of Australia. Around the map is additional information about these animals and where to see them, how to see them.

The Kangaroo Trail Team produced the Kangaroo Tourist Brochures. Map and illustrations are by Australian artist, Neil Williams. Main photographers are Juri Lochman, Michael Williams, Bill Corn, Uli Kloeke. Text is written by the kangaroo trail team leader, Dr David Croft, from the University of New South Wales, who is passionate about kangaroos and whose career has been devoted to learning more about them and educating others.

AWPC President Maryland Wilson deserves our support for leading the way

Maryland Wilson, President of the AWPC, and Kangaroo Trail Team manager, brought the project into life and is promoting it. Wilson's extraordinary energy and dedication to the shining cause of getting Australians to defend the kangaroo's right to live in its own land and to be loved and appreciated as a complex, beautiful and social creature defies nearly every prevailing trend and shows the kind of courage that is necessary in standing up to institutional cruelty.