Photo by Rennett Stowe on Flickr.
Koalas, small wallabies, bandicoots and other endangered animals could be 'traded' across Australia to prevent extinction, according to a wildlife expert at ANU. Speaking at the Australian Veterinary Conference today, veterinarian George Wilson from the Fenner School of Environment and Society, part of the ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, said the idea grew from the emerging international trend of private investment in the ecosystem by farmers, landholders and grazier groups. "In South Africa, for example, animals are traded to restock properties and regular wildlife auctions are held, at which the South African National Park offer any surplus animals. Animals are used for tourism, hunting or consumption," Wilson said. "In Australia most of the losses of wildlife have taken place on private land, because of agricultural development, land clearing and the impact of feral animals. "This means that private landholders have a big role to play in getting them back. Landholders need an incentive to want to do that, and that incentive can be altruistic, or financial, or both." Wilson said there were many landholders who wanted iconic animals like the cute and cuddly koala on their properties for aesthetic reasons, to simply 'look at', for tourism, or to form part of the eco system.
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