Let us investigate this corella mess: Kaurna MP Chris Picton wants cull put under spotlight
A STATE Labor MP has asked his government to investigate whether a recent cull of corellas at Aldinga was done humanely. But finding a fix for the problem birds is no closer.
A STATE Labor MP has asked his government to investigate whether the culling of corellas at Aldinga this month was done humanely.
Kaurna MP Chris Picton told the Southern Times Messenger he had asked Environment Minister Ian Hunter to look into whether last week’s cull, organised by several Aldinga business owners, was inhumane.
“I was contacted by a number of residents concerned about the manner of which there had been a cull taking place,” Mr Picton said.
“It’s legal to undertake a cull however there is very clear laws saying they aren’t able to cull in a way that is cruel to the birds.”
The shooting of the birds on private land opposite the Aldinga Hotel on Wednesday, February 1, distressed locals, who stumbled across the cull.
Residents wrote on Facebook that injured birds were left on the ground to slowly die.
Last week’s Southern Times Messenger story on the shooting attracted more than 250 comments on Facebook, with readers divided between supporting the cull as necessary to control bird numbers and labelling it inhumane.
The culling continued in the suburb on Saturday, with an animal rescue group saving one baby corella injured during the shooting.
Mr Hunter’s spokeswoman said he was “concerned about allegations of cruelty”.
“There is a code of practice and also legislation which governs the humane destruction of birds by shooting,” the spokeswoman said.
“The Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources is collaborating with other enforcement agencies in relation to this matter.”
Miss Gladys By The Sea director Joff Chappell, who was one of the business owners who organised the cull, said the shooting “did not occur as instructed”.
“We apologise for any distress caused,” Mr Chappell said.
Residents and business owners in Aldinga have been dealing with nuisance corellas, which tear up lawns, strip trees and spread debris, for more than 20 years.
Over the years, the council has tried shooting and shining lasers at the corellas to get them to move on.
An Onkaparinga spokesman said the council had not been involved in “bird control activities” since 2012.
Ronel Jit from Ecosure, one of the nation’s largest ecological consultancies working with airports on animal risk mitigation, said shooting corellas should be “the last resort”.
Mr Jit said sound devices which deter the birds from an area using pulses of noise was one of the ways to move birds.
“People need to move on from shooting these birds because it is really a very old school approach,” Mr Jit said.
“If you shoot birds and you don’t get a clean kill, it goes against any animal welfare rights.
“Any approach to animals has to be humane and in some cases people try to shoot the birds in the air, but they are flocking species and the pellets spread.”
Mr Jit said there was no clear solution to containing the species population, saying any action would push the “problem elsewhere, which is counter-productive.”
Wine Coast Ward Cr Hazel Wainwright said a solution to the over-population of birds was unknown.
“I would not like to have a business there because it is very disruptive to businesses,” Cr Wainwright said.
“I’m unsure as to what the solution is but leaving half-dead birds on the footpath is not one of them.”