LAST Sunday, I attended the very popular annual Breakfast with the Birds.
This year it was held at McDonald Swamp. There were approximately 200 magpie geese on this beautiful wetland – a sight not seen since the 2011 floods.
These birds were shot to extinction in the last century by duck shooters.
I was both very heartened yet felt sick as (to date) an announcement is pending whether a duck shooting season will go ahead this year or not.
Signs are looking very favourably that finally this disgusting and inherently cruel activity may be banned for good.
Kerang has RAMSAR-listed wetlands of international importance.
Millions of dollars could be welcome to struggling regional towns such as Kerang, Boort and surrounding districts from nature-based tourism.
It is environmental vandalism of the worst kind that duck shooters are (legally or otherwise) allowed to wound and kill gentle native waterbird species and completely obliterate their nests, eggs and kill young birds.
When l was at McDonald Swamp, I couldn’t help thinking about this.
The contrast of seeing birds in such a beautiful wetland calling out to each other in such a tranquil setting then the possibility of this and hundreds of other wetlands becoming wildlife war zones caused by duck shooting is a sickening sight.
I implore Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews to ban and can duck shooting in this State for good.
Kate Bossence
Kerang
