The Western Australian government is beginning a month-long bird cull to
protect Perth's commercial fruit growing areas from parrots.
Thousands of corellas and rainbow lorikeets in Guildford are to be trapped
and gassed or shot by the Department of Environment and Conservation.
The birds were introduced to Perth’s metropolitan area about 30 years ago.
While the two species are native to regions of WA they were only
introduced
to Perth in the late 1960s after escaping from aviaries or being
deliberately released. Since then their numbers have rapidly increased.
Last year rainbow lorikeets finally reached the hills, putting Perth’s
fruit
growing area in peril.
“Every other state in Australia that has rainbow lorikeets has damage to
commercial fruit crops from the birds and we don’t have them aside from a
recent foray into the hills last year,” a zoologist from the DEC, Dr Peter
Dawson said.
“That’s why we are keen to reduce the population because the damage would
be
significant. The cost of fruit would go up because you just won’t be able
to
get a piece of fruit that’s not damaged.”
Perth’s domestic air****t has been invaded by at least 5000 rainbow
lorikeets
and the government predicts corella numbers could reach 20,000 by 2010 if
left unchecked.
The next pest control area to be hit in Perth will be Bassendean.
