As investigations continue into the shooting of a mother wombat and her baby on the Heffernan farm at the back of Candelo, Kiah conservation hunter Clyde Thomas has spoken out in defence of farmers.
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“Wombats are lovely critters, but they do major damage to farmland,” Mr Thomas said.
“And the fact is, with improved pasture, their numbers have escalated enormously.”
Running a hobby farm south of Eden, Mr Thomas said he “understands the plight of farmers”.
“I’ve tried to grow lucerne and corn, but each time wombats have dug holes under the crops, once so badly our tractor got bogged and we had to get another four wheel drive tractor to pull us out of a hole, which was a collapsed wombat burrow,” Mr Thomas said.
Mr Thomas said fence and river damage was also “enormous”, but acknowledged that “human encroachment” was a big part of the picture.
“There’s no doubt that land clearing and farming has resulted in a real problem, including degeneration of rivers,” Mr Thomas said.
“But without the farmers and what they’re doing on the land, we’d all starve.”
Mr Thomas said farmers and their needs should be accommodated, but said all landholders should follow the right protocol in communicating their problems to NPWS and applying for cull licences.
“We should never shoot native animals without permits, end of story,” Mr Thomas said.
Bombala’s OEH NPWS office and Bega’s Rural Crime squad are continuing their investigation into the wombat shootings on the Heffernan farm, with the shooters’ identities still unknown.
Bombala NPWS Area Manager Franz Peters echoed Mr Thomas’ sentiments regarding the complexity of land management relating to wombats.
“The NSW NPWS is vested with the responsibility for managing protected wildlife across the landscape, regardless of land tenure,” Mr Peters said on Monday.
“Managing wildlife and maintaining suitable populations across the landscape is very complex.
“It involves a community with a diverse range of views engaged in farming and agriculture, wildlife care and rehabilitation, wildlife management and tourism.”
Mr Peters said that if the public are in doubt about wildlife licensing, or have information regarding illegal matters involving wildlife, they should contact the NPWS office at Bombala on 02 6458 5900.
Meanwhile, the Wombat Protection Society of Australia has been following the investigation with keen interest, claiming authority inaction in previous cases of acts of wombat cruelty.
It has now made the decision to offer a reward.
The WPS informed the Eden Magnet they have received a donation of $5000 from a couple who request anonymity, after the couple heard of the Heffernan farm shootings.
WPS Public Officer Amanda Cox said the South Coast donors “were appalled”.
“Although wombats have protected status, illegal shooting, running down, burying burrows and other cruel and illegal activities appear to be condoned and fail to be prosecuted,” Ms Cox said on Monday.
“Penalties for harming native wildlife exist but mandated authorities rarely take court action leading to assumptions that such activity is condoned.
“The harm done to other members of the South Coast Community who care for wildlife and have to clean up after illegal activities and the costs incurred by registered wildlife groups caring for and raising injured and orphaned wildlife are not considered when illegal killings occur.”
Three awards of $1000 each are on offer for individuals deemed instrumental in providing information leading to a conviction.
A further $1000 will be given to a school or child who develops the best prevention or education program on harming native wildlife, and another $1000 for investigatory journalism that exposes or educates the community on the illegal harming of wombats.
The decision on recipients will rest with the WPS board.
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