Urbanisation and its unfortunate effect on avifauna
ANIMAL Anti-Cruelty League (AACL) received a call from Julie Davidson of the organisation Wildlife in Crisis, asking for assistance with a white stork located in Selby, on Wednesday, 2 March.
According to the concerned employee of a nearby factory who had originally reported the case, the bird appeared to be in some sort of distress, as it had remained in the same crouched position for over a week. When AACL’s inspector Denton Infield arrived on the scene, the stork reared up, attempting to fly away, but due to its emaciated and dehydrated condition was easily caught by the inspector, who brought him back to the AACL’s veterinary hospital.
After stabilisation, the bird was transferred to Wildlife in Crisis for rehabilitation and subsequent release back into the wild. The concern that the AACL has, however, as expressed by Infield, is that this is not an isolated incident. More and more birds, such as ibises, seagulls and storks, to name a few, are being found in the vicinity of the Robinson’s Deep refuse site, ostensibly feeding off the refuse. But the question remains as to what, if any, preventative measures can be taken to protect these wild birds from a very unhealthy situation. Dump sites and what they offer in edible matter makes it that much easier for these wild birds to forage, all too often to their detriment.
To find more information about the AACL, contact inspector Denton Infield on 011 435 0672 or 082 606 5708.
