Canberra Indian Myna Action Group Inc.
Canberra Indian Myna Action Group Inc: c/- 6 Fanning Place KAMBAH ACT 2902: ph 02 6231 7461
Myna Matters Bulletin # 9
Dear CIMAG Members and Friends
The following provides an update on CIMAG activities.
**
Major Milestone Reached: 10, 000 less Indian Mynas
**
Congratulations to CIMAG members: we have now reached the major milestone of 10,000
Indian Mynas removed from the Canberra region. While not all CIMAG trappers had reported
in for March, at the end of March our aggregate stood at 10,001 (and 961 Starlings).
Celebrating special efforts
We have our first “1000 trapper”. Peter Green, the genius mostly responsible for developing
the little trap that most of us use, has now reached 1000 mynas captured. Congratulations
Peter. An amazing result.
Another extraordinary trapper is Mr Ross Tinson with 906 mynas trapped. Ross has been
trapping at a few sites, including at the Youth Haven place opposite Gleneagles in
Tuggeranong. This has been a dedicated effort over the past year that warrants public
recognition. Well done Ross.
A long-term effort that needs to be applauded is that of Mr Len Davies of Garran, who has
been trapping for five years since Dr Chris Tidemann started his trials. Len has caught 875
mynas over that time. As he is not a member of CIMAG, his numbers have not been included
in the CIMAG totals.
Most of us will not get any where near these capture numbers, but we need to remember that
each myna we take out of the environment is bound to be doing some good.
If you know of anyone who is involved in trapping but not a member of CIMAG or not
reporting their figures, could you please advise us or ask them to contact us ( via
handke@grapevine.net.au
or 02 6231 7461) so we can get a more accurate picture overall.
Implementing the CIMAG Strategy
The CIMAG Strategy includes raising public awareness and undertaking public education
about Indian Mynas: the threat they pose and how people can reduce the opportunities
mynas have for feeding, breeding and roosting. (You can read the CIMAG strategy on our
website:
www.indianmynaaction.org.au
).
The CIMAG Strategy also refers to the need to be involved in a strong research program.
In line with this, the CIMAG Committee is looking to develop information brochures and public
education material, and to “sponsor” a research project about the impact of our trapping on
myna numbers and native birds. The research project would enable us to clarify the impacts of
our trapping efforts. Up to now, we have had a lot of anecdotal evidence that intensive trapping
has markedly reduced myna numbers in that local area and seen the return of native birds to
gardens. A research project will help to put a scientific base around those general observations.
Prof David Lindenmayer and Dr Chris Tidemann (both from ANU) and Dr Tony Peacock from
the CRC on Invasive Animals are discussing a possible PhD research project that would give us
these answers.
To assist us in funding the public education activities we have applied for an EnviroFund
grant and we will also seek funding under an ACT environmental grant program. We are
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Canberra Indian Myna Action Group Inc.
Canberra Indian Myna Action Group Inc: c/- 6 Fanning Place KAMBAH ACT 2902: ph 02 6231 7461
2
delighted that Dr Chris Tidemann and Prof David Lindenmayer from ANU, Dr Tony Peacock
from the CRC on Invasive Animals, the RSPCA and the Canberra Ornithologists Group have
written letters of support for our applications.
Donations
We can not assume that we will be successful in these applications, so if you wish to
contribute funding for these activities you can send donations to the Treasurer, the Canberra
Indian Myna Action Group Inc, c/- 5 Provis Street, Kambah, ACT 2902.
Getting a Trap
There are a lot of people who have contacted us to get a trap. Unfortunately we have gotten
well behind in filling orders, largely because Peter has been crook for a long time. The CIMAG
Committee has been discussing ways to catch up. For those who don’t want to wait for us to
make a trap (for $60), you can get the blueprints from our website and make your own. If you
do so, feel free to contact me (02 6231 7461) if you wish to see a trap before you start or if you
have a difficulty in following the plans.
Alternatively there are some commercial traps available: exciting news is that Peter Green
and the distributors of the MynaMagnet trap (Bruce and Garry Brown) are commercialising a
modified version of the little trap (which we call PeeGees trap) that many of us use. Peter
and Bruce have made some variations to the trap — which will be called MiniMyna — and
should be available for purchase in a few weeks time. Contact Bruce’s company in Mitchell
— MynaMagnet Aust Pty Ltd — on 6242 7349 about the details.
Coffs Harbour News
Ron and Lynn Smith of Coffs Harbour report good process on myna action up there:
“We have removed the big flocks in Coffs Harbour and are now working on small flocks in
Coffs Harbour and also in the out-laying villages and rural areas. We will be holding a
workshop and field day in Coffs Harbour on the 4th of September with the help of National
Parks and are inviting all Councils and interested groups along the North Coast.
Birds captured in March = 34. Total to date = 405.”
This is good news and means that these communities are getting on top of Indian Mynas
before their numbers build up to Canberra / Sydney proportions.
Euthanising Trapped Mynas
CIMAG is conscious of the need to adopt sound animal welfare practices in our trapping
program and for us to ensure that euthanising is quick, painless and stress-free. Following a
discussion with the RSPCA - National Office, we are working with ANU to put some facts
together on euthanising options (carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide), the time it takes before
catalytic converters in modern cars are activated (thereby reducing the toxicity of the gas) and
the heat of the gases emitted when using carbon monoxide from a cold petrol engine.
Spreading the message
If you know of groups — social, recreational or work — that you think might be interested in
hearing of our efforts and what they can do to help this important practical environmental
activity, members of the CIMAG Committee are available to speak to those groups. Let me
know (via
handke@grapevine.net.au
or 02 6231 7461) if there are any such groups that
would be interested in our work.
I will be giving another talk at the Australian National Botanic Gardens on 24 May at 12:30pm
on the problem of Indian Mynas and what CIMAG and others are doing about them — in the
theatrette behind the Botanic Gardens Bookshop. Hope to see you there.
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Canberra Indian Myna Action Group Inc.
Canberra Indian Myna Action Group Inc: c/- 6 Fanning Place KAMBAH ACT 2902: ph 02 6231 7461
3
January / February / March trapping data
Trapping in January / February and March in the Canberra region has seen the demise of a
further 1752 Indian Mynas: while January saw 1078 mynas captured, the February figure only
totaled 358 and March 316. The low numbers in February and March raise some interesting
questions: are mynas finding feed elsewhere (fruit trees and grapes, insects etc)? ; are
mynas becoming trap shy? ; or have trappers taken out most of their local myna populations
— which many people have reported — and only wary ones remain in those areas? I guess
we will know the answer as the year progresses. I don’t recall trouble in attracting mynas into
traps this time last year, so perhaps we have been making a difference.
The combined capture data for January - March is as follows.
Suburb
Jan / Feb / March Aggregate Mynas
Aranda
45
445
Ainslie
2
12
Bonytho n
0
25
Bruce
0
8
Calwell
13
76
Campbell
0
46
Chapman
8
97
Chifley
58
169
Conder
17
23
Curtin
1
80
Deakin
20
73
Dickson
4
4
Duffy
0
276
Dunlop
0
31
Evatt
0
74
Fadden
13
162
Farrer
62
238
Fisher
13
105
Florey
0
6
Flynn
42
123
Forrest
0
31
Garran
40
381
Gilmore
0
0
Giralang
90
206
Gordon
64
181
Griffith
4
4
Hall
18
686
Hawker
17
139
Higgins
0
0
Holder
0
20
Holt
0
0
Hughes
119
345
Isaacs
0
35
Isabella Plains
0
11
Jerrabomberra
0
38
Kaleen
0
58
Kambah
221
3282
Karabar
10
13
Lyneham
0
30
Lyons
85
322
Macarthur
0
8
Macquarie
24
144
McGregor
0
17
McKellar
28
28
Melba
17
43
pg_0004
Canberra Indian Myna Action Group Inc.
Canberra Indian Myna Action Group Inc: c/- 6 Fanning Place KAMBAH ACT 2902: ph 02 6231 7461
4
Monash
34
90
Narrabundah
99
140
Nicholls
0
96
O’Malley
12
12
Pearce
101
396
Red Hill
0
66
Richardson
12
83
Rivett
29
29
Scullin
0
1
Spence
0
5
Stirling
21
33
Swinger Hill
0
13
Theodore
87
511
Torrens
21
39
Turner
22
22
Wanniassa
41
144
Waramanga
84
293
Watson
0
199
Weetangera
7
14
Weston
31
210
Yarralumla
72
157
Queanbeyan
0
10
Googong
35
35
Total
1752
10 001
CIMAG News Distribution System and Chatline
To get onto the CIMAG news email distribution system for news and notices from the CIMAG
Committee (this is different to the CIMAG Chatline), just send a blank email to
news-
subscribe@indianmynaaction.org.au
and you will be automatically included on the distribution
list. This will be the main way that the Committee will circulate information and notices to
CIMAG members and “friends”.
You can also include yourself on the CIMAG Chatline by sending a blank email to
chat-
subscribe@indianmynaaction.org.au
— if you want off, just send a blank email to
chat-
unsubscribe@indianmynaaction.org.au
.
RSPCA Hours for Disposing of Trapped Mynas
The times to take trapped mynas to the RSPCA Centre for disposal are:
Monday: 10:00am – 11:00am and 4:30pm – 5:30pm
Wednesday: 4:30pm – 5:30pm
Friday:
4:30pm – 5:30pm.
Please take the trapped mynas / starlings to Building A, the Wildlife Building at the RSPCA
Centre — it is the very first building in the RSPCA complex as you come down Kirkpatrick St
in Weston. If bringing mynas and starlings to the Centre for disposal, could you please use
an opaque bag or box in view of possible sensitivity of some people to trapped birds.
Bill Handke
President
CIMAG
1 May 2007