Mutilated dolphin dumped on lawn in in Bremer Bay, Western Australia

WILDLIFE officers have appealed to the public for information about a dolphin that was slashed across the throat and left on the lawn of a house in Bremer Bay, on Western Australia’s south coast.

The dolphin was dumped under a tree of a Bremer Bay property about 500 metres from the beach.

A wildlife officer from the Department of Environment and Conservation’s Nature Protection Branch in Albany will travel to Bremer Bay today to investigate the incident, question locals and examine the carcass.

Acting chief wildlife officer Kevin Morrison said it was not clear whether the dolphin had been slashed before or after its death.

“The photos provided to us indicate that someone inflicted quite deep serious wounds to the throat of the dolphin, but it’s not possible to say conclusively if it was while the animal was still alive, or post mortem,” Mr Morrison said.

“It could have been determined only if we’d been able to access the carcass of the animal while it was still fresh and a proper forensic done.

“Unfortunately now, the only way we’d be able to determine whether the animal was killed or the injury inflicted post-mortem is if we get information from members of the public.

“We’re relying heavily on information from the public in order to get a result.”

Mr Morrison said it was believed the animal was a striped dolphin, but more would be known when the wildlife officer examined the carcass tomorrow.

The officer would be liaising with police from Ongerup investigating the disturbing incident.

Source  :  www.heraldsun.com.au

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Shark attack Star of Courage humbling for WA woman

It was calm and still the day an Albany woman driven by instinct swam out to save the life of a fellow surf club member who had been attacked by a shark off Western Australia’s south coast.

Joanne Lucas’ bravery in doing so has earned her the Star of Courage, a bravery award which will presented by the Governor-General Quentin Bryce.

The 54-year-old mother of three had arrived at Middleton Beach, Albany, early on May 10 last year, ahead of a surf club event.

“It was very still and calm, and the sun was shining, and there were dolphins flipping about, a whole pod of dolphins …” Ms Lucas said.

But a short time later, a woman ran up the beach telling her a man had been attacked by a shark.

“I said: `No, no, it’s the dolphins’ and she said: `No it’s a shark’,” Ms Lucas said.

Ms Lucas said running down to the beach, driven by instinct and adrenalin, she stripped off her tracksuit pants and swam 80 metres to where fellow surf club member Jason Cull was critically injured, barely able to swim or tread water.

“It was a completely instinctive thing. I didn’t think: `There’s a shark out there maybe I shouldn’t go out there’,” she said.

“I just thought I’ve got to get this guy out and I’ve got to get him back in.”

All the while, the shark manoeuvred around the scene, with Ms Lucas fearing the frantic splashing of two nearby swimmers trying to scare it away would steer the shark toward her and Mr Cull.

She said she kicked harder and made it to shore where Mr Cull was treated for his injuries.

His leg was completely ripped open from his ankle right up to his knee and he had been “nipped” on the other knee, Ms Lucas said.    

Ms Lucas said she was happy to see Mr Cull now back on his feet and cycling around the place.

Being awarded the star of courage was humbling, she said.

“I’m very honoured and humbled to receive this.”

Ms Lucas said she was quickly back on the beach after the attack.

“It hasn’t turned me off the ocean at all,” she said.

“I actually scan the ocean before I go in now …”

The governor-general is expected to present the star of courage to Ms Lucas at a ceremony early next year.

Source www.watoday.com.au

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Shark alert near dead humpback

A juvenile humpback whale has died after beaching on Cable Beach near Albany.                                                                                                                                   

The 7m whale was found on the beach about noon on Sunday.

Albany Department of Environment and Conservation officer Peter Collins said there was nothing the department could do to help it back out to sea.

“There was limited access to the area where it was beached and the whale was lodged behind the reef,” Mr Collins said.

“It probably weighed around five or six tonnes and, unfortunately, we couldn’t do anything.”

Mr Collins said whale had been badly “scratched up” by the reef but otherwise, at least on the surface, seemed in good condition.

He said that there were no plans to move it as it was believed the current would eventually shift it out into the ocean.

“The public are welcome to go have a look at it but remember, dead whales attract sharks,” Mr Collins said.

“So I would warn anyone against swimming at Cable Beach for a while.”

Source  :  www.thewest.com.au

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Whales Wallowing in Western Australia

The coast of Western Australia is getting busy: the whale watching season is underway and early sightings suggest that not only has the season started early, but there are more whales than there’ve been in decades. Commercial whaling in Western Australia finished up in 1963 with just 500 humpback whales left in the waters, but estimates now put the number of whales that will swim the 8,000 miles from Antarctica to the north of the state at around 17,000. Good work, whales!

Whale watching trips run all up and down the coast and from the capital Perth, too – grab a two-hour trip from Hillarys Boat Harbour for A$62 ($50), or head south to Albany for three-hour cruises that let you come on board again in the unlikely event of no whales showing up.

The only thing that seems to be growing faster than the whale population is the population of whale-watchers. Tourism peeps in West Oz say tourist numbers are growing by 15% every year so you need to hurry to avoid the crowds.

Source  :   www.jaunted.com

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Storm warning for Perth and south west

South west WA residents have been warned to brace for a destructive storm bringing gales of up to 125 kmh tomorrow morning.

The Bureau of Meteorology says the winds will come along with a cold front over the state’s south west. Residents between Jurien Bay and Albany would be worst affected.

The worst of the front is likely to hit Augusta just after midnight, and Perth by sunrise, bringing heavy rain and winds that could damage homes and make travel dangerous.

There would be “locally destructive gusts” of up to 125 kmh, the Bureau said.

Source  :  www.watoday.com.au

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Perth resort restaurant named and shamed

A Swan Valley tourist resort is the latest outlet to be named and shamed on WA’s ever-growing filthy restaurant register.

The Swan Valley Oasis Restaurant and Function Centre at Henley Brook is the 46th eatery to be so exposed on the ‘Notifications of Convictions’ list published by the the WA Health Department.

As revealed first on WAtoday, the venue was fined $8,750, and ordered to pay $1571.70 in costs, for hygiene breaches including:               

– allowing vermin into the restaurant;
– exposing food to possible contamination; and
– failing to ensure the premises and appliances were clean.

The restaurant is part of the Swan Valley Oasis Resort, which also boasts a golf course and boutique brewery.

The eatery serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, and is a popular wedding reception venue.

Testimonials on the venue’s website include one from Helen, of Hong Kong.

“Clean, relaxed and family-friendly – really pleased to have found a nice, reasonably-priced place to stay before heading out of Perth,” Helen wrote.

According to the website, Rebecca, of Paynes Find, was “pleasantly surprised by the quality of the meals and service”.  Samantha, of Albany, found the venue “very clean and neat” and said she would “definitely be back”.

Since September 2006, the 46 prosecuted food outlets have together been fined in excess of $170,000.

However, this might only be the thin edge of the potato wedge, because it is not compulsory for local authorities to report breaches to the government.

Hence, only hygiene breaches in 11 of WA’s 139 local authorities appear on the government’s dirt list.

After WAtoday.com.au exposed the initial 41 list inductees in January, Health Minister Kim Hames rejected a call by consumer group Choice to post hygiene ratings on restaurant doors.

Mr Hames said that hygeine breaches from every local council would be added to the list when mandatory reporting was introduced under a new Food Act that is being drafted.

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Pensioner fuel cards available

Aged pensioners living in country towns across WA can begin applying for the State Governments $500 fuel card from tomorrow.

Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls today launched fuel card scheme in Albany which will allow pensioners in country towns to use the credit on the card either to buy fuel or hire a taxi.

The fuel card, which is expected to cost taxpayers $80 million dollars over the next four years, is a National’s election promise under the Royalties for Regions scheme.

The first $500 card will be valid until June 30 next year and all eligible pensioners can apply for the card by filling in a form at regional post offices. Couples are eligible for one card between them.

Card holders must produce a pensioner concession card when buying fuel at any Motorpass affiliated petrol station or hiring a Cabcharge taxi.

Mr Grylls said the card would help with travel costs for country age pensioners who relied on cars or taxis’ because of limited public transport.

“Age pensioners in regional areas generally do not have access to extensive public transport and fuel is usually more expensive than in the metropolitan area. The fuel card will help country age pensioners meet the additional cost of travel using their own vehicles or taxis,” he said.

The fuel card would be available for regional residents who received an age pension from Centrelink or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Age pensioners did not have to own a car or have a driver’s licence to be eligible.

Any credit left on the card for the 2009-10 financial year would be will be forfeited. Fuel cards will be reissued automatically each July over the next four years.
Robert Taylor http://www.thewest.com.au

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