(MY) milky storks

[Guest guest]

Can the aapn members comment on this as I am not sure whether this is

the right thing to do. Will such mindless act endanger the birds and

how are they to survive on their own?

 

Tuesday March 6, 2007 The Star

 

Milky storks released without re-introduction

 

By TAN CHENG LI

 

PETALING JAYA: The release of four pairs of milky storks into the

wilds of the Matang mangrove forest in Perak on Sunday did not adhere

to globally accepted rules on re-introduction of captive-bred animals.

 

Instead of being kept in an aviary to " acclimatise " them as dictated

by protocol, the birds were released barely a day after they were

taken from Zoo Negara in Ulu Klang, Selangor.

 

What a shame: Having been hand-fed captive-bred animals are never

released directly into a new environment.

 

In the event to mark World Wetlands Day, Natural Resources and

Environment parliamentary secretary Datuk Sazni Miah had released

eight milky storks - an endangered species - in Matang.

 

Zoo Negara director Dr Mohamad Ngah said the Wildlife and National

Parks Department (Perhilitan) had last week requested for milky storks

from the park, which has a healthy breeding population of over 80

birds, and the birds were given on condition that the release

programme followed protocol and included housing the birds in an

aviary prior to release.

 

World Wide Fund for Nature executive director Dr Dionysius Sharma said

captive-bred animals are never released directly into a new

environment as having been hand-fed; some cannot fend for themselves

in the wild.

 

Wetlands International water bird conservation officer David Li, who

attended the ceremony, observed the birds on the ground and perched on

roofs of chalets for half a day.

 

" These birds have been kept in a small enclosure at Zoo Negara, so

they currently lack the capability of long distance flight and their

claws lack the capacity to perch on tree branches. This might limit

their survival skills in the wild. Also, these birds have never faced

any predators at Zoo Negara but Matang has abundant monitor lizards

and long-tailed macaques, which might attack them. "

 

Li, who led an 18-month study of the storks two years ago, said the

released birds must be closely watched and recaptured if they do not

fare well in the wild. He said the local community must be informed of

the protected status of the birds, to prevent poaching.

 

Until press time, Perhilitan officials could not be reached for

comment. In July, Perhilitan biodiversity director Siti Hawa Yatim had

told The Star that the re-introduction programme in Matang would

follow IUCN (World Conservation Union) protocol and would include an

aviary, tall perches for the birds to build nests and possible culling

of predators.