Wildlife crusaders Bob Irwin and Colin Riddell led a campaign supported by Elders from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, conservationists and animal welfare groups calling for protection for these beautiful animals.
The Queensland Government acted decisively and for the first time turtles and dugongs were afforded protection under the Queensland Animal Care and Protection Act — a move praised by Indigenous communities in North Queensland.
This victory in Queensland was dulled by the fact that, despite turtles and dugongs being considered endangered species*, federal laws allow them to be hunted and killed for ‘traditional hunting’ purposes. With no monitoring and no limit to the number of animals one person can kill, extreme cruelty and breaches of state legislation can easily occur without repercussion. It is not only these ocean dwellers caught up in this tragic situation but over 50 other species listed as vulnerable to extinction* including some wombat species, cassowaries, and some species of flying fox.
Climate change, habitat loss and urban development — not just hunting — have had a huge impact on native animal numbers: pushing these species to the edge of extinction. Without urgent action now to protect them from being killed, we will lose these unique and important species altogether.
Animals Australia is joining tireless advocates Colin Riddell and Bob Irwin in a Coalition of 28 animal welfare and conservation groups calling on the Federal Government to ban the hunting of all endangered and vulnerable native species.
This is not an issue of culture or tradition — this is about all Australians working together to protect our iconic native wildlife most at risk of extinction.
