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	From: joey 03/06/2000 1:27:37 Subject: contributer profile post id: 186 The site seems a little slow getting started so I thought it might be a good idea to let visitors know who's hanging around. here goes....my name is Jo and I'm a wildlife carer in Adelaide SA. I handle after hours emergency calls for wildlife for the RSPCA, belong to the Marsupial Society of Australia (and am editor of their monthly magazine). I also belong to a group called KRIS - kangaroo and wildlife rescue and information service. At present I am caring for 5 kangaroo joeys (3 red kangaroos and 2 euros,7 brushtail possums,3 ringtail possums and about 30 assorted native birds. My days (and nights!) are pretty full and interesting. We never know what the next phone call will bring. I love the challenge of caring for our wildlife. It is one long learning experience. Just when you think you've seen it all up pops a new challenge. This time of year is a bit quieter (no baby birds) and we get time to experiment. We were brought a young magpie this week with 2/3 of her top beak missing. Normally we would euthanase her but she's been very accepting of our care so hubby is making her a new beak with a pen casing and aluminium putty. If it works out then she'll stay with us as the fake wouldn't stand up to the rigours of digging up her own food. If anyone is interested in the outcome let me know and I'll keep you posted through the forum. If contributors have any questions about wildlife care that they would like answered then I'll try to help or point them in the right direction. regards Jo... From: Maryanne 03/06/2000 1:56:44 Subject: re: contributer profile post id: 187 Hi Jo, I am looking for information on food suitable for a Carnabys cockatoo. We have been careing for him for some time after he was found on the road with a badly damaged wing. He will willingly eat sunflower seed, hakia seeds and gum nuts, is there any other type of food that we should be giving him? Thanks, Maryanne From: judith 03/06/2000 20:33:14 Subject: re: contributer profile post id: 191 Hello Jo, I am a preschool teacher and we usually hand feed a couple of injured magpies each year, not always successfully. I would be keen to make contact directly so that the children could email you. We do a lot of our learning that way ... the children tell us their questions, we write them on paper, they key them in and "send" them ... if we cannot do it directly (which would be cheaper for us) then we would love to follow your magpie through here. Judith From: joey 03/06/2000 23:28:00 Subject: re: contributer profile post id: 194 Hi Maryanne, forgive my ignorance but what is a carnabys cockatoo? I can find no reference to it in my books so can only assume that it is only one of the names that it goes by! regards Jo. From: joey 03/06/2000 23:34:01 Subject: re: contributer profile post id: 195 Hi Judith, I would be happy to answer your students questions via email but am reluctant to give my address out into cyberspace! I'm relatively new to the internet and don't know how I could do it safely. Help... regards Jo From: judith 04/06/2000 15:49:46 Subject: re: contributer profile post id: 199 Thankyou Jo, We have two email addresses at the kindergarten and I am happy to post our more open one ... it is used on our web page, so we have learned how to use the "block sender" button if we must ... I imagine any correspondents through "our abc" would be just fine though ...:-)) Our e-mail address is xxxxxx@hotmail.com if you are willing to make contact direct ... and we can tell you about our participation in a very small (ie 3 classes) international "Bird Study" group for young children. Judith From: freezer 07/06/2000 12:25:04 Subject: re: contributer profile post id: 214 Here's my profile - I think it's a good idea Jo, and would be very interested in hearing how your makeshift beak goes. I'm in year 12 at the moment, in Brisbane. I've always had a passion for animals and the outdoors, probably due to my family's camping tendencies. Next year I hope to do a Bachelor of Science in Zoology, or a Bachelor of Environmental Management in natural resources (any ideas as to which I should do would be appreciated) And eventually I hope to work in a zoo, or in national parks and wildlife, or as a field researcher - it's got to be a practical job or I'll die. ~freezer~ From: joey 08/06/2000 11:37:03 Subject: re: contributer profile post id: 218 Hi Freezer, The home made magpie beak is doing well. She has been able to feed herself. It was great watching her use it for the first time. She really wasn't sure ...but when she realised that she could roll her food in her beak and swallow it for herself there was no holding her back ! She is very thin (from not being able to feed) so I am also supplementary feeding her with high protein baby cereal and Nutrigel {a high energy vitamin supplement}). She also has a heatpad as with virtually no body fat she would not be able to keep warm for herself. Prognosis is good at this stage. The outcome really depends on how much damage has been done by the starvation period. Got a little Boobook Owl handed in on Tuesday with its foot hanging off. It was badly mangled so there was no other choice but to amputate. I must get some shares in our local vet surgery!! Last night it ate for the first time, a good sign, as birds of prey do not always accept being in care and will literally starve themselves to death. This little guy has a very good chance of making it. As to what courses you should look at. Don't know!! Sorry but I really don't know enough about career options etc. to be able to advise but maybe someone else out there looking in may help with that info. Perhaps you could post the question as a new topic. Regards Jo From: Tom 08/06/2000 14:04:19 Subject: re: contributer profile post id: 221 I come from a farming background in a degraded region, and our family had a strong feel for protecting the little wildlife remaining, and regularly monitoring them. Now I work in a resource management field for a Govt authority- but with little in field time available. I check the SSSF on occasions. A word of caution for Freezer. Currently there are massive numbers of recent graduates from Environmental management degree courses, with few jobs available in the field. I would check with the Universities what their employment statistics are for the relevant courses. There are unfortunately few jobs in the field, as most Government departments round the country have been reducing the number of jobs. At the same time the number of people studying the jobs have been increasing at a high rate. We have been getting 50-100 recent grads applicants for the few part time jobs we have, but also many people with 10-20 years experience also. Currently shortages of skilled trades in many fields - check that out as I have friends with trade skills earning 50-60K per year - lots more than me, with no degree and less stress. @#$%#$%! Mind you this could change. Keep an eye on the Feds for announcements pre election on funding for resource protection to replace the Natural Heritage Trust. The current funding has been woefully inadequate, and recently identified as such by the ACF & NFF. If they do start to move the right way, it could open up some jobs. Talk to park rangers about the number of jobs around. From: joey 14/06/2000 1:58:51 Subject: re: contributer profile post id: 239 To those who have been following this thread. I'm sad to report that the little magpie with the fake beak had to be euthanased today. Her bottom beak crumpled away. (calcium deficiency? too many unhealthy handouts?) Whatever the cause it had to be diet related. She was an older bird in good condition apart from the broken beak. If an inherent problem then we would have expected it to break long before this so it had to be a progressive weakness due to poor nutrition or possibly mal absorption. We did consider replacing it with another fake but her tongue was drying out prior to the break and would have become uncomfotable for her so it wasn't really an option. Shed quite a few tears and wondered again why I do this work - must be a masochist! On a brighter note the boobook owl with the amputated foot is doing very well. Should be able to move out into the flight aviary next weekend. regards Jo From: freezer 14/06/2000 23:10:07 Subject: re: contributer profile post id: 242 my sympathies jo, that's tragic, but, like you say, it's the way that business goes... ~freezer~ From: Ross 15/06/2000 1:19:49 Subject: re: contributer profile post id: 243 hope the Carnaby's Black is doing well;they do like hard seeds like hakea but will also rid the environment of future pine weeds so give the bird some of their seeds if they're available.Perhaps use binoculars to watch them in the wild also(they probably eat grubs too);otherwise ring the nearest major zoo(Perth?)and speak to the bird vet/tech. there for advice.Good luck. From: Tony B 17/06/2000 23:04:34 Subject: re: contributer profile post id: 251 As I have just posted a couple of items it may be as well to put in a "Profile" After reaching my employment "use by date" I retired from the city to a five acre block some 20 kilometers inland from Nambucca Heads on the NSW Central Coast. Our block is very poor country, having been cleared many years ago and showing signs of degragation. But the house is just what my wife wanted and the views are spectacular. Over the last few years I have been planting trees and shrubs and have managed the attract many birds that were not here when we arrived. Although they would of have been in the area. My main claim to fame at the moment is a Satin Bower bird that has a bower some 10 meters from our house. Near a pond system we put in and planted out with native trees and shrubs. He has been there two seasons now and has lots & lots of girl friends. Tony B From: J.F. 02/12/2000 20:13:16 Subject: re: contributer profile post id: 938 Hello from JF. I am finding my way here just today, after hopping on to SSSF in recent weeks. I am a Microbiologist, with interests in most of Science, including Psychology, plus theology. People are complex, so labels are always inadequate. I have tropical fish, but no other pets as I work very long hours. I love cats, but my last 2 cats have died at 12+ and 20 or maybe it was 21 years. I have rescued 2 birds. One wader limping due to fishing line -- I caught him with my bare hands, though he could fly!!!! One nestling, I forget the species, very dehydrated on the carpark bitumen. I gave him water with a dropper, + a nice dark box o/n, then gave him to an expert in wildlife rescue next morning. He said the bird was a nectar feeder. See y'all later The views and opinions expressed on this forum are those of the individual poster and not the ABC. 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