Yvette Watt, Duck Rescue Coordinator said:

“Native ducks will once more be subjected to a barrage of gunfire, with the the inevitable suffering and wounding that results. It’s horrific to bear witness to this violence but we are forced to do so if we stand any chance of saving lives. Only by being on the front-line can we hope to lessen the bloodshed.”

Members of the Animals Tasmania Duck Rescue Team are ready to protect native ducks on the eve of the 2017 duck shooting season. Concerned citizens will take to wetlands in an effort to help save native waterbirds.

Yvette Watt said:

“The failure of the Tasmanian Government to fully protect native ducks means we are needed to help save waterbirds caught in the firing line. We can expect yet again to see horrendous suffering as ducks are wounded and left to die a lingering death from starvation and exposure.

We are hopeful of sparing many ducks by directing them away form the shooters to areas of relative safety. This is why we wear bright clothes and carry flags and whistles. We can be very effective in causing the ducks to fly higher or veer away so they don’t get shot.”

Dry conditions across mainland Australia have left many key wetlands in poor health, impacting native waterbird populations, and sending birds south. The most recent aerial survey by Prof. Richard Kingsford of UNSW shows numbers of native waterbirds at the lowest ever recorded levels. This raises questions over the long-term viability of some species.