All event photos captured by: UnCommon Creative.
Conversations. Inspiration. Education. Action.
These were what we hoped to inspire at our recent Wildlife Friendly Neighbourhoods Film Night – a South West NRM-funded initiative, helped by a small grant from the City of Bunbury’s Habitat Bunbury Program.
We were blown away by the level of interest, attracting approximately 130 environmentally-aware community members to the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre’s Cube Theatre on Wednesday, February 11.
South West NRM CEO Dr Manda Page welcomed guests and started proceedings.
Proud Noongar woman from the Wadandi and Wilmen clans; Director and Chair of Keipa Boodja Aboriginal Corporation and a valuable member of the South West NRM RAP Working Group Annette Garlett provided a Welcome to Country.
A screening of the beautiful short film Night Calling by Taylor Media was presented, provoking an eye-opening insight into the world of Masked Owls.
Stunning imagery of South West forests, heartwarming scenes of the elusive owls combined with a compelling narrative about the impact of rat poison (or rodenticides) on wildlife and the efforts of scientist and enthusiast Dr Boyd Wykes to raise awareness of the issue.
Night Calling is available to watch free on Youtube HERE.
The film was followed by a deeply informative and thought-provoking expert panel discussion lead by Dr Page. On the panel and generously contributing their time to the event were:
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Dr Boyd Wykes – Star of the documentary and Coordinator of Owl Friendly Margaret River
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Dr Simone Vitali – Program Manager – Emergencies, Wildlife Health Australia
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Dr Robert Davis – Wildlife ecologist (Head of Edith Cowan University ECU Joondalup fauna research lab including co-ordinating studies on rodenticide impacts on wildlife)
During the discussion, Associate Professor Davis outlined continuing studies and published research demonstrating that rodenticides are achieving deep levels of penetration into our ecosystems with all kinds of unexpected wildlife also being impacted by the poisons including owls, cockatoos, western quolls (chuditch), frogs, lizards and snakes.
Dr Wykes urged audience members to choose more wildlife-friendly methods of rodent control while outlining details of a current review on the sale of the products by the Australian Government.
Expressing disappointment proposed changes to guidelines governing the availability of the poisons didn’t go far enough to protect wildlife, Dr Wykes also encouraged audience members to make a submission to the current consultation.
Guests were then invited to engage with various displays by local wildlife organisations to learn more about creating wildlife friendly neighbourhoods from installing bat boxes and artificial possum dreys to responsible pet ownership and selecting specific species for your garden.
Thank you to our friends from Leschenault Catchment Council; Department of Biodiversity, Conservation & Attractions, BirdLife Bunbury and the City of Bunbury who provided additional learning for community members in this format.
