{ story.summary|safe|escape }
A RESIDENT at
Potato Point let Australian Seabird Rescue (ASR) know about a big, strange-looking
bird last week.
It was found in a
lagoon behind houses near the beach, looking pretty tired and forlorn.
The wild seas and
high wind in the last week had obviously taken its toll on it.
The bird was
picked up by a volunteer of ASR and on closer inspection and after consulting
with SOSSA (Southern Ocean Seabird Study Association), it was determined that
it is a southern giant petrel.
The bird is a
juvenile and about four months old, and has no obvious injuries.
In fact, after
having a rest overnight, got straight back in to food. The bird was taken to Bermagui to be looked
after by a specialist seabird carer and ASR member.
It will stay
there until it is ready to be released back into the wild. A fishing vessel from Bermagui will take the
bird back out to sea.
With the high
seas lately the bird would find it difficult to swim out through the huge waves
and they are reluctant to take off from shore.
Southern giant
petrels, or Antarctic petrels as they are known, live their entire lives at
sea.
They are listed
as endangered and the population has decreased by 50 per cent in the last three
generations, according to Australian Government Department of Sustainability,
Environment, Water, Population and Communities.
These great birds
take six to seven years to mature and breed and go back to their original
colony to do that.
They are widely
distributed within the southern oceans.
Because they are
scavengers their main threat is long-line fishing, where they try and get the
bait from the hooks.
Discarded long-line
hooks are also a major killer of these birds.
Floating plastic such as helium balloons and other plastic is another
huge threat to the species.
On Macquarie
Island, birds have been found with up to 300 bits of plastic in their
stomach.
ASR volunteers
say once you have met one of these magnificent birds, you’ll never forget it.
“They are calm
and serene and almost seem without fear towards humans. They are magnificent and worth our while to
protect them,” volunteer Mischi West said.
“Rescuers know
that they become very friendly quickly and are often reluctant to leave for the
ocean.
“Thanks to
organisations like ASR many of them have been returned to their home and
hopefully are breeding now.”
If you would like
to know more go to the websites:
www.australianseabirdrescue.org
or www.sossa-international.org
If you find an
injured sea or shore bird contact ASR South Coast on 0431 282 238
