bird

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are common and abundant in the wild in eastern Australia. Thousands of them are also kept as pets, both in Australia and throughout the world. They are fully protected by law in eastern Australian states. Only captive-bred birds raised by licensed breeders can legally be kept or sold. Parrots in general are intelligent birds and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, in particular, have adapted well to human encroachment on their natural habitat. They become quite tame around people and have learned to live in farmlands and suburban areas. In eastern Australia, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos can cause extensive damage to vine and grain crops in the southern parts of their range. They can cause havoc in young tree plantations and on managed areas of grass such as golf courses and cricket grounds. They have also been known to damage houses and other structures, by chewing on soft timber. Anyone who keeps a Cockatoo as a pet knows how destructive they can be, chewing through wire cages and wooden perches. The very features that make Cockatoos adaptable to new situations in the wild- their intelligence, natural curiosity and adaptability- also make them appealing as pets. They are lively, entertaining birds, who become very devoted to their owners. They can learn to mimic human speech, and apply it in appropriate situations; for example, they will greet visitors with “Hello” and call “Bye Bye!” when they leave. But the decision to keep a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo as a pet should not be taken lightly. They can live to be well over 50 years, so a healthy bird can easily out-live its owner. They need a very large, strong cage, preferably made of metal and with a sturdy latch. Cockatoos easily learn how to open flimsy cage doors. They have a very powerful beak, and will bite hard if annoyed. They are also extremely loud, and will call for hours in their cage if feeling lonely or bored. Their natural curiosity and agility means that they need very large enclosures and lots of stimulation to keep them healthy. In the wild, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos live in large flocks, so it is unnatural for them to be kept without the company of other birds. Birds that are kept in small cages, with no distractions such as toys to play with, and without the company of other birds or of people will often pluck their own feathers until they are completely naked. Source: www.billabongsanctuary.com.au/sulphur-crested-cockatoo/#:

Group of emus. Look at the feet. Ostriches have only two toes.

The killing of kangaroos by Europeans began at exactly the same time that the species was first identified. Shooting, naming, describing, scientifically classifying, sketching, dissecting, eating: these things all played out simultaneously as soon as Cook’s Endeavour got stranded on a reef in far north Queensland in June and July 1770. Many notable visitors participated in organized kangaroo hunts: Charles Darwin in 1836 (“my usual ill-fortune in sporting followed us”), Britain’s Admiral of the Fleet Henry Keppel in 1850, and the novelist Anthony Trollope in 1871. The Duke of Edinburgh came to the colonies in 1867 – the first royal visit – hunting kangaroo in South Australia and then traveling out to Victoria’s western district for more sport. Organized hunts could kill any number of kangaroos; alongside hunting meets that pursued individual roos as game, squatters also organized large-scale drives or battues, which could see thousands of kangaroos rounded up, slaughtered, and left to rot. Source: theconversation.com/friday-essay-the-art-of-the-colonial-...