Falling out of trees - Dozens of dead Possums - blamed on extreme heat? or Man again? (1 Viewer)

[Chosun Juan]

Obviously not good news for any owls that have this species as a major prey item, but then other factors must have already been in play to limit aerial predator increases toward more natural balance.
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...kn7W8wQYgYKZLv9fLt146hRX0WBkBNY9ncvsB2R0A3nUo

I wonder what the real cause was? Those temperatures are hardly that extreme ..... however with increased urbanisation and the usual degradation of riparian old growth vegetation and hydrology, it seems this may have combined to magnify the effects.

It also seems that with a decline in indigenous mesopredators, they may in fact have been eating themselves out of house and home, and contributing to the loss of natural evaporative cooling mechanisms in the landscape. This article is well worth a read.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjASegQICRAB&usg=AOvVaw12vQwhAVEbfJhYUDJEeYe_

Perhaps some augmented Powerful, Masked, and Barking Owl hollows and habitat restoration /preservation would be in order ..... :cat:





Chosun :gh:

 

[Nutcracker]

It also seems that with a decline in indigenous mesopredators, they may in fact have been eating themselves out of house and home, and contributing to the loss of natural evaporative cooling mechanisms in the landscape.

When there's no predators, epidemic disease also becomes more of a problem. Sick animals are easy prey, and predators taking them cuts the spread of the disease. We have this problem in Britain where the natural predators of Red Grouse have all been killed by gamekeepers; the result is epidemics of grouse diseases.

 

[fugl]

When there's no predators, epidemic disease also becomes more of a problem. Sick animals are easy prey, and predators taking them cuts the spread of the disease. We have this problem in Britain where the natural predators of Red Grouse have all been killed by gamekeepers; the result is epidemics of grouse diseases.

Interesting point. . ..

 

[Chosun Juan]

When there's no predators, epidemic disease also becomes more of a problem. Sick animals are easy prey, and predators taking them cuts the spread of the disease. We have this problem in Britain where the natural predators of Red Grouse have all been killed by gamekeepers; the result is epidemics of grouse diseases.

Yes, interesting ..... perhaps that phenomena explains the role of possums being a vector for a flesh eating bacteria in that region .... ? :cat:
https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016...cer-spreading-to-melbournes-outskirts/7693106
https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-21/flesh-eating-bacteria-mornington-peninsula/8966708

It was interesting that the original article I posted downplayed the role of Powerful Owls in taking the larger Brushtail Possum - but it is widely known that it is a prey item - especially for the larger males. This following profile estimates that a breeding pair of Powerful Owls will take ~250 possums per annum (some other sources suggest up to ~350). It seems the ratio of Ringtail to Brushtail Possums, or other prey such as Gliders, etc, is determined by seasonal variation and also ecosystem type and disturbance level, as this paper from a different area details: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...WMAx6BAgEEAE&usg=AOvVaw1HHnDSnANstD4Ot9GJvyZE

They are mostly arboreal hunters, and their prime requirement is intact old growth ecosystems providing prey and suitable nesting hollows (only formed on trees older than ~150 years).

https://www.swifft.net.au/cb_pages/sp_powerful_owl.php





Chosun :gh: