News media across the world are commenting on the permit that has apparently been approved to cull 200 Southern Hairy-nosed wombats on the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia.

In speaking with the foremost Southern Hairy-nosed wombat expert Michael Swinbourne yesterday the following can be stated with confidence:

First the facts regarding the wombat colony that has been targeted, as confirmed by Michael:

• The colony is one of several on the Yorke Peninsula, and is the largest colony of wombats - in the Point Pierce area.
• The total number of wombats spread across the entire peninsula is estimated to be between 650 and 850 animals.
• While the colony that has been targeted for culling is the largest on the peninsula, the total number of wombats within that colony is best estimated to be only about 400 animals.

In discussing the issue in depth with Michael, he confirmed that (as the foremost expert) he is not strictly averse to the idea of culling, HOWEVER, to cull 200 animals of a population of only 400 is in no way justified.

To quote him directly: "The long term viability of all wombats on the Yorke Peninsula is already highly fragmented and their long term viability is highly questionable".

In response to the question of realistic impact on the colony of estimated 400 animals he stated that there is "no justification of the enormity of impact to removing some 30% of the entire population of the peninsula, let alone 50% of this particular colony of best estimated to be around 400 animals"

He went on to state that if "such a sizeable fraction of the population is culled, it will decimate the population."

When asked about the possibility of a smaller cull, he confirmed that if indeed the colony had grown, it would only be minor since his last assessment of the group about two years ago, due to drought. 

During droughts wombats tend not to reproduce as much, and there would have been a reduction of numbers over those years due to hunger, vehicle strikes and natural causes.

In essence, he does not believe that the colony of about 400 would have altered in number significantly at all over the last two years. Michael further stated that:

• "Something smells fishy" and why such an unprecedented number has been approved is "a mystery"
• Was Michael consulted or asked to review his assessment of numbers prior to the culling permit being submitted?  No
•  The department involved in issuing the permit did contact Michael but AFTER the permit was issued to ask how many animals were/are on the Peninsula.  Why did they not know this BEFORE issuing the permit?
• What has changed in the last 2 years, given that this colony has been there for so long?  Why the sudden shift in attitude toward this colony?

Regardless of who owns the property in question, there are usual processes that appear to have been totally put aside, primarily:

• A more recent assessment to confirm the true size of the colony

In reality, permits of this size are absolutely unprecedented and its impact likely destructive to the longevity of the colony.

What they heck is going on?

Surely the existing permit should be put aside until:

• a properly constituted scientific assessment can be undertaken to examine impacts on, not only this colony group, but the likely impacts on the entire Yorke Peninsula population.

Should we not be DEMANDING this?

Please email a copy of this link and your demands to the  SA Minister of Environment David Speirs : minister.speirs@sa.gov.au

** Images supplied by Michael Swinbourne - Copyright protected