Wallabies Roo's in Nappies (Diapers) What's next, Crocs in the Bathtub..
US shame: Wallabies in nappies
RED kangaroos are selling for $US3000 in the United States in a booming trade that reduces Australia's national icon to the status of domestic pet.
And their smaller kin, wallabies, are being touted as excellent inside pets, with tips to keep them in nappies and walk them on leashes.
The rush to have Australian natives as pets is horrifying conservation groups which believe the trend can be found worldwide.
The issue has boiled over recently after The Daily Telegraph revealed the abominable conditions of the red kangaroo Tyson, which was living out its life in a roadside zoo in the town of London in Ontario, Canada.
Let Canada know just how you feel about Tyson's suffering. Follow the links at the bottom of this story or join our Canadian kicking page here .
While the red kangaroos for sale in the US are generally bred there, anger is building that our closest neighbour New Zealand is exporting many of the wallabies for the international market.
The internet is littered with websites promoting wallabies as pets.
The mammals being sold overseas are mainly bred from New Zealand colonies exported years ago before the Federal Government banned their overseas sale.
National Kangaroo Protection Coalition co-ordinator Pat O'Brien said complaints made to New Zealand over live wallaby exports had fallen on deaf ears over the years.
"It's absolutely disgraceful," he said. "Most of the wallabies go to Asia and are then distributed from there."
Mr O'Brien said the trade in certain Asian countries raised concerns that wallabies were seen as novelty pets.
And he raised concern that with the majority living in apartments, the mammals that grace Australia's wide-open spaces are destined to live out their days in cramped cages.
"People try to treat them like dogs and keep them in rooms but it's just wrong," Mr O'Brien said.
"Quite often we get complaints from Australians who are travelling overseas and contact us to complain about what they see."
His concerns were backed by the Australian Wildlife Protection Council, which is worried people who get the mammals as pets have little idea how to properly care for them.
"A lot of them don't know how to look after wildlife and they have no idea about their dietary needs," president Maryland Wilson said.
"This has been highlighted by the case of Tyson, which is so sad. His muscles have deteriorated so badly that he is really just waiting to die."
Register your disgust about Tyson's treatment. Have your say on our blog or email the Canadian High Commissioner Michael Leir at this address: cnbra@international.gc.ca or post your comment here.
RED kangaroos are selling for $US3000 in the United States in a booming trade that reduces Australia's national icon to the status of domestic pet.
And their smaller kin, wallabies, are being touted as excellent inside pets, with tips to keep them in nappies and walk them on leashes.
The rush to have Australian natives as pets is horrifying conservation groups which believe the trend can be found worldwide.
The issue has boiled over recently after The Daily Telegraph revealed the abominable conditions of the red kangaroo Tyson, which was living out its life in a roadside zoo in the town of London in Ontario, Canada.
Let Canada know just how you feel about Tyson's suffering. Follow the links at the bottom of this story or join our Canadian kicking page here .
While the red kangaroos for sale in the US are generally bred there, anger is building that our closest neighbour New Zealand is exporting many of the wallabies for the international market.
The internet is littered with websites promoting wallabies as pets.
The mammals being sold overseas are mainly bred from New Zealand colonies exported years ago before the Federal Government banned their overseas sale.
National Kangaroo Protection Coalition co-ordinator Pat O'Brien said complaints made to New Zealand over live wallaby exports had fallen on deaf ears over the years.
"It's absolutely disgraceful," he said. "Most of the wallabies go to Asia and are then distributed from there."
Mr O'Brien said the trade in certain Asian countries raised concerns that wallabies were seen as novelty pets.
And he raised concern that with the majority living in apartments, the mammals that grace Australia's wide-open spaces are destined to live out their days in cramped cages.
"People try to treat them like dogs and keep them in rooms but it's just wrong," Mr O'Brien said.
"Quite often we get complaints from Australians who are travelling overseas and contact us to complain about what they see."
His concerns were backed by the Australian Wildlife Protection Council, which is worried people who get the mammals as pets have little idea how to properly care for them.
"A lot of them don't know how to look after wildlife and they have no idea about their dietary needs," president Maryland Wilson said.
"This has been highlighted by the case of Tyson, which is so sad. His muscles have deteriorated so badly that he is really just waiting to die."
Register your disgust about Tyson's treatment. Have your say on our blog or email the Canadian High Commissioner Michael Leir at this address: cnbra@international.gc.ca or post your comment here.
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Fifi, who arrived at Taronga in 1954, celebrated her big day with cupcakes, watermelon and extra coconuts with her children and her grandson Furahi.
"She's quite frail but she's very much respected and treated well," zoo spokesman Mark Williams said.
"She's in very good shape, and so are her friends."
Being one of the oldest chimps in captivity is no lonely business for Fifi, who originally comes from Africa.
Staying with her at Taronga are her two best friends, Lulu, 55, and Bessie, 57.
Mr Williams said the chimps knew a party was coming yesterday when they came out for their morning meal and received watermelon instead of the usual vegies.
"They got very exited," he said. "There was a lot of fruit thrown over for them."
For the birthday cake, a volunteer baked a vegetable cake, which Mr Williams said would be "pretty tasteless for us but we don't put sweets in them".
At 60, Fifi is still some way off being the oldest chimp in captivity, after a primate turned 72 in the US recently.
However she is living much longer than if she were left in the wild, where her life expectancy would be about 45.
Chimps are increasingly struggling to survive in the wild with the threat of the growing "bushmeat" industry and loss of habitat.
"They all got together where the food was and sat around and had a good time," Mr Williams said.
"This was a special day. It's quite a milestone."
Now isn't this the way Canadians should treat their exotic animals and other creatures. Surely this a great example on how we should behave toward other living and breathing occupants of our shared world.
vest daily gaggle.
Ick ... what people will do for novelty pets. Some folks are just weird.
Keshi.
I am thinking that it would require the ability of a gold medal winning olympic 2,000 metre hurdler; to take a Big Red Roo for walkies.
Thank you Jd's rose, Aggie and Keshi for your comments, a beautiful package in triplicate, X,X,X.
Its simply they are part of our living and breathing world and should be afforded suitable living conditions no less than any other non abnoxious creature.
I hope I haven't put my foot in it by that remark. Maybe it should be said, if they dont create harm you don't harm them.