A MOUNT Gambier family is furious over an eleventh hour letter notifying them of a cockatoo cull planned at Grant High School tomorrow, urging residents to protest the killing of birds.
Residents Mark Mathusalem and partner Pauline Hicks were shocked to receive a letter from the school informing them of tomorrow’s proposed cull.
The school was granted permission to cull 30 long-billed corellas by the South Australian Environment and Water Department after applying to the authority.
According to the department, destruction permits are issued to “enable landholders to mitigate damage caused by over abundant wildlife”.
In a statement, the department said the species was common and had the potential to cause significant damage to infrastructure, ovals and lawn areas.
Mr Mathusalem was furious with the plans, threatening to protest the shooting on the day.
“I think this is a disgrace, we have never seen them do any damage,” he said.
“They sit in the big gum tree across the road from our house and we watch the birds and their young ones every day.
“The older ones will go off during the day and then come back at night to feed their babies.
“The birds are only here for a short time, then they move on,” Mr Mathusalem said.
The shooting, which will occur on the school grounds, is understood to be undertaken at dusk, with the family calling on community members to turn out to the surrounding area in protest.
“I’d like to see people come down here on the day of the cull and show the school that this is not right,” Mr Mathusalem said.
“The plovers chase the kids, the magpies swoop – the corellas here do not do anything but they are the ones that are being killed.”
The department said the culling would be undertaken by a licenced shooter and in accordance with the relevant Codes of Practice.
However, Ms Hicks said she was distressed by the proposed cull and urged the school to reconsider killing the birds via shooting.
“I would like to see them try another way,” she said.
“If they have a permit for 30, how many mothers are they going to shoot and how many babies will be left?
“They might be a bit noisy, but how is that any different to cars hooning up and down the street?”
Ms Hicks also raised concerns with the lack of notification by the school.
Although the letter was dated January 11, the family claimed they did not receive it until January 15, just two days before the scheduled cull.
“A lot of people work and they will get home on Tuesday night and read about it for the first time,” Ms Hicks said.
“A gunshot will scare animals and children and it does not give people a lot of time to get other things organised.”
Another resident John Bonney said while he was aware some birds can cause damage, he had not seen the corellas destroying any property in the vicinity.
He said the birds did not cause any issue other than “a bit of noise at night and early morning, which is nice to wake up to.”
“I know they used to set scare guns off to scare them away,” Mr Bonney said.
“I do not mind, but to kill them is wrong I think.”
Grant High School and the Education Department were contacted for comment.
