I was interested to hear on a DVD of David Attenborough’s series Life a description of a Vogelkop Bowerbird’s bower containing “deer dung”. I knew that pigs had been introduced in prehistoric times to New Guinea (the island), but I didn’t know about deer. When were they introduced, what species, and how widespread are they?
John Leonard ===============================
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G’day John et al
Rusa Deer are found in large herds in the Bensbach area, where in 1980 the department of Primary Industry established a deer farm. Already by then it was an area apparently known well for large and plentiful deer, by Australian deer hunters – but relatively unknown by Aussie birders.
Whether the same species is at Vogekop I do not know. I do know that the Vogelkop Bowerbird used to place Kodak film packets in the orange pile of decorations. I am not sure which colour pile they would place deer droppings.
I do know that American Wildlife people are trying to exterminate Monkeys from the North coast that their fellow countrymen released at the end of the 2nd World War. Not many people know they are there either but I did learn of it while living there and it was confirmed by Andy Mack who knew who was trying to eliminate them but did not want to talk about the procedure.
Yes thanks Dave “Wikileaks” has the following info:
Three species of deer have been introduced to New Guinea. The Rusa Deer (Cervus timorensis) is the most common, and well established. It is found throughout the north and south of New Guinea. It is commonly hunted for meat by humans. The other two species, the Chital (Axis axis) and the Fallow Deer (Dama dama) are much rarer, and the Fallow Deer may be extinct.[16]
Cheers
Mike
“=================== Michael Tarburton tarburton.m@optusnet.com.au ===================
On 12/01/2011, at 4:39 PM, calyptorhynchus@gmail.com wrote:
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauna_of_New_Guinea gives an answer – which hopefully is correct!
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Sorry – I meant to say part of an answer – not the full story but a start!
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