Eco News - News about animals or the environment

[TheSNakE]

Missing South African man likely committed suicide by wading into crocodile-infested waters: police

BY Ethan Sacks
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Tuesday, April 19th 2011, 4:00 AM

Suicide by...crocodile?

A missing South African farm worker, upset after a fight with his girlfriend, may have committed suicide by wading into crocodile infested waters, local police said.

David Lubisi, 40, has not been seen since April 7, when he allegedly told a co-worker that he was going to kill himself by walking out into the Lepelle river, London's Daily Mail reports.

"He was last seen heading towards the water and never turned up after that," Police Sergeant Malesela Makgopa told reporters Monday. "We believe he may have been having domestic problems with his girlfriend and that he wanted to commit suicide."

"If that is true then it was a particularly horrible and painful way to die."

His plan may have been horribly successful: Lubisi's employer at the Balule Camp outside Phalaborwa told police that a neighbor spotted a crocodile with a human leg visible in its jaws, the Sowetan reports.

Jesper Kehlet, a Dutch national and the farm's owner, told police that his employees explained to him that Lubisi was drunk at the time he went missing.

But Lubisi's sister insists something is fishy about tale of what happened in the river.

"I think the police must look at this very closely," Esther Lubisi, who described her brother as a religious man, told the South African newspaper. "My brother was a sober man. I insist that he did not drink alcohol."

The primary suspect remains a Nile River Crocodile - a species that inhabits the region.

It can grow up to 20 feet in length and may be responsible for upward of two hundred deaths a year in Africa, according to experts.

But police say they won't yet rule out foul play until a body is recovered.

Source:

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[TheSNakE]

Worst rabbit plague since 1995 could spiral out of control
Nigel Austin, Rural Editor
From: The Advertiser
April 22, 2011 12:00AM



The worst rabbit plague in 15 years has been blamed on increasing immunity to calicivirus and a lack of professional shooters.

IT'S the worst rabbit plague in Australia since the 1995 release of the calicivirus from Wardang Island.

And it's threatening much of the good work in eradicating the nation's most costly animal pest.

Authorities have blamed a reduced focus on controlling the rabbit pest and immunity to calicivirus for the growing problem, which costs the nation an estimated $200 million a year.

Foundation for Rabbit-Free Australia chairman Nicholas Newland said a failure to recognise the extent of the emerging issue was exacerbating the problem.

"Rabbit numbers are increasing across Australia with the greatest concern being high-rainfall areas, particularly in some coastal towns," Mr Newland said.

"What we are trying to do is negotiate greater help to deal with the problem from those who will listen in industry and government."
Authorities said a shortage of professional shooters and a failure to eradicate rabbits was causing increased environmental problems.

Professional rabbit shooter Phil Mercer from Peterborough said he handled about 300 rabbits every weekend, which sell through butchers in Adelaide and country regions.

But Mr Mercer said it was not enough to meet demand for rabbit meat or skins because of a shortage of commercial rabbit shooters.

The shortage of skins has meant Akubra Hats imports about 50 per cent of the rabbit skins it needs from Europe to make 150,000 hats each year, Akubra company secretary Roy Wilkinson said.

"We take as many skins as we can from Australia and we are predominantly using skins from farmed rabbits, although we prefer wild rabbit skins, but we can't get enough," he said.

Australian Campaign for Rabbit Eradication spokesman Barry Barratt said farmers needed to place more emphasis on controlling rabbits.

"There's not a property in South Australia that can't eradicate rabbits if they put the effort into it, but there is a real urgency for this because we are in the breeding season," Mr Barratt said.

Helping to solve the problem is Haighs Chocolates, which helps fund the Foundation for Rabbit-Free Australia through its Easter Bilby sales.

Haighs chief executive Alister Haigh said the Easter Bilby was its number-one-selling Easter line, with sales 10 times greater than sales of its Easter rabbits ever were.

"We've been rabbit-free for more than five years and we'd like to think that's because people realise the funds are going towards the anti-rabbit campaign," Mr Haigh said.Authorities said a shortage of professional shooters and a failure to eradicate rabbits was causing increased environmental problems.

Professional rabbit shooter Phil Mercer from Peterborough said he handled about 300 rabbits every weekend, which sell through butchers in Adelaide and country regions.

But Mr Mercer said it was not enough to meet demand for rabbit meat or skins because of a shortage of commercial rabbit shooters.

The shortage of skins has meant Akubra Hats imports about 50 per cent of the rabbit skins it needs from Europe to make 150,000 hats each year, Akubra company secretary Roy Wilkinson said.

"We take as many skins as we can from Australia and we are predominantly using skins from farmed rabbits, although we prefer wild rabbit skins, but we can't get enough," he said.

Australian Campaign for Rabbit Eradication spokesman Barry Barratt said farmers needed to place more emphasis on controlling rabbits.

"There's not a property in South Australia that can't eradicate rabbits if they put the effort into it, but there is a real urgency for this because we are in the breeding season," Mr Barratt said.

Helping to solve the problem is Haighs Chocolates, which helps fund the Foundation for Rabbit-Free Australia through its Easter Bilby sales.

Haighs chief executive Alister Haigh said the Easter Bilby was its number-one-selling Easter line, with sales 10 times greater than sales of its Easter rabbits ever were.

"We've been rabbit-free for more than five years and we'd like to think that's because people realise the funds are going towards the anti-rabbit campaign," Mr Haigh said.

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