In Australia it's not unusual to have a Galah march across your lawn on any given day...maybe two or three. Or maybe a whole flock. Therein lies a problem. To some Australians, especially farmers, there are just too many Galahs (pronounced: ga-LAH) It's a manmade problem.
These chubby members of the cockatoo family are living well in a rich land. As Australia was colonized, land was cleared, crops were planted and the table was set for this gala event...many more Galahs.
A few Galah in the treetops is not the problem...it's hundreds of Galahs.
The Galahs made the most of newly cleared farm lands by expanding in great numbers. Farmers in some areas considered the Galah an agricultural pest.
The ubiquitous windmills and stock watering tanks scattered across the arid Australian outback allowed the Galah to widely expand its range.
Few people saw the crop-loss problem coming, as is often the case, but now solutions are being considered.
At about fourteen inches in length and only 0.66 pounds, the Galah is a lot of fluff.
They can expect to live forty years in the wild, eighty years in captivity on a good diet.
Common in the pet trade, they can be taught to talk a small number of words.
A raised crest on top of its head expresses degrees of emotion and excitement.
The Galahs' story is a success story, only too much so, the story of unintended consequences.
Reshaping the environment calls for thoughtful, enlightened considerations, which were unforeseen in this case.
The Galahs' story provides a roadmap for future actions.
Allan
Credit: Wikipedia
Credit: BIRDS in BACKYARDS
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