Morawa man convicted of black cockatoo possession

ILLEGALS: A Morawa man fined $4500 for illegal possession of black cockatoos.A MORAWA man has been fined $4500 following the discovery of 14 red-tailed and white-tailed black cockatoos in cages at his Wheatbelt home.

Herbert Edward Kenyon, 59, pleaded guilty in the Geraldton Magistrates Court to unlawful possession of three Carnaby’s white-tailed black cockatoo chicks and 11 red-tailed black cockatoo chicks and adults.

Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) wildlife officers discovered the cockatoos in Mr Kenyon’s laundry and backyard while undertaking targeted inspections in the Wheatbelt town.

The Magistrate fined Mr Kenyon $3000 for the Carnaby’s white-tailed black cockatoos and $1500 for the samueli red-tailed black cockatoos, and ordered him to pay $110 in court costs and forfeit his cages.

Under the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950, it is illegal to possess protected fauna, including black cockatoos, without authority.

Carnaby’s black cockatoos are specially protected fauna under the Act, with an estimated 40,000 of the nomadic birds remaining in Western Australia. Numbers have declined dramatically over recent decades due to habitat decline as well as illegal shooting and capture.

Samueli red-tailed black cockatoos are also protected under the Act, but are found in more abundant numbers through Western Australia’s central and northern Wheatbelt.

DEC Parks and Conservation prosecutions coordinator Gail Ritchie said the conviction sent a strong message to people involved with the unlawful possession of black cockatoos.

"We take the unlawful possession of protected fauna very seriously and will investigate and prosecute those who capture and possess wildlife in WA in a bid to end this practice," Ms Ritchie said.

“Anyone who has information about the illegal possession of black cockatoos or notices any suspicious activity suggesting that black cockatoos are being illegally removed should call DEC's Wildcare hotline on 9474 9055.”