A Brisbane resident has faced a fine exceeding $1,600 for unlawfully capturing and caging a wild raptor that he claimed was preying on his chickens. Recently, the Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science, and Innovation received a report regarding a captured bird in Marsden.
Upon investigation, wildlife rangers discovered that a brown goshawk had been held in captivity for nearly three days. Senior Wildlife Ranger Shari Griinke reported that rangers confiscated the bird and relocated it to a safe area within 2.5 kilometres of the man’s residence. The individual admitted to having trapped raptors on three separate occasions, motivated by the belief that the birds were harassing his homing pigeons and chickens. He had initially planned to release the goshawk in bushland west of Brisbane.
Ranger Griinke advised that those with concerns about protecting their pets should seek assistance from a licensed bird catcher rather than resorting to illegal actions. According to the Nature Conservation Act 1992, it is illegal to capture or keep native wildlife in Queensland without the necessary permits.
As a result of his actions, the man received two infringement notices totaling $1,612 for both the illegal capture of the bird and its unlawful retention.