The race is on to save a cockatoo nicknamed Mickey, after the bird arrived at a Coles supermarket and then became trapped in a busy shopping centre.
The native bird was reportedly trapped inside the store in Macarthur Square in Campbelltown, New South Wales, about four weeks ago when it flew in through the loading dock.
Tom, a concerned wildlife lover, called 2GB Monday after learning there was a plan to acquire a license to shoot the bird after many failed attempts to return it to the wild.
“I think it’s absolutely ridiculous, I’ve just gotten over the fact that people don’t use common sense anymore,” Tom said.
‘Common sense and the correct answer are so simple that they make it so difficult and at the end of the day they give the wrong answer.
‘What’s wrong with catching the bird and releasing it?’
A WIRES spokeswoman told 2GB it was unable to help capture the bird safely.
“WIRES has informed center management and Coles that the ceilings are too high to use a normal containment net and that native animal rescuers are not legally permitted to use net weapons under the New Zealand Prohibited Weapons Act.” South Wales,” the statement, seen by NewsWire, states. .
The race is on to entice a “friendly” cockatoo (pictured) to leave a shopping center in Campbelltown, Sydney, after flying through the loading dock about four weeks earlier.
‘As the bird has access to plenty of food at Coles and the food court, it is not possible to attract it to a cage using food. It is also not safe to use a tranquilizer dart, as the bird will fall from a height and could be injured; Furthermore, he may not survive the effects of the tranquilizer.
‘WIRES has also advised Coles to contact the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) as WIRES is licensed through them and we must follow their procedures and guidelines to rescue and care for native wildlife.
‘It is not known if Coles management has yet contacted the NPWS for a resolution.
“We continue to monitor the situation and provide assistance where legally possible.”
A Coles spokeswoman confirmed the bird was no longer in the store but was still trapped inside the shopping center on Monday afternoon.
“The cockatoo, which has become a friendly fixture in the Macarthur Square shopping centre, is currently not located inside Coles but is exploring other areas within the wider shopping precinct,” he told NewsWire.
“When the bird entered our store in recent weeks, our team along with expert third-party bird and wildlife management organizations have been working very hard to safely and, most importantly, humanely, relocate the cockatoo to where it belongs, outdoors.”
It is understood the cockatoo is trapped inside the shopping center due to the almost constant supply of food at Coles (pictured) and the food court.
The Coles spokeswoman said it was important to ensure staff found the right balance between protecting the animal and respecting food safety standards.
“We are working hard to balance our responsibility around food safety and animal welfare,” he said.
‘While this friendly cockatoo feels at home in the store, we want our customers to enjoy our products without any food safety concerns.
“The cockatoo is not currently located inside Coles, however if it returns we will continue to trial a number of methods to attract it back to the outside world.”
The WIRES spokesperson warned that food should not be left for the bird, as it could cause health problems for the creature.
“The public also leave food (bread, etc.) near the doors and, although with the best of intentions, it is actually harmful as it weakens their immune system and attracts them to the area,” he said.
Coles said staff maintain a balance between keeping native birds safe while respecting food safety standards (file image)
The wild native bird is protected by law, making it difficult to find a solution to safely get it out of the store.
It is not the first time that a bird has been trapped inside the shopping center; WIRES assisted in the rescue of another cockatoo at Big W on August 12.
The spokeswoman said numerous attentions were needed on that occasion before the bird “was finally released leaving a back door open.”
“Usually, this is the only way we can release the birds that regularly fly into the center through the large sliding doors that open into the complex,” he said.
The center’s management has also been contacted for further comment.
