Protected: The New Recruit

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The New Recruit

Title: The New Recruit
Characters: Stephen, Sir Joseph Blaine
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Characters borrowed from Patrick O’Brian & his heirs on a non-profit basis

The New Recruit

Sir Joseph opened the file that documented all the known details on one, Stephen Maturin. The initial reports from Admiral Keith indicated that this one was a promising candidate indeed, but Sir Joseph, always cautious in these matters called for a thorough investigation of the man’s background and recent and not so recent activities. If he was to fill the role that Sir Joseph had in mind the man must have no guilty secrets, nothing that would endanger his activities or leave him open to blackmail.

Sir Joseph’s trusted second-in-command, Algernon Waring came and sat down across from him, separately and together they sifted through the reports from France, from Spain, from Catalonia, from England and from Ireland that detailed the life of Stephen Maturin.

Sir Joseph was reading the Catalonian report with the earliest known details and he muttered asides to Waring as he read, “A bastard, it seems born to an Irishman, serving as an officer in the Spanish army and a noblewoman, … brought up by maternal grandfather and godfather … hmmm … interesting … Don Ramon d’Ullastret, a known Catalan independence activist. Not handled well by us … leaning towards the French I gather now … hopes they’ll hand the Catalans freedom on a plate. Family links through mother with Castilian noble families and Catalan … good relations with both sides … regular Catholic education … links with Catalan independence movement when student at University of Barcelona … not a hothead … careful it seems … good … just what we need … the last thing we need is a firebrand in the service … more trouble than they’re worth. Known associates at the time … no one remarkable or that’s known to be active at the moment. Languages … Catalan, Castilian, French, some Italian, Greek, Latin, Gaelic and English and a smattering of Portuguese … Sounds good so far. Now are there any major youthful indiscretions ….”

He turned the page running his eyes down, “A bit of a womaniser in his youth but not considered excessively wild … reasonably discreet…. no known perversions or addictions … still not married, though …” Sir Joseph skimmed the rest of the document dealing with more recent activities … “Inherited maternal grandfather’s house and lands in Lleida and mother’s castle at Recasens … generates reasonable income from Lleida estate, negligible income from that at Recasens … not rich but certainly not a pauper by any means. Probably won’t be greedy and with his zeal for Catalan independence might accept less payment than most … Returned to Catalonia four years ago to conduct financial and legal dealings, as far as is known. Most recent activity …” He frowned and picked up the file that dealt with his Naval career, “Mmm, somehow got ashore in Catalonia in the year ’01 … must have persuaded his captain to give him some shore leave … travelling companion, priest, a Benedictine, name of Miquel …. Friend from University days, bit of a hothead it seems … Bishop of Orihuela main supporter and … yes, I saw the paperwork from that old fox, the Lord Abbot of Montserrat … claimed Maturin was perfect … Also stayed with another friend, Felipe de Riquer i Inglada, minor nobility, rich merchant … Tarragona … contact with group of noisy but rather ineffectual businessmen and merchants … certainly travelled far and wide for a British Naval surgeon on enemy soil. Good … good … certainly this one looks promising indeed.” He shut the file and looked up at Waring, “What have you got in the French folder … what was he up to in Paris?”

His companion looked down at the file and up again, “Reasonably unremarkable … Studied medicine in Paris and practised at the Hôtel Dieu in Paris … known revolutionary friends prior to the Revolution … stayed in France up till the Terror began … left quite soon after … perhaps not so eager to see nobles’ and priests’ heads lopped off … not quite the complete revolutionary it seems. He still has contacts and friends in Paris … mainly in scientific and medical circles … but no recent contact at all with any of them, other than occasional correspondence on scientific matters with … Cuvier brothers, other members of the French Academy, Larrey, Gay-Lussac and, oh … De La Mothe … mmm … known pederast … Shared interests perhaps?”

Sir Joseph pursed his lips, “Any information how he came to be acquainted with De La Mothe?”

The other man, rifled back through his file, “No … perhaps contact with him through meetings at the French Academy …” Sir Joseph’s companion shrugged and looked up, “Perhaps just shared intellectual interests … he seems to have no other contacts with others in De La Mothe’s set.”

Sir Joseph took up the Irish file and his companion, the English file. Sir Joseph narrowed his eyes at the list of relations and friends in Ireland and tut-tutted. “Damn … adviser to Edward Fitzgerald … but comes from good family nonetheless, though on the wrong side of the blanket … one of the highest ranked families in Ireland … His grandparents … Robert and Mary Fitzgerald, the Earl and Countess of Kildare … multiple Fitzgerald cousins … some or all of them members of the United Irishmen, as is Maturin … this might queer it for him. No active rebellious activity … known to have held moderate views … we might be able to get a pardon for him … will certainly have to get him to sign something to promise no continued activity on that front … Character reference from his uncle might do the trick … gets on well with him… well regarded … Studied at Trinity College, Dublin before going to Paris to study medicine … some of his earlier education in Ireland too … seems to have been sent back and forth between relations in Ireland and Spain throughout childhood and early adolescence … Engaged to Mona Dillon … She was shot with her brother and cousins by the … all known members of the United Irishmen … armed and … Damn me, this might cause a problem …” He looked across at Waring, “Anything more useful in that file …”

Waring looked up from the markedly leaner file on Stephen’s English activities, putting it down. “Seems to have come to London just after the ’98 rebellion broke out in Ireland … indicates he took no active part in any of the actions … took up a none too successful practice here in London … invited to join the Royal Society, based on his paper on the phanerogams of Upper Ossory … oh some bird or rather … went out to Minorca as personal physician to a Donald Browne … he died, en route … Joined the Navy in Mahon as Naval Surgeon on the Sophie, commanded by Jack Aubrey … well regarded, highly esteemed by Admiral Keith … wanted to poach him as his flag-ship’s physician and would have considered him for,” his eyebrows shot up, “Physician of the Mediterranean squadron. Returned to England in October … accompanied by Mendoza … he was quite impressed with his knowledge of the various groups involved in Catalonia …”

Sir Joseph frowned and then asked, “Why didn’t he offer the position to him, then?”

Waring scanned the document again, “Seems the man did not want promotion … claimed deep attachment to his particular friend, Jack Aubrey and the crew of the Sophie …”

Sir Joseph picked up the naval file and perused it again, “No … no rumours about anything unnatural about his relations with Aubrey … small ship … shared cabin with him … is currently sharing a house down in Sussex … hopefully nothing is going on there … I don’t think it likely. Jack Aubrey is most decidedly a womaniser … it was rumoured Aubrey put another set of horns on that miserable scrub, Harte … No can’t see him having any interest in his surgeon with the delectable and always available Molly Harte on call. There has never been any hint of irregularity concerning his sexual orientation … no, I think we’re safe there. Go on …”

“Ah, here … a possible connection with a woman, Diana Villiers … goes riding with her. Nothing of any further interest to us … involved in buying corpses for dissection … not quite respectable … but nothing out of the ordinary for a surgeon… no altogether, quite unremarkable …” was Waring’s final assessment.

“A quality of the upmost importance if one wants to be unnoticed and unremarked; a perfect agent for our purposes, if that is so.” Sir Joseph stood up, “Well bring him in. You commence the interview. I’ll sit in the office next door. I’ll listen and watch from there and come and join you after a little observation of our potential new recruit.” Waring stood and went to the outer door while Sir Joseph slipped into the inner office and drew his chair up to the peep hole that allowed him to view his office and hear all that was said.

Waring walked out to the drab, tiny waiting room to usher their guest into the office and bowed, “Dr Maturin, so good of you to come up to London so promptly. My name is Waring, please come in, please come in.” Waring was not impressed by the rather dusty, non-descript individual seated in the waiting room but was stopped in his tracks when he looked up at him. Those pale, pale eyes stared up at him and it disturbed him. It felt as if those eyes were boring into his brain, his being, his thoughts sifted and his soul weighed. It was with relief that the man smiled at him as he stood and bowed and those eyes were masked for a few seconds. Waring smiled uneasily and ushered him into the office.

He sat down and indicated a seat for Stephen, “Tea? Coffee?”

“Coffee, please.”

Waring looked back nervously at this disturbing man but his eyes no longer seemed to blaze and he had a mild and a rather neutral expression on his face. Regaining his balance he pressed a button and looked up at the almost immediate response of Jenkins, Sir Joseph’s assistant, “A pot of coffee please Jenkins, three cups please, Sir Joseph Blaine will be joining us later.”

He looked back at Stephen and smiled again, “We have of course received letters of recommendation from Admiral Keith concerning your potential that may be harnessed by Naval Intelligence, your local knowledge of Catalonia and Spain, your language skills and contacts with local identities in Catalonia. This interview is to ensure that you are fully aware of the services we may require of you and for you to tell us what you believe you can bring to us, how you can work against Buonaparte.”

Stephen nodded, “Thank you for the opportunity but I am sure that you have made enquiries about me and my activities and have quite a good idea of my abilities. I was travelling for a short time in Catalonia in the year one …”

Waring looked questioningly at him at this point.

“I went ashore for the night to visit a friend and my ship was called away on urgent business, so I was left marooned. During my sojourn along the coast, I had conversations with various persons interested in Catalan independence and I sensed a degree of impatience and confusion at the lack of responsiveness of the British to overtures they had made to them concerning their willingness to support them against the Spanish and the French. I believe that it would be criminal if this same situation should continue. There are groups who would be willing to fight with the British, of course, in the hopes of gaining Catalan freedom and their potential could be put to use in weakening Spain and thus France when Spain enters the war on her side.”

“You are so sure the Spanish King will join with Buonaparte against us when he declares war on us again? Why such certainty?”

“They perceive a strong Britain as being a threat to their colonial territories in South America, a greater threat than France and if France and Britain are at war neither will have the energy to attempt any activities in the New World provinces. The Bourbons may not approve of France’s republican sentiments but I believe that they would rather have a treaty with the nation on its doorstep rather than Britain who is at a remove. Fear of Napoleon and what he may do is stronger than anything that Britain can offer. Britain is seen as strong at sea but Napoleon’s Grande Armée is feared and respected and counts for more than any naval support Britain may offer.”

“I see,” Waring looked down and scribbled a few notes, trying to conceal that he was impressed. Maturin’s opinions matched exactly the intelligence they had received concerning the Spanish Government’s approach. He looked up at the man again who now was sitting back in his chair, obviously relaxed and calmly assessing him and ventured a question. The man sitting in front of him made him nervous and he was not sure why. He presented an amiable front and was of meagre frame, hardly physically imposing; his eyes, though still unsettled him. “Have you been in recent contact with Spanish or Catalan friends? You seem quite au fait with current lines of thinking regarding this matter.”

Stephen was looking at him, his head to the side, appraising him as he would a new or unfamiliar species of insect, this curious specimen of a man. He was not old, perhaps middle-aged but he looked desiccated in body and soul. Perhaps from long years spent locked up in rooms like this rifling through papers, scribbling notes, writing submissions for his masters, decoding reports perhaps …

The steady appraisal was unsettling and Waring coughed to alert him that he still expected an answer. Stephen smiled and said with a wave of his hand, “Mainly informal letters from friends and family and acquaintances I made in Catalonia when I was last there.”

“The Lord Abbot of Montserrat, the Bishop of Orihuela ….” Waring prompted.

Stephen nodded, “Among others, yes. You seem to know all about it. Perhaps you would like to inform me of what is expected of me, in the service of Naval Intelligence?”

“Well of course we will pay you well for your efforts,” Waring blurted out.

Stephen stiffened and his face became cold and distant, an almost reptilian look of coldness. Waring knew he had blundered. Sir Joseph tsked and got up. He saw that Waring had offended the man; best get in there before things took a disastrous turn. He tapped lightly on the door and entered the room and smiling easily, greeted Stephen, his hand outstretched, “I’m so sorry Dr Maturin for keeping you waiting. Business with the First Lord … My name is Blaine, Sir Joseph Blaine. Aah, I see Mr Waring has started without me.”

The look he received from the man was scathing. Stephen had noticed the quick glances Waring was shooting in Blaine’s direction and suspected Blaine had been secreted somewhere and was quite well aware of the details of their interview so far. Stephen nodded and said, “Mr Waring was just talking to me about remuneration. There must have been some misapprehension about my motives. I do not offer my services for money.” His tone was now frigid, “I offer my services in order to defeat Napoleon and secondly to forward the interests of Catalan independence. That is all. I will not be a paid informer … like those miserable curs in Ireland, those Judases … willing to inform on anyone, if the price is right. I assumed that you would have found out enough about me to not make that mistake. I believe that I made my reasons quite plain to Admiral Keith.”

Sir Joseph back pedalled, not something a man of his authority and confidence did often, but this little man in front of him projected such an aura of contempt that he was somewhat taken aback. “No, no I’m sure there has been a misunderstanding and Mr Waring may not have seen all the letters on this matter from Admiral Keith. Please be assured there was no intention to impugn your motives. I am glad that you have stressed that your first priority is the defeat of Napoleon; it indicates a true understanding of the situation. For unless he is defeated, as I’m sure you are well aware there can be no hope for Catalan freedom, no hope at all.”

Stephen’s expression regained some of its natural warmth and he was gracious in accepting Sir Joseph’s explanation. The coffee arrived and Waring busied himself pouring the coffee, “Milk for you Dr Maturin and sugar?”

“Yes please, one lump. Thank you.” Stephen accepted the cup and turned to Sir Joseph who now replaced Waring across the desk from him. Mr Waring retreated to a seat at the side of the room, glad to have those pale eyes directed at someone else.

Sir Joseph looked down at Waring’s notes and back up at Stephen, “I see you have given Mr Waring your understanding of the current situation in Spain and I’m sure he has said that it accords with ours. Now if you are willing we shall go into a little detail what will be expected of you.’

Stephen nodded and sat back and sipped his coffee, his eyes on Sir Joseph waiting for him to continue. Sir Joseph understood a little, the sense of intimidation Waring must have felt under the man’s unrelenting gaze. Attempting to ignore his discomfort, he went on, “Now at first, we don’t expect you to go straight into the field. We will want you to familiarise yourself with the reports and the contacts we currently have in Spain and in Catalonia, in particular. I would like you to send us an appreciation of the quality of the information and the opinions and conclusions these agents have drawn after perusing all the more recent reports we have received from them. After that I do envision, more direct field work, mainly in Catalonia, where your strengths obviously lie, but there maybe other occasions where you may be asked to involve yourself in situations as they arise in Spain. It is important we have both a native speaker and someone who has a full appreciation of the British point of view both strategically and politically. At the moment we are in theory at peace with France, but as you are aware that will not remain the case as soon as Napoleon feels strong enough to challenge us again. While there is peace, I would expect you to at least start to build up a network of reliable, discreet contacts that can feed us information on a regular basis on troop as well as naval movements and hopefully political developments in Spain. It would be your responsibility to coordinate their activities and interpret and bring together all the threads of information from your sources to present as comprehensive view of the military and political and social position on the Iberian peninsula as you can. Do you believe that you are willing and capable of running such a show?” Sir Joseph originally had no intention of giving this much detail but as a means of combating his uneasiness, he decided to test Maturin’s mettle straight away, challenge him.

Stephen seeing now that Sir Joseph was in earnest, nodded, “Yes, I believe I am. When do we start?”

“Good, good man … well I can send the reports down to you in Sussex once we’ve extracted the most relevant and important from the key contacts. As you may not be aware, we have a flood of information, many of it trivial and of little importance and others with nuggets of pure gold, or at least in the intelligence sense they are. I understand you will need a little training in coding and de-coding. I’m sure a man of logic and reason should find this relatively easy to master. We will then get you to come up on a regular basis to discuss any of the more crucial reports that we may receive and of course to have further discussions concerning your future activities.” Sir Joseph then looked up at Stephen again, slightly ill at ease, unsure of how to proceed further, “From the information that we have gathered I am aware that you are related to members of the United Irishmen and you may have had some sympathy with the rising in Ireland in ’98 … well I am reluctant to pry but we must know where your loyalties lie in this respect. We expect Napoleon will at one time or another try to tap into and use Irish disaffection with British rule in Ireland to destabilise Britain through Ireland …” Sir Joseph looked up.

Stephen’s back was rigid and Sir Joseph sensed a surge of anger in him, but it was quickly cut off and Stephen relaxed again and looked directly back at him, “I see … yes there was some association … but my thoughts on the means of gaining independence for Ireland have always been that it must be through a parliamentary process, not through violence and I see no point in handing Ireland over to Napoleon, swapping one master for another. I can promise quite categorically that I would not be a party to any Irish rebellion while we are at war with Napoleon or to assist any attempt by him to subvert Irish nationalism to his cause. Is that sufficient to assure you of my loyalty to the cause of defeating Buonaparte, Sir Joseph?”

Sir Joseph nodded, “Oh yes, quite … quite dear sir.” He looked up at him again and even less assured he started, “Though perhaps I might make a suggestion. It is rather personal … but I find no other way to say it … I shall be blunt. Your eyes, Dr Maturin they are … well very unique and somewhat disconcerting. May I make a suggestion?”

Stephen’s eyes widened, but he nodded.

“Perhaps you should wear glasses with coloured lens; they do help in shielding your eyes. They are somewhat unusual and I would suggest that in your prospective new line of employment, it would not be wise to have too many people take note of you or remember you too clearly. I mean no offence.”

Stephen smiled, “I see. None is taken, but I shall take your recommendation seriously and act on it. I see the logic of your argument.”

Sir Joseph and Waring relaxed. Sir Joseph smiled with relief and inquired, “I see from the reports on you that you are a member of the Royal Society. I am too, though my main interests lie in the entomological field. I believe yours is birds. Perhaps I shall see you at the Society’s meetings from time to time, when you are up in London?”

“I shall certainly be happy to see you there Sir Joseph. Is there anything else you wish to speak of?” Stephen inquired, smiling at him.

“No, no my dear sir, I think we’ve kept you long enough. I shall send the reports I mentioned down to you in Sussex under closed cover. It may arrive in about a week’s time.” Sir Joseph stood up and held his hand out. Stephen accepted it and they shook hands, Sir Joseph adding, “I think this shall be the beginning of a very fruitful and rewarding association. Please let me show you out.”

Stephen smiled, “I should hope so, Sir Joseph.” He nodded his farewell to Waring and left the room.

Waring looked at Sir Joseph, “Well sir, that was an interesting if somewhat alarming interview. The man is certainly a very confident individual. Oh, you forgot to ask him to sign that paper …”

Sir Joseph shook his head, “No, my dear man, it would not be worth the trouble. I’ll take his word. We might be able to include his name in the list of wider pardons. I’m sure it will slip through unnoticed. We certainly can’t have him under the threat of arrest ‘for failure to denounce’, as if he would or that other catch-all legislation, ‘association with malefactors’ or heaven forbid, treason. I don’t think I’ll mention it to him though, best kept between ourselves.”

Mr Waring nodded, “Yes sir. Shall I file these reports on Dr Maturin?”

“No, leave them out. I’ll have to write something of our interview. It will be a first my dear Waring, the two of us reduced to quivering jelly by the man. I have heard his friend, Captain Aubrey was a bit of a lion, but this one is equally fierce. I do not think I would want to cross him at all.”

“No sir, it would not be wise. I just noticed in the Irish file, there was a mention of the number of duels with both pistols and swords that he fought in his time at Trinity College, thirty sir and all his opponents came off second-best. Quite fearsome indeed, I have no wish to bring his wrath down on me.” Waring turned to go, “Don’t forget sir, the meeting with the First Lord at 3 PM.”

“Yes, yes … good day to you Waring,” Sir Joseph muttered as he bent to his task. “Mmm … what shall I write … such an extraordinary individual.”

The End

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Protected: A good caning takes some beating

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A good caning takes some beating

Not sure Dr Maturin would agree somehow, unless he approves of this therapy on Jack *g* –

A good caning takes some beating
By Allan Hall
Age Correspondent
Berlin
March 31, 2005

Russian scientists claim a beating on the buttocks with a strong cane is the perfect way to cure everything from depression to alcoholism by releasing the body’s natural “happy chemicals” known as endorphins.

Endorphins are produced in the brain in response to high levels of stress and pain that lead to feelings of euphoria, reduction of appetite, the release of sex hormones and enhancement of the immune response. They have a similar effect on pain to drugs such as morphine and codeine, but do not lead to dependence.

The scientists, headed by biologist Sergei Speransky, claim corporal punishment not only rids people of addictions but also helps overcome depression and suicidal tendencies, the daily Izvestia reported.

The scientists said that when caned, a person’s body will release masses of endorphins, making them happier. The caning, they found, counteracts a lack of enthusiasm for life which they claim is the cause of addictions, suicidal tendencies and psychosomatic disorders.

The scientists, who said they have had positive results with people testing their cane therapy, recommend a standard treatment course of 30 sessions with 60 of the best, delivered on the buttocks by a person of average build.

They highlighted how, in the 19th century, German doctors had achieved positive results on everything from depression to pneumonia by caning their patients.

Marina Chuhrova, who took part in preparing the report, said of the 10 patients she caned regularly to test the results: “At first they didn’t like it, but when they started to feel the benefits they kept asking for more.”

The Russian team is now charging for the sessions, getting $A140 for a standard treatment.

Research by other scientists has suggested endorphins can be obtained by less painful means. Foods such as chocolate or chilli peppers can also lead to enhanced secretion of endorphins. Exercise, acupuncture, massage therapy and sex can also stimulate endorphin secretion, but the Russian team say none of those methods is as effective as a good caning.

Dr Speransky, head of biological sciences at the Novosibirsk Institute of Medicine, said you could eat chocolate, exercise then have a caning. “That way you can get a maximum dose of endorphins.”

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Protected: Some dying people are more equal than others

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Some dying people are more equal than others

I have to agree with Emma Tom, the inequalities between the third world and the first world follow even unto death –

Sadly, some dying people are more equal than others
Emma Tom
March 30, 2005
THE big problem with living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is that you’ve got to die really grossly before you rate a mention in the international press. Particularly if you’re competing against a single comatose American.

A couple of weeks ago, The Sydney Morning Herald ran a tiny news brief in its foreign pages: “Militiamen grilled bodies on a spit and boiled two girls alive as their mother watched, United Nations peacekeepers have charged, adding cannibalism to a list of atrocities allegedly carried out by one of the tribal groups fighting in northeast Congo, the Patriotic Resistant Front of Ituri.”

That was it. A single, overloaded sentence. A search by the News Limited library found no other mention of the incident in any other leading Australian newspaper. You’d think watching your daughter get poached in water and oil before being devoured would be worth a little more. A couple of paragraphs, at least. But that’s what you get for living in a place where too many people with dark skin die horribly. Where’s the surprise factor? Where’s the audience appeal?

It’s very different in the US. Over there, Mary Schindler is also watching her daughter die. She’s the mother of Terri Schiavo – a woman being starved by the state after dieting her brain to sludge. But unlike those nameless sisters in the Congo, the pros and cons of killing Schiavo have been debated around the planet. When Terri finally passes on to that big weight-loss clinic in the sky, she can rest assured that at least people cared. Even if some of them chose to express it by removing her tubing.

Critics of the mass hysteria surrounding the Schiavo case have been quick to point out the hypocrisy of a nation that also sanctions the execution of mentally ill prisoners and the explosion of infants in Iraq. But it’s naive to expect everyone to respond the same way to every death. It’s all about proximity. The death of a stranger’s kiddy is very different to the death of your own.

What’s disturbing, however, is the role the media and entertainment industry play in creating an illusion of proximity.

Thanks to blanket media coverage, Schiavo is now a neighbour. We know intimate details about her life that make us feel like confidants. Like the fact that she was an unhappily chubby teenager and that her 1990 collapse was the result of bouts of bulimia and attempts to survive on liquids alone. There but for the grace of mental stability go so many of us seduced by the illusion that weight loss equals happiness. Schiavo is clearly one of us.

Those Congolese sisters, however, remain nameless foreigners. Statistics only. Barely worth a “can you believe it?” around the water filter.

This combination of ignorance and lack of interest comes at a huge price.

Experts regard the crisis in the Congo as the world’s deadliest. According to a study released late last year by New York’s International Rescue Committee, 3.8million people in eastern Congo have died since 1998. Humanitarian aid for the region was $241.8million in 2004. Compare this with the heavily reported Boxing Day tsunami, in which 225,000 people died and $6.5billion has been pledged in support.

Our response to the expired will never be egalitarian. But to avoid accusations of living in a persistent vegetative state, we should have a robust argument to justify why we give some dead or soon-to-be-dead people so much more attention than others.

Like unwanted fetuses, the brain dead and the suicidal terminally ill, for instance. I’d love to know why right-to-lifers think these humans (who either don’t know they’re alive or are actively choosing not to be) warrant so much more time and money than those boiling Congolese sisters, who are bound to have been all too aware of their fate and must have protested most terribly.

etom@bigpond.com

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Protected: A Bat update from your friendly fruit bat channel

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A Bat update from your friendly fruit bat channel

Home sweet home … this bat is one of 5000 to call the Botanic Gardens in Sydney home

Gardens grapple with bat problem
By Kate Murray
March 30, 2005

Hanging around … bats in the Botanic Gardens yesterday / Nathan Edwards

NATIVE flying foxes are destroying century-old trees in the Royal Botanic Gardens – forcing staff to devise plans to relocate the bats in a bid to save the park’s heritage.

An influx of 5000 grey-headed flying foxes are seriously damaging – and in some cases killing – the trees they roost in because there is enough room for only 500 of the animals.
A year-round supply of fruit and edible blossoms has resulted in the flying foxes staying in the same spot all year, rather than flying to other areas every few months.

Botanic Gardens acting curator Pat Houlcroft said the permanent squatters were having a serious effect on the trees in the Palm Grove, some of which are more than 100 years old.

Six trees have already been killed by the bats and some have had to be removed.

When the bats take off, land and move around in the trees they damage the foliage, causing the tree’s canopy to die.

“The damage is quite severe and after 10 years some of the trees are in quite significant decline,” Mr Houlcroft said.

“As long as the numbers stay up around 5000, that damage will be ongoing and those trees will start to go into decline, lose their canopy and die off. These trees have great scientific and historical importance.”

Mr Houlcroft said any more than 500 bats in the Gardens was not sustainable.

But the flying foxes are listed as a vulnerable species, meaning they can’t be harmed by any attempts to evict them from their trees.

Stripped … unfortunately they have already killed some heritage listed trees and the problem shows no sign of easing.
Pictures: Nathan Edwards

In the past, Gardens staff have tried several removal options, including banging garbage bin lids together to scare the bats away.

Staff are now reviewing all their options in the hope of putting together a long-term relocation plan that won’t hurt the animals.

“Noise disturbance seemed to get the best results … we have to be very careful of our neighbours and ensure we can relocate them so there’s no conflict with other sites,” Mr Houlcroft said.

Melbourne Botanic Gardens had a similar problem in March 2003 and used loud noises to relocate them.

Bat expert Kerryn Parry-Jones said a loss of habitat in country areas had driven flying foxes into the cities and meant they stay here all year.

“It’s not so much that there are more of them creating a problem, it’s the fact they don’t move on,” Dr Parry-Jones said.

She said Gardens staff should look at the bats as an asset, not a problem.

“You don’t see other cities around the world where you have animals in the heart of the city like that – people from Europe and the Americas love it,” she said.

She suggested creating artificial roosts, to keep bats and the trees in good health.

Hanging around … but it seems life is just too good in the Gardens – the creatures are staying all year because of plentiful food

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Copied from tribalkittykat

Master & Commander by ForAllLove
Your middle name:
Your favorite sail:
You will go on a voyage with:	a parrot on your shoulder
Because:	you’re hoping for prize money
For the voyage, Stephen will give you a:
But it will:	chew a hole in Stephen’s ‘cello
And Aubrey will make you:	clean its cage anyway
Quiz created with MemeGen!

Hey, Hey me hearties I’m a pirate with a parrot it seems or at least a parrot and a flightless cormorant.

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Copied from <lj user = “tribalkittykat”>

Master & Commander by ForAllLove
Your middle name:
Your favorite sail:
You will go on a voyage with:	a parrot on your shoulder
Because:	you’re hoping for prize money
For the voyage, Stephen will give you a:
But it will:	chew a hole in Stephen’s ‘cello
And Aubrey will make you:	clean its cage anyway
Quiz created with MemeGen!

Hey, Hey me hearties I’m a pirate with a parrot it seems or at least a parrot and a flightless cormorant.

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