I found the piece a rather interesting analysis, for what is WAS not what it wasn't.

It's a given fact that a) climate is changing and b) in many cases, species are having to adapt. It's always been that way, but of course, people have a way of making things different.

So, can we actually discuss the subject here?

Look, lets say for arguments sake that whether or not man is causing climate change is irrelevant. Lets just say that some places are getting hotter as the natural order of things, and some are getting cooler.

Given this, and given that many species are unable to migrate naturally due to the presence of cities, what of the concept of relocating some by artificial means?

THAT'S what the article is about. Sheesh. I like this piece, because it's NOT the usual controversies, it's a contribution that gives us something novel to talk about, when we don't need to lapse into the same, ridiculous debates between those who believe climate change is man made, and those who don't.

It's an interesting idea, but the first things that spring to mind when I think of this, are cane toads.
But, the cane toad was introduced to an entirely new country - to look only at cane toads, ignores the success of the cactoblastis moth in eradicating prickly pear. So they're not all failures. I can't help but wonder if perhaps putting a few rhinos or elephants in areas of Australia might protect them from poaching and be a haven from poachers. Given their slow breeding process, I don't see the same kind of risks there.

TRTL

Again you apply some common sense and return the thread to the topic.

Relocating animals is a worthy ideal - on the face of it. Difficulties we encounter is that some animals are very territorial, for example Brush Tail possums, in the past possums were just captured and relocated away from residential areas, these possums would wind up fighting for their lives in a new neighbourhood dominated by the resident possums. This is why the system changed to installing suitable boxes for possums to inhabit rather than your roof.

And the above is just in the same type of eco-system.

I'm not saying it is impossible but every animal species has its particular needs and characteristics to be considered before being relocated.

Many years ago I was part of a study for the Pygmy Possum in the Bogong High plains. Its problem was that the males and females lived completely separate lives until mating season. The road leading to Mt Hotham was as much a barrier as an ocean to the male Pygmy Possum, the study concluded with the installation of a tunnel under the road as well as re-establishing habitat corridors (this is where I was involved as a student Landscape Architect). This plan was completed but the possum is still endangered due to changes in habitat brought on by climate change (it lives in alpine regions only) and the usual threats of foxes, feral dogs and cats.

The introduction of large animals to Australia may appear possible on the surface, (camels do very well) but we have to consider the entire eco-system, from the variety of flora, insects and other animals. Elephants can eat entire trees - and that's just breakfast. We have already created huge imbalances just with our never ending 'progress'.

The greatest impediment is us - our ever increasing and spreading population.

TRTL, good luck. you'll need it.

Protagoras - I'm glad that you pay attention to what I write but in advancing "proof" that I'm wrong you show that I'm right.. granted its a period of high temperatures but as you point out with your time series the peak was around the turn of the century and has since been delining. The one hold-out in this is Goddard which puts the peak at 2005, and declining since. the business about "hottest years since records began" is debatable as there was some argument that 1930s are hotter but again, that only shows that modern temperatures are high - possibly as part of a cycle. It is now known that temperatues were higher in medieval times (scholars can track the rise and fall of cultivation at higher altitudes with archological techniques. Sorry but declining it is..

I am really trying hard to care. Even just a little bit.

"As climate warms, species may need to migrate or perish"

But I'm afraid, what with all the other stuff going on right now, government spending going through the roof and the likelihood that we will be paying for it through higher taxes like, forever, and all those boat people about to invade our shores - probably mostly from Mexico where all that 'flu comes from, and what about that 'flu anyway, why doesn't the government just give us all a vaccination and be done with it, and what with the Budget due on Tuesday - now that's going to be a disaster too, smokes and booze going through the roof, feels like we're back in the seventies again - and what about unemployment, if it wasn't enough that the Chinese are taking all our jobs and giving them to people they pay tuppence a day, now we're told that the global financial meltdown is going to put all of us out of work as early as Wednesday fortnight, and what does Obama think he's up to cosying up to the Pakistanis and Afghans, doesn't he know that they are all Muslims and cannot be trusted further than you can throw them, maybe he is a closet Muslim himself after all, they did say that before he was elected now I remember, and don't get me started on the NSW train service - if you can call it a service, a downright disgrace is what I call it, and now you want me to worry about a couple of bleedin' hamsters up a mountain somewhere?

Do me a favour.

“How old is that list your quoting from, & just who wrote it Protagoras?”

I have already provided the link, the date (current), the authors and the details so why the trolling?

“It has been accepted for about 6 years, that 1932 was the hotest year in recent times, plus a couple of others aronnd there. If your source is not acknowledging this fact, I suggest you try somewhere more honest, for your facts.”

An extremely dishonest piece of trolling Hasbeen but thanks for an amusing post:

http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/wcp/wcdmp/documents/WMO1039_EN_web.pdf

Keep up the delusional pile of rubble Curmudgeon for snatching yourself a seat on the gravy train is not yet assured:

“The climate story of the decade is that the 2000s are on track to be nearly 0.2°C warmer than the 1990s (see “Very warm 2008 makes this the hottest decade in recorded history by far“). And that temperature jump is especially worrisome since the 1990s were only 0.14°C warmer than the 1980s."

http://climateprogress.org/2008/12/07/very-warm-2008-makes-this-hottest-decade-in-recorded-history-by-far/

Countries with the highest number of threatened and extinct species, according to 2006 IUCN Red List data, include the US (number one position) and Australia (number seven) - not bad for a “civilised” nation with a population of 21 million.

Since Australia's native species are dying of thirst and hunger from large-scale habitat destruction and climate change, including bushfires and flooding, which are killing off hundreds of thousands of native species and livestock, where does one recommend putting rhinos and elephants and what would the evolutionary responses be since global change is pervasive and occurring rapidly in Australia?

I'd suggest that time’s up and there is no longer anywhere for species to run or hide?

Influential industrial lobbies dupe people into believing we can survive while other species are quickly and quietly dying off. Irresponsible governments and businesses would have people believe that we don’t need biodiversity to survive therefore we shall ignore reality because it doesn’t conform with moneymaking strategies.

Self-seeking industrial lobbies and their parasites would do well to remember that when the slaves die so do the slave owners.