I watched some real reality television recently.
ABC TV was showing On A Wing And A Prayer, a magnificent documentary which follows the life cycle of the Carnaby’s cockatoo through the story of one small cockatoo family. It’s a local production made by a Perth documentary maker. You can watch the trailer below.
Playful, mischievous and highly intelligent, Carnaby’s Black Cockatoos are adored by thousands, hunted by many and saved by few. Endemic to the south-west region of Western Australia, only a small pocket of these large, gregarious birds remain and these are permanently under threat. Some are still being poached and smuggled for private collections. Many are illegally shot. Together with land clearing, loss of native food habitat and injury from man-made structures, the Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo is plummeting towards extinction.
I wasn’t the only one in our home watching closely. One of our cats was on my lap snoozing until she heard the bird sounds. Then she started watching TV too. Soon after that she jumped off my lap and after getting a little closer to the telly, lunged at the screen to capture one of the cockatoos.
I had to hold her tightly for the rest of the show to make sure she didn’t damage our television. She was fascinated by the birds and the sounds they made.
It was further proof that we’ve made the right decision to keep our cats inside at all times. I wouldn’t want to let them loose where there are real birds.
I’m wondering if you have pets that watch TV. Have you ever had a dog, cat or any other pet which enjoyed a good drama or a few laughs over a comedy?
Are you ready for Australia Day tomorrow?
