Wildlife experts are calling for an inquiry hundreds of koalas were shot from helicopters to “reduce suffering” after a bushfire.
The Victorian government says the animals were “individually assessed” after the fire swept through Budj Bim National Park, 270km west of Melbourne in March. But some experts are questioning how this was possible.
Victoria’s Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) confirmed around 860 animals were shot from the air in the remote area, saying it was “accurate and humane”.
“This was the humane action to take to prevent further suffering,” a statement said.
“This decision to employ this method was not taken lightly.”
However, Claire Smith, who runs Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast, claims as many as 1100 koalas were killed.
“Let’s just take the shooting part, when they send out shooters in helicopters to shoot brumbies they can’t even shoot them dead,” she told 9News.
“How does anyone believe that these koalas have been shot with a one shot kill.
“There will be a thousand bodies laying around – not all of those koalas would have died straight away when they are shot.
“How many had joeys? How many joeys are dead because of this?
“They’ll be digging pits to bury these koalas.
“Secondly how is anybody assessing these koalas from a helicopter?”
She wants an independent inquiry into what happened.
Smith, who has launched a petition dismissed DEECA claims the terrain was too difficult to access from the ground as “nonsense”.
“There needs to be open and transparent documentation about the decision that was taken to shoot koalas from the air and we want to see an independent report.
“This sets a precedent now, and it must never, ever happen again.”
Bosses at the Humane World for Animals charity also want an inquiry.
“While we’re relieved that the koala shooting operation has ceased, the need to learn from this incident and ensure positive welfare outcomes for surviving koalas remains urgent,” Evan Quartermain, Australian Head of Programs, said in a statement.
“Humane World for Animals is communicating with and supporting concerned locals and koala advocates on the ground around Budj Bim as we continue to scrutinise information.”
Victoria’s Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) told 9News it worked with “experienced vets, wildlife carers, and animal welfare experts” to ‘”individually assess” the creatures.
“However, due to direct impacts of the fire, the poor health and low likelihood of survival of many animals due to the ongoing drought conditions and lack of food post-fire, many of the animals did require euthanising,” it said in a statement.
“The options were to just leave them to deteriorate or take proactive steps to reduce suffering by using aerial assessments.
“A ground-based veterinary assessment conducted by a wildlife vet during an aerial trial showed that all koalas assessed and euthanised by the aerial team during the trial were in very poor health and would have continued to suffer in a deteriorating state of welfare if they had remained alive.”
The fire started after a lightning strike.
It burned around 22sq km of the 54sq km park according to VicEmergency.
Koalas on the east coast of Australia could be extinct by 2050, the WWF says.
They are not listed as endangered or threatened in Victoria.
