- The fire left many koalas injured, dehydrated, and without food, prompting authorities to initiate the cull in early April as a means to prevent further suffering.
700 koalas killed in helicopter sniper operation
”This is the first time that koalas have been killed by shooting from a helicopter in Australia,” the organization said.
“Aerial culling of koalas is an Australian first and sets a nasty ethical precedent.”
- The animal protection organization Koala Alliance echoed concerns about vulnerable young joeys potentially being left behind to starve or succumb to exposure.
- ”If koalas were shot out of trees, this means many joeys would be left to suffer and die. It’s despicable. It’s cruel,” the group said in a statement on Facebook.
- The regional government has defended its decision to conduct an aerial cull of koalas in Budj Bim National Park, citing expert assessments and veterinary advice.
However, calls for an independent review of the culling process have been growing, with activists urging for more humane and precise methods of wildlife management.
Alarm as koalas shot from helicopters in national park: 'My mind is blown'
After a devastating fire left Budj Bim National Park inaccessible, koalas have been euthanised from helicopters. The decision has left some critics "gobsmacked".
Victorian authorities have made the difficult decision to use aerial and ground-based shooting to “euthanise” koalas in a national park following a devastating bushfire. Around 2,200 koalas are understood to have been assessed, and approximately 600 – 700 have been euthanised due to concerns about injuries and access to food. That number is expected to climb.
The blaze was sparked by a lightning strike in early March at Budj Bim National Park in the state’s remote southwest, scorching 2,200 hectares. Concerned about the welfare of wildlife, Victoria’s department of environment (DEECA) assessed the landscape and found it will likely be inaccessible for weeks. Its primary concern was that koalas could have been left to unnecessarily suffer and die, prompting the decision to visually assess unreachable animals via helicopter instead.
The decision to shoot koalas from the sky has sparked controversy, with one leading animal rescuer telling Yahoo News their "mind was blown" by the approach.
However, DEECA maintains its “highly skilled professionals” are able to hover over the koalas to get a clear line of sight because the canopy has been burned away,
“An experienced vet has assessed the situation and has recommended this approach as the most humane. The approach has been made in consultation with leading animal welfare experts nationwide,” a DEECA spokesperson said.
Victorian MP 'alarmed' by aerial euthanasia of koalas
While large brumbies and deer are routinely shot in Victoria and NSW from the air, Yahoo understands it's not a common way of euthanising injured koalas. Utilising the method has sparked "alarm" among animal welfare advocates, with many saying more scrutiny of the program is needed and that the public should have been informed earlier.
With bushfires likely to become more severe and frequent due to climate change there are fears aerial culling could become more commonplace.
Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell told Yahoo News she understands the need to euthanise injured koalas, however she has concerns about aerial shooting.
“I think absolutely everybody should be alarmed at the method being used. Aerial shooting programs are known to be unreliable ways to appropriately kill animals using a single shot, and it can lead to further injuries that result in ongoing suffering,” she said.
“Given this is happening in a remote area away from public view, it can be really hard to assess whether or not it was the right method. It would have been my preferred option if they consulted with other groups who might have put in the time and the effort to individually euthanise the koalas instead of blasting them from a helicopter in the sky,” she added.
Lisa Palma, the CEO of Wildlife Victoria told Yahoo the priority for Wildlife Victoria in all cases is that the animals are humanely euthanised.
“Whatever method of euthanasia is utilised for wildlife impacted by bushfires, our strong view is the method must have optimal welfare as its primary focus. That would mean a fairly instant and humane euthanasia,” she told Yahoo.
Wildlife rescuer Jessica Robertson said the euthanasia method had left her “gobsmacked”. “My mind is blown. How could they possibly ethically euthanise a koala from a helicopter?”
DEECA workers focused on 'reducing amount of suffering'
In a statement, DEECA said it is doing its utmost to ensure the koalas are humanely euthanised.
“Reducing the amount of suffering being endured by wildlife is the overriding priority with this course of action,” a spokesperson said.
“All other methods are not possible given the urgency of the situation, the remote location of animals, the extremely difficult and dangerous terrain and in consideration of the safety risks of working in a fire affected area.
“The burnt canopy cover has provided clear visibility and allows the helicopter to hover at tree level permitting a clear line of sight.
“Operations are delivered by highly skilled professionals and protocols are in place to confirm death to the best of the crew’s ability. An accredited agency aircrew member is also in the aircraft to ensure safe and compliant operations.”
700 koala bears murdered in helicopter sniper mission
Date 2025-04-24 02:38:43
- The controversial operation involved snipers shooting the animals from helicopters in an effort to prevent further suffering after a devastating bushfire scorched over 2,000 hectares of koala habitat.
- The fire left many koalas injured, dehydrated, and without food, prompting officials to initiate the cull in early April. Animal welfare groups have expressed concern over the welfare of orphaned joeys left behind and the ethical implications of the operation.
- Activists, including Friends of the Earth Melbourne, have called for the cull to be halted and for independent observers to be allowed to monitor the process.
- They also criticized the use of aerial shooting, arguing that it sets a troubling precedent for wildlife management in Australia.
MENAFN24042025000045015687ID1109466552
No comments:
Post a Comment