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| Down Under |
| Victoria, Australia culls hundreds of koalas after wildfire, activists denounce policy |
| 2025-04-26 |
| [Jpost] Up to 750 koalas have been fatally shot by helicopter snipers in the Australian state of Victoria over the past month, Australia's Liberal Party, currently in opposition, announced last week. "The Allan Labor Government," referring to Labor Party Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan, "approved the use of helicopter-based snipers to shoot up to 750 koalas in Budj Bim National Park, in what is believed to be the first aerial shooting of koalas in Victoria," the Liberal Party added. This came as part of a "planned culling following a wildfire there that wiped out about 2,000 hectares of bushland last month," Sky News Australia added. While Sky News Australia cited environment officials stating that the cull is necessary as many koalas are "already severely injured, dehydrated, or on the brink of starvation," this decision was criticized by some wildlife advocates. President of the Koala Alliance, Jess Robertson stated "there is no way they can tell if a koala is in poor condition from a helicopter." A Koala Alliance spokesman added "If koalas were shot out of trees, this means many joeys (baby koalas) would be left to suffer and die. It’s despicable. It’s cruel." “The use of aerial shooting should be treated as a last resort. This is the first time that koalas have been killed by shooting from a helicopter in Australia. Aerial culling of koalas is an Australian first and sets a nasty ethical precedent,” Friends of the Earth Melbourne stated. No rescuers have bee allowed inside the national part to help orphaned koala babies because the area was blocked off by fires, the Friends of the Earth Melbourne added. Koalas are listed as an endangered species in Queensland, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory, but not in Victoria, according to the New York Post. |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #2 Are they all killed with a single shot, or are some only wounded to die a slow painful death from infection and blood loss? And here we used to be worried about baby ducks and fluffy bunnies! |
| Posted by: Bobby 2025-04-26 12:28 |
| #1 If I had a few $,$$$ to waste, I'd pay the Live shipping cost for a mating pair. |
| Posted by: NN2N1 2025-04-26 12:06 |