Major koala massacre occurred at a cleared eucalyptus tree plantation in Victoria. According to investigators, the number of killed animals is 40. However, the number may increase as they will go across 10 kilometers of felled timber. According to the state’s conservation regulator, over 80 koalas have arrived on the scene, but 30 of them were euthanized.
Major incident response has been set up at the site, on private land near Cape Bridgewater. There are several vets are at the site, treating koalas for starvation and broken bones.
The koala population has decreased. So, the Victorian environment minister, Lily D’Ambrosio, said the government will do everything possible to bring the criminals to account.
All Victorian citizens are deeply saddened and heartbroken, but also angry and furious at the current situation.
The incident was reported to the Department of Environment, Land, Water, and Planning (DELWP), which immediately arrived on site.
Portland resident Helen Oakley shared a video online from the site. In the video, she says that the whole country should be ashamed of this.
Posted by Helen Oakley on Friday, January 31, 2020
Wildlife carers took the survived koalas in for treatment and rehabilitation.
Victoria’s chief conservation regulator Kate Gavens confirmed that there is an ongoing investigation into how the incident occurred.
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DELWP is currently working with other parties in order to save the remaining koalas. This may also include relocation to suitable sites.
The Wildlife Act prevents the extinction of wildlife. If you are hunting, taking or destroying wildlife, you may have to pay a penalty of up to $8,000 and an additional fine of more than $800 per head of a wild animal.
There is also an established crime scene at Cape Bridgewater. According to the logging company South West Fibre, it harvested timber from the site in October 2019. But, they handed the area back the next month.
The company released a statement in which they explain that SWF left an appropriate number of ‘habitat trees’ for the koala population. They even confirmed that the koalas living in the area are in good health.
A spokesperson of the company said that SWF gave the site back to the owner in the middle of November with 72 koalas living there and remnant vegetation.
According to the Age, Troeth runs the property on behalf of his father Russell Troeth. Keith said everything was done professionally and that they cleared the site a week ago before return it to pasture. He confirmed that his company is responsible for the death of one or two koalas.
However, Russell Troeth refused to give any comments regarding the incident.
The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) will launch its own investigation. The industry is horrified by this vicious act of animal cruelty.
