Latest news with #DEECA
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Aussies warned over common camping mistake after 400-year-old trees destroyed
Campers are being urged to ensure their fires are properly extinguished after a blaze ripped through an Australian park on the weekend, destroying trees thought to be hundreds of years old. Pictures show once towering red gums have completely collapsed along the Murray River, due to the intensity of the blaze. The fire burned around half a hectare at Gadsen Bend Park, on the Victoria and NSW border, but was extinguished by expert crews working within Victoria's Department of Environment (DEECA). Red gums can live for up to 1,000 years and soar 45 metres into the air, and it's understood two giants were saved by a team of seven firefighters. Red gums are considered a slow-growing species of tree, and hollows that provide shelter for birds, gliders, and possums take over a hundred years to form inside them. But it's not just on land that they play an important environmental role, as their fallen limbs provide habitat for threatened fish like Murray cod. What was the cause of the destructive blaze? Mystery surrounds the exact cause of the blaze and how widespread the damage was, but DEECA issued a public statement about the incident on Wednesday, warning people to 'Always ensure your campfires are completely extinguished'. 🏡 Biosecurity hazard found inside resident's oven poses 'serious risk' to Australia 🐟 Incredible discovery at market after common fish purchase 🕷️ Scientist's 'time capsule' in vault key to resurrecting rare species DEECA said crews from its agency, Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic), were unavailable for interview with Yahoo News. In an emailed statement, FFMVic Deputy Chief Fire Officer Scott Falconer said the cause of the blaze is still under investigation. 'The fire burnt around half [a] hectare and impacted some large red gum trees. Some of the trees destroyed by the fire are estimated to have been around 400 years old,' he added. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Warning over common park act attracting fines up to $9,800 as winter trend 'spikes'
Authorities are again reminding Australians that cutting up trees from national parks for firewood is illegal. Officers are ramping up patrols to crack down on the annual spike in offences in protected areas during the winter months. This week, two Victorians were allegedly caught by police "loading freshly cut and split timber" into a tandem trailer in a pre-dawn sting. "The trailer, two chainsaws, two block splitters, two mobile phones and the cut timber were seized on the spot," the state's Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action (DEECA) recounted. The alleged illegal act took place at the Wandong Regional Park just after 5am on Monday. While that matter remains under investigation, officers have taken the opportunity to warn others of the steep fines — between $814 and $9,879 — for offenders caught in the act. Taskforce Ironbark, a state-wide initiative led by the Conservation Regulator in partnership with Parks Victoria, has been established to crack down on commercial firewood thieves. Officers said night patrols are now routine, vowing to "hold accountable" members of the public breaching the law. Speaking to Yahoo News, Taskforce Ironbark Manager Brady Childs said the "systematic illegal felling of trees for firewood" is often undertaken by black market operators "with full knowledge that the activities are illegal". "The Conservation Regulator's intelligence sources, including community reports, confirm firewood theft occurs all year round, with a significant spike in activity leading into and during winter," he said. "We formed Taskforce Ironbark, led by the Conservation Regulator, in partnership with Parks Victoria, which is utilising routine and targeted patrols, to monitor areas of Victorian public land using a range of surveillance techniques, and responding to community reports, to catch commercial firewood thieves." Childs said the taskforce targets firewood theft hotspots, working with other regulators both within Victoria and interstate. "If you're caught illegally harvesting timber from public land for commercial sale, you will be held accountable for the environmental damage, and risk facing prosecution and losing your equipment," he said. 💰 Aussies warned over fines up to $5,500 for illegal bush act 🪓 Warned over $137,850 fines after illegal national park trend 🌳 Incredible discovery at beloved Aussie national park after tragedy Officers can issue on-the-spot fines exceeding $814 for breaches of firewood collection rules. More serious offences can attract penalties of up to $9,879 and 12 months' imprisonment. Authorities also have the power to seize chainsaws, trailers, vehicles, and any other equipment used in the offence. It's an issue that occurs all over the country, with government departments in both Queensland and New South Wales earlier this month issuing alerts to try to deter people from committing the illegal act. Why can't you take firewood from national parks? Authorities remind people that logs, branches and leaf litter aren't waste; they serve as critical habitats and nutrients. They feed a myriad of insects, fungi, mosses, and lichens, which in turn support birds, reptiles, and small mammals. Removing them clears away vital shelter and breeding grounds, damages soil health, and impedes natural decomposition, undermining ecosystem function. For live trees, the impact is even worse — removing vegetation destroys habitat, disturbs native species, and fractures the interconnected web of forest life. Barriers that help prevent erosion can be lost, while tree roots that stabilise waterways are severed, raising the risk of sediment runoff and water pollution. National parks are carefully managed to preserve complex ecosystems. Every fallen branch, rotting log, and standing tree plays a role in nutrient cycling, habitat provision, erosion control, and carbon storage. Removing items for firewood or decoration may seem harmless, but it erodes the foundation of these fragile ecosystems, undermining decades of conservation efforts. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
ABC News
17-07-2025
- Science
- ABC News
Massive flock of critically endangered swift parrots seen near Bendigo
Swift parrots have fascinated Adrian Martins for years, but last month he had an incredible day at the office when he saw more of the critically endangered birds in one spot than he had ever recorded before. The natural environment program manager at Victoria's Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action was monitoring the "swifties" that had come to roost in central Victoria as part of their annual migration from Tasmania. He was astonished as a flock of a few parrots grew in size to dozens, then hundreds, right before his eyes. "We were getting up around that estimated population size … around that 600 to 700," Mr Martins says. And that's significant because there are thought to be only 750 of the birds left in the wild in Australia "Every night I was back at this site watching and observing new behaviours that I'd never seen before," Mr Martins says. One of the first people he called about his discovery was wildlife ecologist Chris Tzaros. Mr Tzaros grew up in the local area and spent his weekends as a child riding his bike through bushland to spot the birds. He was working in the field in New South Wales, six hours' drive away, but couldn't stand missing out once he saw Mr Martins's updates. "I thought, 'Stuff this, I'm going to drop everything and get down there and have a look,'" Mr Tzaros says. "It was amazing." The predominantly bright green swift parrot is about 25 centimetres long, noisy and endemic to south-east Australia. Mr Tzaros has been working with swift parrots for three decades and has seen the population plummet. While big aggregations are known to occur, he says this one was significant. "I've been monitoring the bird pretty closely [and] normally … a big flock might be between 50 and 100 birds." Now ecologists are questioning why so many "swifties" congregated this season and why they chose that particular site near Bendigo. Mr Tzaros says dry conditions could have limited available food sources for the parrots, but it is unclear what makes the location remarkable. And his excitement to see such a large flock is tempered by the reality the birds face. The threat level to swift parrots was upgraded to critically endangered in 2016. Rob Heinsohn from Australian National University (ANU) leads a team of conservation biologists working with the swift parrot. Professor Heinsohn says the parrots face threats both in their breeding ground of Tasmania and on the mainland where they seek nectar in the cooler months. Habitat loss and a surprising opportunistic predator, the sugar glider, are the bird's biggest threats. Professor Heinsohn says his team expects the species will quickly become extinct. "We modelled it all and we said that some time in the early 2030s, at this rate there won't be any swift parrots left." Mr Tzaros says the swift parrots sighted in central Victoria were feeding mainly on private land and roadsides. He is concerned future development could affect the species. "We don't have to go obliterating habitat every time we want to … establish a new residential estate for people," he says. The federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act requires projects that could affect threatened species like the swift parrot to be referred to the federal government for approval. A City of Greater Bendigo spokesperson says planning applications "generally don't assess direct impacts on fauna, like the swift parrot". "A planning permit is generally needed to remove native vegetation in cases where a lot is over 4,000 square metres, or in road reserves," the spokesperson said in a statement. "The obligation to refer to the Commonwealth [under the EPBC Act] doesn't rest with the city … it sits with the proponent of the application." RMIT professor in sustainability and urban planning Sarah Bekessy would like to see a broader application of the value placed on Ramsar wetlands for migratory birds. More than 2,400 wetland sites across the globe are protected under the international Ramsar Convention, including intermittent habitat. "Impact assessment really just looks at things that are present on a site rather than things that could use the site," Professor Bekessy said. "This is problematic for so many species that are either migratory or intermittently use habitat for nesting or for food."
ABC News
07-07-2025
- General
- ABC News
Winton Wetlands temporary closure sparks concern pest numbers could 'explode'
An ecologist is sounding the alarm on the temporary closure of Victoria's world-class Winton Wetlands, warning the decision could lead to decades of research going down the drain and that the site could be overrun by feral species. The wetlands, about 20 kilometres from the town of Benalla in the state's north-east, span 9,000 hectares and are home to hundreds of species of birds, plants and reptiles. Last week, a committee managing the nationally significant site announced in a statement that despite support from the state government and its partners, it was unable to establish a sustainable business model for the wetlands. "After a brief transition period, land management responsibilities will revert to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA). "DEECA has indicated that it will explore alternative management options for the reserve in collaboration with traditional owners, other stakeholders and the community." The decision has led to the closure of the Mokoan Hub and Cafe at the wetlands and the pausing of environmental and research programs. Ecologist Dylan McWhinney, who lives in the area, told ABC Statewide Mornings that the decision had left him devastated and angry on behalf of the staff at the site. "Twelve months ago, the committee of management and DEECA came out and told locals and stakeholders that they had an exciting announcement about the future management of the site," Mr McWhinney said. "There was a tender process that went out for that land management and then we've never heard a word since. "There have been rumours of tenders being awarded to different land management but this recent statement suggests that tender process was absolutely bungled and now the site is left without any committed funding or active management." Mr McWhinney, who formerly worked on the site as a ranger over a decade ago, said the area was incredibly important as wetlands declined across the state. The site was touted as the largest wetland restoration project in the Southern Hemisphere, he said. The decision was a risk to threatened species such as white-bellied sea eagles, brolgas, Australasian bitterns and grass frogs, as well as programs to re-wild other species, he said. "So much work in the last 20 years has gone into the site by the staff there, particularly in terms of managing declared pests and weeds," Mr McWhinney said. "So there has been routine and regular fox baiting and shooting, [and] weed control, and without that continuation, all these threatened species, all these breeding and reintroduction programs, will just go down the gurgler." Mr McWhinney said he was also concerned that an uncertain future and management could lead to an explosion of pests in the area. "This area, this site has really the potential to become the source population for and just explode in terms of fox numbers and weeds that could leave the site and impact not just the ecology in the site but the adjacent land use as well," he said. "I would hope that the site can be funded and actively managed. "I'm concerned in the short term that DEECA won't be able to manage it because if they had the funding to manage it they would just fund the committee of management to manage it. "That's really concerning." Winton Wetlands CEO Dennis O'Brien told ABC Shepparton Breakfast that the decision affected about 20 staff. Mr O'Brien said since the development of the wetlands, it had been managed by a number of committees combining government and the private sector. There was an expectation that the site would become financially self-sustaining, which did not eventuate, he said. Mr O'Brien said the main thing following the announcement was not to let "any of the great work go backwards". In a statement, DEECA's Hume regional director Courtney Bertram said the wetlands were an "environmentally significant site that delivers a range of benefits to local communities". "DEECA is working on arrangements for the future management of the reserve following a decision of the current committee of management to relinquish the site."
The Advertiser
03-07-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
'Looking at you, pleading': reported spike in cruel kangaroo killing grass
Last week, Dianne Becker walked to her front verandah and saw a kangaroo. Usually, they would never be so close. "I could walk right up to it and it didn't even move," she said. "It just looked like it was a bit drunk." When the kangaroo did move, it fell over. It was showing symptoms of phalaris grass poisoning - or "the staggers" - a neurological disease characterised by head tremors and loss of coordination. The condition is caused by eating a common introduced pasture grass, and this year rescuers are seeing much more of it. The introduced grass species is found in all states and territories except the Northern Territory. Two Victorian wildlife rescue groups have reported a spike in the condition, while residents in the town of Axedale, where phalaris grass is endemic, locals say it's the worst they've ever seen. Ms Becker, who has lived in Longlea on the outskirts of Bendigo for 11 years, said it's the first time she's ever seen the condition, which is caused by toxins in young phalaris grass shoots. "To see them in that state falling over - it's like they're looking at you, pleading, 'help me', and there's nothing that can be done," she said. According to the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action (DEECA), there is no known treatment for the disease in wildlife and severely affected animals are euthanised. The kangaroo Ms Becker saw was euthanised by a wildlife rescue worker, and since that incident she had seen at least one other animal with the condition. Down the road, Axedale woman Anne Buckingham said she had seen kangaroos with phalaris poisoning every day. She and her husband have euthanised some themselves. "My husband lived here in the 1990s and it's only been the last couple of years we've ever noticed this," she said. "We've now got to make sure that we don't let the dogs outside unless they're on a lead. "They will go chase the kangaroos and the kangaroos can't jump away from them." Ms Buckingham said she and her husband had discussed removing phalaris grass from their 30-acre property last year. "It would be a big expense to change the pasture and it wouldn't solve the problem unless everybody changed the pasture on all the other farms around," she said. Wildlife Victoria said they had encountered 289 cases of phalaris poisoning so far this year, already higher than reported cases in the past four years. Data provided by the organisation since 2022 shows a steady increase in reported cases, from 46 in 2022, up to 220 in 2024. "These incidents often increase during winter and periods of drought, as phalaris is a hardy grass that continues to thrive even when other grasses struggle to survive, forcing kangaroos to feed on it when food is scarce," a Wildlife Victoria spokesperson said. A 2024 veterinary paper said low average rainfall in early autumn was a seasonal predictor for high numbers of phalaris poisoning the following winter. Leonie Sorrentino, from Melbourne-based group The Wildlife Rescuers, said they were seeing adult male roos with the condition, when they would usually see only young kangaroos. She said phalaris poisoning hotspots include the Plenty Gorge and Sunbury near Melbourne. The 2024 paper also said cases had been reported in Seymour, Dartmoor and Axedale. "The joeys actually eat it when mum's leaning over," Ms Sorrentino said. "It's really heartbreaking to go out there and you just see them and they're so confused." Dr Tian Chen, from the University of Melbourne's Veterinary School, agreed this winter had been particularly bad for cases of phalaris grass poisoning and suggested the late drought was partially responsible. According to Dr Chen, if the grass experiences drought during autumn, when it is sprouting, it produces more of the alkaloid toxins that are responsible for the condition. Farmers prevent phalaris poisoning in livestock by spraying pasture with cobalt or administering cobalt supplements, but Dr Chen said current evidence indicates this doesn't work for kangaroos. "There could be a lot of reasons for that, which is still open for future studies, but [kangaroos] are very different in terms of anatomy," he said. A DEECA spokesperson said any suspected cases of wildlife toxicity poisoning should be reported to your local vet, wildlife welfare organisation or to DEECA. "On public land across Victoria, DEECA partners with Traditional Owners and government agencies to target invasive weeds, including Phalaris aquatica, using a range of techniques including herbicide spraying, slashing and ecological burning," they said. Attempts were made to contact the Bendigo-based Wildlife Rescue Information Network. Last week, Dianne Becker walked to her front verandah and saw a kangaroo. Usually, they would never be so close. "I could walk right up to it and it didn't even move," she said. "It just looked like it was a bit drunk." When the kangaroo did move, it fell over. It was showing symptoms of phalaris grass poisoning - or "the staggers" - a neurological disease characterised by head tremors and loss of coordination. The condition is caused by eating a common introduced pasture grass, and this year rescuers are seeing much more of it. The introduced grass species is found in all states and territories except the Northern Territory. Two Victorian wildlife rescue groups have reported a spike in the condition, while residents in the town of Axedale, where phalaris grass is endemic, locals say it's the worst they've ever seen. Ms Becker, who has lived in Longlea on the outskirts of Bendigo for 11 years, said it's the first time she's ever seen the condition, which is caused by toxins in young phalaris grass shoots. "To see them in that state falling over - it's like they're looking at you, pleading, 'help me', and there's nothing that can be done," she said. According to the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action (DEECA), there is no known treatment for the disease in wildlife and severely affected animals are euthanised. The kangaroo Ms Becker saw was euthanised by a wildlife rescue worker, and since that incident she had seen at least one other animal with the condition. Down the road, Axedale woman Anne Buckingham said she had seen kangaroos with phalaris poisoning every day. She and her husband have euthanised some themselves. "My husband lived here in the 1990s and it's only been the last couple of years we've ever noticed this," she said. "We've now got to make sure that we don't let the dogs outside unless they're on a lead. "They will go chase the kangaroos and the kangaroos can't jump away from them." Ms Buckingham said she and her husband had discussed removing phalaris grass from their 30-acre property last year. "It would be a big expense to change the pasture and it wouldn't solve the problem unless everybody changed the pasture on all the other farms around," she said. Wildlife Victoria said they had encountered 289 cases of phalaris poisoning so far this year, already higher than reported cases in the past four years. Data provided by the organisation since 2022 shows a steady increase in reported cases, from 46 in 2022, up to 220 in 2024. "These incidents often increase during winter and periods of drought, as phalaris is a hardy grass that continues to thrive even when other grasses struggle to survive, forcing kangaroos to feed on it when food is scarce," a Wildlife Victoria spokesperson said. A 2024 veterinary paper said low average rainfall in early autumn was a seasonal predictor for high numbers of phalaris poisoning the following winter. Leonie Sorrentino, from Melbourne-based group The Wildlife Rescuers, said they were seeing adult male roos with the condition, when they would usually see only young kangaroos. She said phalaris poisoning hotspots include the Plenty Gorge and Sunbury near Melbourne. The 2024 paper also said cases had been reported in Seymour, Dartmoor and Axedale. "The joeys actually eat it when mum's leaning over," Ms Sorrentino said. "It's really heartbreaking to go out there and you just see them and they're so confused." Dr Tian Chen, from the University of Melbourne's Veterinary School, agreed this winter had been particularly bad for cases of phalaris grass poisoning and suggested the late drought was partially responsible. According to Dr Chen, if the grass experiences drought during autumn, when it is sprouting, it produces more of the alkaloid toxins that are responsible for the condition. Farmers prevent phalaris poisoning in livestock by spraying pasture with cobalt or administering cobalt supplements, but Dr Chen said current evidence indicates this doesn't work for kangaroos. "There could be a lot of reasons for that, which is still open for future studies, but [kangaroos] are very different in terms of anatomy," he said. A DEECA spokesperson said any suspected cases of wildlife toxicity poisoning should be reported to your local vet, wildlife welfare organisation or to DEECA. "On public land across Victoria, DEECA partners with Traditional Owners and government agencies to target invasive weeds, including Phalaris aquatica, using a range of techniques including herbicide spraying, slashing and ecological burning," they said. Attempts were made to contact the Bendigo-based Wildlife Rescue Information Network. Last week, Dianne Becker walked to her front verandah and saw a kangaroo. Usually, they would never be so close. "I could walk right up to it and it didn't even move," she said. "It just looked like it was a bit drunk." When the kangaroo did move, it fell over. It was showing symptoms of phalaris grass poisoning - or "the staggers" - a neurological disease characterised by head tremors and loss of coordination. The condition is caused by eating a common introduced pasture grass, and this year rescuers are seeing much more of it. The introduced grass species is found in all states and territories except the Northern Territory. Two Victorian wildlife rescue groups have reported a spike in the condition, while residents in the town of Axedale, where phalaris grass is endemic, locals say it's the worst they've ever seen. Ms Becker, who has lived in Longlea on the outskirts of Bendigo for 11 years, said it's the first time she's ever seen the condition, which is caused by toxins in young phalaris grass shoots. "To see them in that state falling over - it's like they're looking at you, pleading, 'help me', and there's nothing that can be done," she said. According to the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action (DEECA), there is no known treatment for the disease in wildlife and severely affected animals are euthanised. The kangaroo Ms Becker saw was euthanised by a wildlife rescue worker, and since that incident she had seen at least one other animal with the condition. Down the road, Axedale woman Anne Buckingham said she had seen kangaroos with phalaris poisoning every day. She and her husband have euthanised some themselves. "My husband lived here in the 1990s and it's only been the last couple of years we've ever noticed this," she said. "We've now got to make sure that we don't let the dogs outside unless they're on a lead. "They will go chase the kangaroos and the kangaroos can't jump away from them." Ms Buckingham said she and her husband had discussed removing phalaris grass from their 30-acre property last year. "It would be a big expense to change the pasture and it wouldn't solve the problem unless everybody changed the pasture on all the other farms around," she said. Wildlife Victoria said they had encountered 289 cases of phalaris poisoning so far this year, already higher than reported cases in the past four years. Data provided by the organisation since 2022 shows a steady increase in reported cases, from 46 in 2022, up to 220 in 2024. "These incidents often increase during winter and periods of drought, as phalaris is a hardy grass that continues to thrive even when other grasses struggle to survive, forcing kangaroos to feed on it when food is scarce," a Wildlife Victoria spokesperson said. A 2024 veterinary paper said low average rainfall in early autumn was a seasonal predictor for high numbers of phalaris poisoning the following winter. Leonie Sorrentino, from Melbourne-based group The Wildlife Rescuers, said they were seeing adult male roos with the condition, when they would usually see only young kangaroos. She said phalaris poisoning hotspots include the Plenty Gorge and Sunbury near Melbourne. The 2024 paper also said cases had been reported in Seymour, Dartmoor and Axedale. "The joeys actually eat it when mum's leaning over," Ms Sorrentino said. "It's really heartbreaking to go out there and you just see them and they're so confused." Dr Tian Chen, from the University of Melbourne's Veterinary School, agreed this winter had been particularly bad for cases of phalaris grass poisoning and suggested the late drought was partially responsible. According to Dr Chen, if the grass experiences drought during autumn, when it is sprouting, it produces more of the alkaloid toxins that are responsible for the condition. Farmers prevent phalaris poisoning in livestock by spraying pasture with cobalt or administering cobalt supplements, but Dr Chen said current evidence indicates this doesn't work for kangaroos. "There could be a lot of reasons for that, which is still open for future studies, but [kangaroos] are very different in terms of anatomy," he said. A DEECA spokesperson said any suspected cases of wildlife toxicity poisoning should be reported to your local vet, wildlife welfare organisation or to DEECA. "On public land across Victoria, DEECA partners with Traditional Owners and government agencies to target invasive weeds, including Phalaris aquatica, using a range of techniques including herbicide spraying, slashing and ecological burning," they said. Attempts were made to contact the Bendigo-based Wildlife Rescue Information Network. Last week, Dianne Becker walked to her front verandah and saw a kangaroo. Usually, they would never be so close. "I could walk right up to it and it didn't even move," she said. "It just looked like it was a bit drunk." When the kangaroo did move, it fell over. It was showing symptoms of phalaris grass poisoning - or "the staggers" - a neurological disease characterised by head tremors and loss of coordination. The condition is caused by eating a common introduced pasture grass, and this year rescuers are seeing much more of it. The introduced grass species is found in all states and territories except the Northern Territory. Two Victorian wildlife rescue groups have reported a spike in the condition, while residents in the town of Axedale, where phalaris grass is endemic, locals say it's the worst they've ever seen. Ms Becker, who has lived in Longlea on the outskirts of Bendigo for 11 years, said it's the first time she's ever seen the condition, which is caused by toxins in young phalaris grass shoots. "To see them in that state falling over - it's like they're looking at you, pleading, 'help me', and there's nothing that can be done," she said. According to the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action (DEECA), there is no known treatment for the disease in wildlife and severely affected animals are euthanised. The kangaroo Ms Becker saw was euthanised by a wildlife rescue worker, and since that incident she had seen at least one other animal with the condition. Down the road, Axedale woman Anne Buckingham said she had seen kangaroos with phalaris poisoning every day. She and her husband have euthanised some themselves. "My husband lived here in the 1990s and it's only been the last couple of years we've ever noticed this," she said. "We've now got to make sure that we don't let the dogs outside unless they're on a lead. "They will go chase the kangaroos and the kangaroos can't jump away from them." Ms Buckingham said she and her husband had discussed removing phalaris grass from their 30-acre property last year. "It would be a big expense to change the pasture and it wouldn't solve the problem unless everybody changed the pasture on all the other farms around," she said. Wildlife Victoria said they had encountered 289 cases of phalaris poisoning so far this year, already higher than reported cases in the past four years. Data provided by the organisation since 2022 shows a steady increase in reported cases, from 46 in 2022, up to 220 in 2024. "These incidents often increase during winter and periods of drought, as phalaris is a hardy grass that continues to thrive even when other grasses struggle to survive, forcing kangaroos to feed on it when food is scarce," a Wildlife Victoria spokesperson said. A 2024 veterinary paper said low average rainfall in early autumn was a seasonal predictor for high numbers of phalaris poisoning the following winter. Leonie Sorrentino, from Melbourne-based group The Wildlife Rescuers, said they were seeing adult male roos with the condition, when they would usually see only young kangaroos. She said phalaris poisoning hotspots include the Plenty Gorge and Sunbury near Melbourne. The 2024 paper also said cases had been reported in Seymour, Dartmoor and Axedale. "The joeys actually eat it when mum's leaning over," Ms Sorrentino said. "It's really heartbreaking to go out there and you just see them and they're so confused." Dr Tian Chen, from the University of Melbourne's Veterinary School, agreed this winter had been particularly bad for cases of phalaris grass poisoning and suggested the late drought was partially responsible. According to Dr Chen, if the grass experiences drought during autumn, when it is sprouting, it produces more of the alkaloid toxins that are responsible for the condition. Farmers prevent phalaris poisoning in livestock by spraying pasture with cobalt or administering cobalt supplements, but Dr Chen said current evidence indicates this doesn't work for kangaroos. "There could be a lot of reasons for that, which is still open for future studies, but [kangaroos] are very different in terms of anatomy," he said. A DEECA spokesperson said any suspected cases of wildlife toxicity poisoning should be reported to your local vet, wildlife welfare organisation or to DEECA. "On public land across Victoria, DEECA partners with Traditional Owners and government agencies to target invasive weeds, including Phalaris aquatica, using a range of techniques including herbicide spraying, slashing and ecological burning," they said. Attempts were made to contact the Bendigo-based Wildlife Rescue Information Network.
