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Time of India
24-04-2025
- General
- Time of India
Why Australia shot dead hundreds of Koalas from helicopters
Australia is facing intense backlash after nearly 700 koalas were shot dead from helicopters in a controversial wildlife cull in Victoria's Budj Bim National Park. The operation, carried out by state authorities, began in early April following bushfires that destroyed over 2,000 hectares of habitat. Officials say the decision was made to prevent further suffering among starving, injured, and dehydrated koalas. However, animal rights groups argue the method is inhumane and poorly executed, leaving many orphaned joeys without care. The aerial shooting has sparked public outrage, with calls for an immediate halt and an independent review of the operation. Why were koalas killed The Victorian government claims that the cull was necessary to prevent further suffering among injured, dehydrated, and starving koalas. The bushfires left many animals in critical condition, prompting what officials describe as a humane euthanasia effort based on expert veterinary assessments. Aerial Shooting: A first for koalas What sets this cull apart is its method. Trained marksmen shot the koalas from helicopters, something never before done with this species in Australia. While aerial culling is sometimes used for wild horses (brumbies) or deer, it's highly controversial when applied to a vulnerable and iconic animal like the koala. Animal rights groups call for accountability Animal advocacy groups, including Friends of the Earth Melbourne and Koala Alliance, have condemned the method, calling it cruel and unethical. They argue that evaluating a koala's health from 30 metres above ground is unreliable and may lead to healthy animals and even mothers with joeys being killed unnecessarily. 'It's despicable. It's cruel,' said Koala Alliance in a statement on Facebook. A call for an independent review Activists are demanding an immediate halt to the cull and are calling for an independent investigation into the government's decision-making process. They are also pushing for wildlife vets and third-party observers to be granted access to assess the situation on the ground. The cordoned-off area remains closed to outside help, increasing suspicions and public pressure on the Victorian government to allow transparency. Koalas: A species under threat This crisis highlights the broader challenges koalas face across Australia. They are officially listed as endangered in Queensland, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory due to habitat destruction, logging, and climate-fueled bushfires. Conservationists fear that this kind of aggressive response to wildlife management could set a dangerous precedent. While authorities insist the cull was an act of mercy, the backlash reflects growing concern over how Australia treats its endangered wildlife. The situation has become a flashpoint in the debate between managing suffering and protecting vulnerable species. For now, the fate of many joeys and the ethical debate over this controversial method remain unresolved.
Russia Today
24-04-2025
- General
- Russia Today
700 koalas killed in helicopter sniper operation
Australian authorities are under fire following the culling of hundreds of koalas in the state of Victoria. Around 700 koalas have been shot by snipers from helicopters flying over Victoria's Budj Bim National Park, in an act of euthanasia following a devastating bushfire that scorched over 2,000 hectares of habitat. 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. Animal welfare organizations have voiced alarm over the wellbeing of orphaned joeys left behind, media reported on Tuesday. However, the approach – deploying snipers to shoot the animals from helicopters – has sparked swift and widespread backlash. Activists have raised concerns that decisions were being made by veterinarians and shooters from distances of up to 30 meters, increasing the risk of mistakenly killing healthy koalas—including mothers still caring for their joeys. 'The use of aerial shooting should be treated as a last resort,' Friends of the Earth Melbourne said in a statement, urging authorities to pause the cull and allow independent observers access to the site. '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.
Russia Today
23-04-2025
- General
- Russia Today
Australian authorities face backlash over koala cull
Australian authorities are under fire following the culling of hundreds of koalas in the state of Victoria. Around 700 koalas have been shot by snipers from helicopters flying over Victoria's Budj Bim National Park, in an act of euthanasia following a devastating bushfire that scorched over 2,000 hectares of habitat. 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. Animal welfare organizations have voiced alarm over the wellbeing of orphaned joeys left behind, media reported on Tuesday. However, the approach – deploying snipers to shoot the animals from helicopters – has sparked swift and widespread backlash. Activists have raised concerns that decisions were being made by veterinarians and shooters from distances of up to 30 meters, increasing the risk of mistakenly killing healthy koalas—including mothers still caring for their joeys. 'The use of aerial shooting should be treated as a last resort,' Friends of the Earth Melbourne said in a statement, urging authorities to pause the cull and allow independent observers access to the site. '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.
The Independent
21-04-2025
- General
- The Independent
Outcry over orphaned joeys after Australia shoots hundreds of koalas from helicopters
State authorities are facing a backlash over the aerial culling of hundreds of koalas in Victoria, Australia, as animal welfare groups raise concerns about the fate of their orphaned joeys. The cull in Budj Bim National Park of around 700 koalas so far has left many joeys without mothers, animal rights groups say. Activists are now demanding an independent review of the government's handling of the operation. The cull began in early April after bushfires destroyed over 2,000 hectares of habitat, leaving koalas starving, dehydrated and injured. Authorities said euthanasia was necessary to prevent suffering but their method – using marksmen shooting the koalas from helicopters – prompted an immediate backlash. Wildlife advocacy groups argued that assessing koala health from the air was unreliable. They were concerned that veterinarians and shooters were making decisions from up to 30 metres away, increasing the risk of healthy koalas, including mothers with joeys, being killed in error. 'The use of aerial shooting should be treated as a last resort,' Friends of the Earth Melbourne said, demanding the cull be paused and independent observers allowed access to the site. 'This is the first time that koalas have been killed by shooting from a helicopter in Australia,' the organisation said. 'Aerial culling of koalas is an Australian first and sets a nasty ethical precedent.' National parks in Australia routinely shoot large brumbies and deer to manage their populations. This is not common with koalas, however. Friends of Earth Melbourne said the area where the cull was being carried out had been cordoned off as fire-affected, with roads blocked and surveillance systems put in place. 'No koala rescuers have been allowed into the area and there's a concern about the fate of joeys whose mothers may have been shot,' the advocacy group said. Animal protection group Koala Alliance echoed concerns about orphaned young joeys that could be left to starve or die of 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. It said the koalas in the crosshairs likely came from a recently harvested blue gum plantation near the national park. 'Budj Bim regularly cull and sterilise koalas and they would never let the population get this big.' Wildlife campaigners are also urging the Victorian government to immediately pause the harvesting of healthy eucalyptus trees on nearby private plantations, arguing that the remaining koalas need access to food and shelter to survive. The Victorian government has defended the operation. Premier Jacinta Allan has said the environment department carried out wildlife assessments and acted on expert veterinary advice. 'After an examination of the circumstances, this approach was deemed the way to really recognise the koalas were in a lot of distress,' she said. But calls for an independent review are growing louder. Advocates say third-party observers, including wildlife veterinarians and scientists, should be given access to assess both the conduct and necessity of the cull. The controversy draws attention to the pressures facing koala populations more broadly. Koalas are listed as endangered in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, and habitat loss from logging, plantation expansion, and increasingly frequent bushfires has pushed populations to the brink.
