Latest news with #SouthOakleighWildlifeShelter
Daily Telegraph
22-07-2025
- General
- Daily Telegraph
Mass bird deaths outside Melbourne shopping hub
A troubling spate of bird deaths at a suburban Melbourne shopping precinct has raised alarm among business operators and prompted urgent action from property managers, as fears grow over the health, safety and reputational risks to the local retail strip. New signage was installed around the Springvale South shopping centre last week, urging the public not to feed wild birds, just days after more than 150 corellas and pigeons were found dead or dying around the precinct. The birds are believed to have been deliberately poisoned, though an official investigation by the Victorian government is still underway. Wildlife authorities have ruled out avian influenza H5N1, and toxicology testing is now being conducted on dozens of bird carcasses collected alongside open bags of bread and seed left near retail entrances and car parks. The incident has sparked concern among business owners, with some questioning whether better waste control and tenancy guidelines might have prevented the chaos. Michelle Phillips, a wildlife rescuer who led the emergency response, welcomed the signage but said more needs to be done – including multilingual warnings – in a region where more than 70 per cent of residents speak a language other than English at home. 'There's definitely no need to feed them,' the South Oakleigh Wildlife Shelter operator told Yahoo News. 'They survive quite happily on a natural diet.' While pigeons are still hanging around, locals are reporting corellas have vanished from the area. Most of the flock are now presumed dead, and Phillips describes it as 'a pretty sad situation'. 'Corellas that used to come to people's yards aren't coming anymore. The ones that survived have moved on,' she said. While well-meaning members of the public may have been leaving seed and bread to feed the birds, experts say this can encourage large congregations of wildlife, leading to droppings, noise complaints, and in worst-case scenarios – like this one – deaths from disease or poisoning. The situation has placed a spotlight on the role of shopping centre owners and commercial landlords in managing public spaces, including outdoor seating areas and shared car parks. On Thursday, more dead birds were discovered in nearby Dandenong, including several pigeons and one corella. The Conservation Regulator is continuing its investigation and is urging members of the public to come forward with any information. 'If you have any knowledge of either incident, please report it on 136 186 or call Crime Stoppers Victoria,' a Conservation Regulator spokesperson said. 'It's illegal and dangerous to poison wildlife, and we're calling on the community to come forward with any information they might have that will help us to track down whoever is responsible.'
ABC News
15-07-2025
- ABC News
‘Falling from the sky': Investigation launched into suspected Melbourne native bird poisoning
A Melbourne wildlife carer estimates 400 native corellas and pigeons may have died from suspected poisoning in Melbourne's south-east over the weekend. Warning: This story contains images some readers may find distressing. Michele Phillips, who has worked as a wildlife carer for 35 years and runs the South Oakleigh Wildlife Shelter, was called to the Springvale South Shopping Centre in Melbourne's south-east after reports of many deceased birds in the area. "There was a house over the road that had its roof covered in dead and dying birds. People in different houses came out, they all had dead or dying birds." Ms Phillips said cleaners at the centre had been clearing dead birds from the area since Friday night and said "no doubt" poisoning was to blame. "They bleed from their nose and eyes [after poisoning] … This was exactly the same," she said. "Corellas, they mate for life — so it was horrible because you were seeing their partners next to them knocking them around, trying to [understand] what was happening." Corellas are one of the native bird species protected under the Victorian Wildlife Act 1975. The maximum penalty for hunting, taking or destroying protected wildlife in Victoria is $10,175.50 and six-months' prison, plus $1017.55 for every head of wildlife involved. Speaking on Radio National Breakfast, Wildlife Victoria CEO Lisa Palma said multiple volunteers helped collect the bodies of dead birds after receiving "multiple emergency calls" about birds behaving "abnormally". Ms Palma said other native bird species including the crested pigeons, ravens, sulphur-crested cockatoos and silver gulls were also found among the dead birds. The birds were sent to Healesville Sanctuary for toxicology testing. Healesville Sanctuary said the Conservation Regulator at the Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action is leading the investigation. A spokesperson for the Conservation Regulator confirmed an investigation "into the cause of death of a large number of corellas" is underway. According to the department, anyone who sees five or more sick or dead wild birds or wildlife should report it online or on 136 186. Any sightings of sick or dead penguins or pelicans, birds of prey, black swans and marine mammals should also be reported. It is unclear what caused the deaths of these birds. Earlier this year, an investigation was launched by Agriculture Victoria and the Conservation Regulator after dozens of corellas were found dead in the Wimmera. The Horsham Rural City Council suspected poisoning as the cause of death after seeds were found scattered in the area. After the Springvale South incident, Ms Palma warned people against feeding native birds. "We did have reports from members of the public that someone was leaving bird seeds out in the area, and we understand the department has collected some of that bird seeds as well for testing," she said. Ms Phillips said she sees people feeding birds "all the time". "People were dropping off seeds and rice and throwing it on the ground, I ended up ringing the council and asked them to clean the area up," she said. "[The birds] know how to survive. People feeding wild birds, it encourages disease and it encourages the birds to be dependent on that food." In a statement, Greater Dandenong City Council executive director Community Strengthening, Peta Gillies said the discovery of deceased birds was "distressing" for the community and said the council is supporting the relevant organisations in the investigation. In Victoria, bird feeding laws differ in each local government area. According to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, 14 of the 31 local councils in Greater Melbourne have laws regarding feeding wild birds.
Perth Now
14-07-2025
- Perth Now
‘Doomsday-like scenes' as birds drop dead
More than 200 birds, including native corellas, were found dead outside a shopping centre in Melbourne's south over the weekend in what wildlife rescuers are calling a mass poisoning event. 'Had a traumatic day rescuing birds that had been poisoned,' Michelle Phillips from South Oakleigh Wildlife Shelter said. Witnesses described a confronting and distressing scene, with birds falling to the ground outside Springvale South shopping centre and a nearby school playground. 'They literally fell from the sky,' Ms Phillips said. 'Birds were dead or injured on people's houses, nearby parks, under cars.' Witnesses said more than 200 birds 'fell from the sky'. South Oakleigh Wildlife Shelter. Credit: Supplied It's believed the birds ate poisoned feed. South Oakleigh Wildlife Shelter Credit: Supplied It's believed the birds – mostly corellas and some pigeons – consumed poisoned feed on Friday, with the deaths continuing over the weekend. By Monday, the clean-up was still ongoing. 'There were over 200 dead, eight alive now at Healesville Sanctuary with autopsies happening,' Ms Phillips said. 'This is one reason that people should not feed wild birds, there is plenty natural food around.' Eight surviving birds are being treated at Healesville Sanctuary. South Oakleigh Wildlife Shelter. Credit: Supplied The incident has drawn strong condemnation from the Animal Justice Party and calls for urgent legislative reform. 'This is yet another example of sickening animal cruelty that continues to happen in Victoria,' Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell said. 'I am disturbed to think that someone may have deliberately caused these doomsday-like scenes in suburban Melbourne where birds are literally falling from the sky. 'I hope that authorities throw every resource at finding those responsible for this heinous crime. 'The Allan Labor government must honour their commitment to modernise our state's archaic wildlife protection laws to deter this abhorrent behaviour and ensure serious penalties can be applied when perpetrators are caught.' Corellas are native to Australia and protected under Victorian wildlife laws.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mass poisoning fears after 'horrendous' discovery in front of suburban shopping centre
WARNING — DISTRESSING IMAGES: Streets surrounding a suburban Australian supermarket were in chaos over the weekend after a suspected mass-poisoning resulted in birds falling from the sky in front of shocked shoppers. The bodies of more than 200 corellas, a type of native cockatoo, were collected from gutters and footpaths at the shopping centre on the corner of Springvale and Athol Roads in Springvale, Melbourne. Michelle Phillips, who has rescued and cared for wildlife for over 25 years, told Yahoo News she feared she'll have nightmares. 'I've done lots of horrible rescues, but this is the worst,' the South Oakleigh Wildlife Shelter founder said. Birds were documented bleeding from the mouth, eyes and nostrils, leading first responders to believe they'd consumed rat bait. Birds are regularly fed in the area, luring large disruptive flocks to the shopping strip. But rescuers are suspicious that several bags full of seed and bread dumped on Friday and Saturday nights could be linked to the massive mortality event, and samples have been collected for testing. 'Nobody rang it in on Saturday, the cleaners just cleaned it up. Then someone rang it in on Sunday, and when I arrived, [they] were dead everywhere,' Michelle said. The falling birds created chaos on the streets, and rescuers were concerned someone would get run over as cars tried to avoid hitting them, and rubberneckers tried to get a closer look at the spectacle. 'People were stopping and taking photos. Birds were dropping everywhere in front of cars and getting run over,' Michelle added. 🚨 Calls for Bunnings, Mitre 10, Coles and Woolworths to ditch 'toxic' product 🌵 Remarkable 26-year change revealed on Aussie desert property 📸 Rare colour footage of extinct Australian animal seen again after 90 years Pictures supplied to Yahoo News show the bodies of dozens of corellas and several pigeons collected by volunteer rescuers. 'It was gruesome. It was heartbreaking. We try and save these animals, and it seems like some bastard is trying to kill them deliberately,' she said. 'It was horrendous. We walked the streets, because they were just dropping on top of people's houses. There was more in a nearby school which we couldn't get, it's school holidays luckily, or kids would have turned up and found them on Monday. Suspicious mass poisonings of corellas and other cockatoo species have frequently been documented around Australia, particularly around farms in South Australia and suburban NSW. In March, after around 200 corellas suddenly died in Newcastle, testing by the NSW EPA found evidence it was caused by Fenitrothion, a common agricultural insecticide. In Victoria, it is illegal to kill native wildlife without a permit from the Department of Environment (DEECA). The agency describes cockatoos as 'highly intelligent' and recommends scaring combined with shooting as a means of control. Poisoning any cockatoo species is illegal in Victoria. It's understood eight corellas were taken to Healesville Sanctuary for assessment, and Yahoo is seeking clarification as to whether any survived. RSPCA Victoria confirmed it is aware of the incident, and because it involves native wildlife, it has been referred to DEECA. It has been contacted for comment. On Monday morning, Michelle collected the bodies of 13 more birds. She remains at the scene, ready to help as birds continue to die. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
