TORQUAY DEVELOPMENT PUSHES MOB OFF THE LAND

WILDLIFE rescuers report one mob of kangaroos in Torquay has shrunk from 30 to 16 in a matter of months, citing the impact of nearby housing developments as the cause.

First responder Jason Cichocki, of Surf Coast Animal Rescue Services, believes the area’s sprawling developments are pushing kangaroos off the land and onto busy roads, causing some mob numbers to almost half as a result of vehicle strikes and fence hazards.

Mr Cichocki said in the interest of animal and motorist safety he sought permission from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning to relocate the family to a suitable local property 18 months ago, predicting the “animal welfare crisis” now playing out.

The request, he said, was met with a refusal and a threat of prosecution should he take matters into his own hands, but he maintains it’s firming as the best solution at present.

“DELWP are not interested in relocating animals at all,” he said.

“It’s an expensive task, logistically a hard task to do ... with vets and transport vehicles ... but I’m not going to allow a bit of hard work and a bit of money stop us from helping the kangaroos.”

A department spokeswoman agreed kangaroo interactions in Torquay’s growth corridor had increased as a result of urban development and habitat loss, but maintained relocation carries significant risks.

“For example, there is a lack of available and suitable recipient sites, as sites that are capable of supporting kangaroos often already have existing kangaroo populations,” she said.

“Kangaroos panic when attempts are made to handle them and can become seriously injured or die when trying to escape.

“Often kangaroos attempt to move back to the area they were translocated from, which puts them at further risk of car collisions.”

Animal Active campaign director Rheya Linden said the group’s representatives and concerned locals are urgently seeking meetings with DELWP and the Surf Coast Shire to address the issue.

Ms Linden called on the Shire to integrate strict wildlife protective measures into its planning permit policy to prevent the situation from re-occurring in the future.

“Councils have power to mandate pre-clearing surveys of impacted wildlife and, in the case of kanga- roos, ensure that sufficient tree shelter and grazing sites are retained and, critically, movement corridors identified, protected or created away from heavy vehicle traffic,” she said.

The proposed meetings will also discuss the possibility of installing virtual fencing along the animal collision hot spots which aims to prevent animals crossing the road at night by letting out an alert when a vehicle is approaching.

“I’m not going to allow a bit of hard work and a bit of money stop us from helping the kangaroos.” JASON CICHOCKI