Koala ‘massacre’ anger
A KOALA “massacre” on Victoria’s southwest coast has united Geelong politicians in calling for those responsible to be punished.
Up to 500 koalas were reportedly killed during logging at a blue gum plantation at Cape Bridgewater, near Portland, about 300km from Geelong.
Animal Justice Party MP for Western Victoria Andy Meddick described the scene as “absolutely abhorrent” and vowed to hold the State Government to account in punishing those responsible.
“The Portland koala massacre is one of the worst things I have seen in all my years in the animal protection movement,” Mr Meddick said.
“Whoever has done this has been felling trees with koalas still in them, leaving dead and dying koalas everywhere.
“Koalas that were lucky enough to survive now have depleted food sources and are at risk of starving to death.
“It’s especially hard to comprehend how this can happen when we’ve lost an enormous amount of koalas to the bushfire crisis.
“At this stage, it is unclear who is at fault, but what is clear is that animals have been killed in large numbers and it cannot be unpunished.” after forestry contractors had left this plantation,” she said.
“The koalas were left in trees which were not felled in accordance with strict forestry protocols.
“The AFPA says these trees with the koalas in them were subsequently cut down by someone driving a bulldozer in breach of the protocols.
“This is a shocking case of animal cruelty and there must be the most serious of consequences.”
Senator Henderson also shared a statement from South West Fibre rejecting claims it had been involved in harming the koalas.
“In October 2019, SWF was engaged by the landowner of the property to remove a number of trees in a legitimate harvesting operation approved by the Department of Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and consistent with the SWF Koala Management Plan,” it said.
“Following the work, the site was handed back to the landowner in November 2019. SWF left an appropriate number of ‘habitat trees’ for the existing koala population and provided details of such in a letter to the landowner noting that the koalas were uninjured and in good health.
“It is understood that subsequent to SWF completing its work, the remaining trees have since been cleared.
“This is particularly concerning to the foresters and staff who worked assiduously to protect the koalas during the harvesting operation.”
The DELWP confirmed the State Government was investigating the koala deaths.
“If this is found to be due to deliberate human action, we expect the Conservation Regulator to act swiftly against those responsible,” a spokesperson said.
Under the Wildlife Act 1975, killing, harassing or disturbing wildlife can be punished by fines up to $8000 and an additional fine of more than $800 per head of wildlife.