Hydro may join wombat mange fight

HYDRO Tasmania has reacted to the plight of sick wombats near its Musselroe wind farm by starting talks with the state’s volunteer wombat army about treating infected animals on its property.

Wombat Rescue received reports of hundreds of mangy wombats at Musselroe last week and put out a call for help.

Woolnorth Wind Farm Holding general manager Stephen Ross said the sarcoptic mange had been significantly affecting wombat populations across North-East Tasmania for many years, including on the Musselroe wind farm.

“We’ve been monitoring both the spread and impact of the disease and investigating strategies to help manage it,” Mr Ross said.

“Recent developments such as the installation of burrow flaps and applying Cydectin appear promising and we are in discussions with Wombat Rescue Tasmania to assess this strategy and to potentially implement it on the wind farm.”

The method of treating wombats infected with mange with burrow flaps laced with the drench was first devised by volunteers at Kelso, and they now have the permits needed to find and treat sick animals.

The volunteers are training others across the state as the crusade to save the wombat from the fast-spreading disease grows.

Reports of sick wombats are also coming in from other areas of the state, including Dunalley, Bothwell and Epping Forest.

Wombat Rescue South did a leaflet drop in the Tasman Peninsula area at the weekend and recruited the help of a family at Nugent, who have located the burrows of sick wombats and are now treating the infected animals on their property.