Fury at wombat deaths

Volunteers say 13 not seen since gorse clearing burn-off

WOMBAT rescue volunteers in the northern town of Kelso are outraged after burrows were buried and burnt as part of a gorse-clearing exercise on private-owned land.

Wombat Warriors say there were about 13 wombats — many of them having been, or were being, treated for sarcoptic mange — living on the land but none have been seen alive since the clearing took place.

Kelso has been one of the hardest hit areas as sarcoptic mange spreads through wombat populations across Tasmania. Volunteers last year started erecting “burrow flaps” to drench infected wombats and “hospitals” were established to isolate and treat infected animals.

At Narawntapu National Park the wombat population has been cut from hundreds to less than 10.

A photo of a dead wombat with mange and singed and blackened fur — found on a Kelso street — was posted on Wombat Warrior’s Facebook page.

The group is hoping other parcels of land that house healing wombats will be bought by conservation groups to ensure more burrows are not impacted in the same way.

In an email, a volunteer said she had spoken to the new owners of the 16ha block and explained many treated wombats lived in the gorse.

“I know they have a right to clear gorse, but do believe a small portion where the burrows were could have been left intact,” the volunteer said.

“A dozer was used to push gorse, and 13 wombats and their young were never seen again. Burning has been carried out continuously since.”

The Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment said staff would speak to landowners to ensure they were wombat aware.

“The discussion will also canvass options to control the gorse,” a spokesman said.

Last month, a rally in Hob- art called on the State Government to stop issuing permits to landowners to allow them to shoot wombats.

A petition bearing more than 33,000 signatures calling for the cull to be stopped was also delivered.

For methods to clear gorse, go to http://dpipwe.tas. gov.au/ invasive-species/ weeds/ weeds-index/declared-weedsindex/gorse.