Call for action after after dozens of koalas killed at plantation

Officials are investigating after dozens of koalas were found dead or injured at a timber plantation in the Australian state of Victoria. Environmental group Friends of the Earth Australia said reports of hundreds of starving koalas came in after the plantation was logged in December.

Blue gum trees, an important koala habitat, had been harvested from the plantation in December, with only a few isolated stands of trees left behind.

Some koalas had starved to death in the remaining trees, while others were apparently killed by bulldozers.

“People apparently witnessed the bulldozing of many dead koalas into slash piles,” the environment group said.

About 80 surviving koalas have been removed and are being cared for.

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

said it was prepared to prosecute over the incident.

Andrew Pritchard from the Department of the Environment said 25 koalas had been euthanised. He told ABC News the surviving koalas would be “rehabilitated at a later stage”.

Animal protection group Animals Australia said it has sent teams to the site in order to “save as many of these precious animals as possible”.

It added: “We are still gathering the details as to what has occurred in this case but it would appear that there are various breaches of legislation, including the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, which we will be supporting authorities to pursue.”

It is not clear which company is behind the logging. According to the logging industry, the blue gum trees were harvested in November and the contractor followed all of the protocols in place to protect the animals.

However, Animals Australia said it was investigating several apparent breaches of legislation. “By law, the companies that own these plantations must provide koala ‘spotters’ to identify koalas in trees before logging commences, so that animals can be safely removed and relocated. There is also a legal responsibility to ensure the welfare of koalas after logging has ceased,” it said.

The Australian Forest Products Association said the remaining trees were cleared after the contractors had left. It has vowed to investigate the incident.

Chief executive Ross Hampton said: “It is unclear as yet who bulldozed the trees with the koalas apparently still in them, but it is absolutely certain that this was not a plantation or a forestry company.”

Tens of thousands of koalas have been killed in the bushfires that have ravaged Australia.

The marsupial is listed as “vulnerable” by Australia’s Environment Ministry.