IS THIS TRUE?

[Loving my Oldies]

I can hardly type these words.  The horror, if it is true, is unbearable.  

 

I have seen reports from many and varied media outlets that the Victorian Government authorised the shooting from helicopters of Koalas in the Budj Bim National Park, citing they were in danger of starving because of recent bush fires.  The reports say approx 750 Koalas have been killed.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 13 hours ago by Loving my Oldies

[tdierikx]

Sadly... yes it's true.

 

T.

[persephone]

yes, true. 
From The Guardian 
 

Deakin University associate prof Desley Whisson, a wildlife ecologist who specialises in koala management, thinks it was a “merciful, compassionate response” in the circumstances, and one made despite the repercussions.

“It’s political suicide,” she says. “It would have just been easier for them to walk away and not do anything.”

“This is quite a drastic response,” she says.” But if you’ve got helicopters flying over an area and you see hundreds of koalas that are burnt, or covered in fire retardant, or otherwise showing signs of distress, I think you would want to make a decision to put them out of their misery.”

 

Palma says while the organisation would not like to see aerial killing of wildlife become the norm, euthanasia should be carried out using the approach that causes the least stress to the animal, as humanely as possible, and always be scrutinised.

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Is aerial culling accurate?

Todd says koalas were euthanised only after being individually assessed first, often at less than 30 metres, supported by use of binoculars and other optical aids.

 

He says an initial aerial trial – supported by a ground-based veterinary assessment – demonstrated that aerial shooting was both accurate and humane. According to Todd, a wildlife vet’s assessment during the trial showed that “all koalas assessed and euthanised by the aerial team during the trial were in very poor health and would have continued to suffer in a deteriorating state of welfare if they had remained alive”.