Trees filled with koala were flattened to the ground by bulldozers.
Fallen trees were pushed together to form rows – imagine the koalas being smashed onto the ground and then crushed again.
The cries would have been loud and distressing. The workers would have heard them.
This is an extremely horrific case of animal cruelty that we were first responders for back in 2020. It was like nothing our team had ever experienced before and it will haunt them to this day.
A shocking event unfolded at a gum plantation in Cape Bridgewater, revealing a grave act of cruelty towards koalas . The plantation’s owner admitted to clearing the land, which was home to hundreds of koalas, without consideration for their welfare.
This reckless action resulted in over 300 koalas being injured or killed, suffering from severe injuries, dehydration, and starvation.
The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DEECA) has dedicated four years to gathering evidence, leading to the prosecution of the landowner and two contractors involved in the bulldozing. Dr Elaine Ong played a crucial role by documenting each koala’s condition through photographs and triage records.
The outcome of the legal proceedings has been deeply disappointing.
The landowner was fined $34,000 without conviction. One contractor was fined $20,000, and another $79,000 with five convictions, penalties that seem trivial considering the suffering caused.
The story began on January 29, 2020, when Dr Elaine Ong received a distress call from Tracey Wilson of Moswood Wildlife Shelter regarding koalas in dire situations around the plantation. Witnesses had reported seeing koalas in distress, some on the ground near the plantation, others clinging to fallen trees. Tracey and her team were overwhelmed with treating the influx of injured koalas, prompting Dr Elaine to seek assistance from Animals Australia. Within six hours, she and Dr Chris Barton were enroute to the site.
Upon arrival, they joined forces with local rescuers – Robyn, Val, Ros, Katie, Vinnie (a local arborist and tree climber), and others – to set up a makeshift triage centre. Over the first two days, the two veterinarians examined and treated an average of 35 koalas each day, with many needing to be euthanized due to untreatable injuries while others were sent to Mosswood Wildlife Shelter for further care.
Five other local Wildlife Shelters assisted with housing and care also since there was just far too many to house at one location.
VFC dispatched three VFC veterinarians – Dr Paul Ramos, Dr James Taylor, and Dr Alison Brown – along with Narelle Smith as a helper, to assist at Mosswood. The shelter, supported by DELWP, worked tirelessly, almost around the clock, to provide care for the surviving koalas. This period of intense and dedicated effort by Tracey and her team spanned many months. The community rallied, providing essential support by passing supplies and preparing blended gum leaf smoothies for the joeys.
Despite the challenging conditions, including adverse weather that once scattered the rescued koalas, the team supported the capture and triage work, now taken over by DELWP and Zoos Victoria, managed to rescue over 200 koalas in the following weeks.
This incident stands as a reminder of the cruelty humans are capable of, challenging us to reflect on our values and the respect we owe to our fellow sentient beings. In 2024, it is a wake-up call that barbarism has no place in our society, and it our hope that humanity will strive for compassion and empathy towards all living creatures.
Alarmingly, this exact situation has just been repeated on Kangaroo Island, which had already suffered devastating losses in the 2019/2020 fires. Volunteers had worked tirelessly to save fire-affected wildlife, especially koalas, and now, without any regard for these efforts, a similar act of intentional cruelty is occurring, mirroring the tragic fate of the Cape Bridgewater koalas. This repeats the cycle of disregard for wildlife welfare and highlights an urgent need for change and stronger protective measures.
Leave a Reply