Koala is a national Australian icon. And in some parts of the country, these marsupials – known for their fluffy ears, adorable clingy babies, and eucalyptus leaves diets – are at risk of extinction. Over the past 20 years, population sizes in some regions have fallen by half.
It may seem strange that the government is shooting them from trees. From the helicopter. In a national park.
Earlier this month, government officials likely shot hundreds of koalas dead from helicopters in Budge Bim National Park, a protected area in southern Victoria, as reported by journalist Michael Dahlstrom.
Some animal welfare advocates are on guard. Meanwhile, the government says it's for the benefit of koalas. But ultimately, the death of these animals points to much greater issues, including climate change. This forces the institutions that manage wildlife to make incredibly difficult choices.
Why is the Australian government killing Koalus?
In March, a massive wildfire burned more than 5,400 acres in the park, wounding some koalas, destroying large quantities of eucalyptus leaves, and their food. The government says the controversial programme aims to end the end of koalas suffering from burns and starvation.
However, some koala supporters say there is more in the story.
Not only are the animals starving for fire, but also because logging and development have destroyed much of Victoria's habitat. Supporters also pointed out that there is commercial blue gum eucalyptus plantation around Budge Bim National Park, where Koalus has become his go-to. Once those plantations are harvested, the koalas living within them move to Budgbim, putting pressure on what remains of natural forest in the park. A fire only makes the situation worse. Destroy food in areas with a dense population of koalas.
“This incident is another in a long line of mismanagement of species and their habitats,” Rolf Schlagloth, a Koala researcher at Cquniversity Australia, told me via email. “While we cannot completely eliminate bushfires, more continuous and healthy forests can help reduce the risk and severity of fire. Koala habitat requires extensive huddle connections and blue gum farm management should consider koalas as these trees are very attractive.”
Schlagross and other koala experts are also skeptical that shooting animals from helicopters is the best approach. When an animal is seriously injured, euthanasia is often a humane response, but they say, it should be a last resort. And the aircraft “seems like a very indiscriminate way,” Schlagross said.
Australia has a long history of managing wildlife by killing wildlife (both native and non-native).
“Rescue should always be the first option if feasible,” Schlagross said.
According to the Victorian government, rescue of koalas or up close assessments of their health was not feasible. “All other methods considered are not appropriate considering the inability to safely access large areas of the affected landscape on foot due to the remote area of canopy, animals with a large amount of robust terrain. Considering the safety risks of working on fire-affected trees,” said James Todd, executive of the leading biological style of energy, staying in the environment.
Deeca has consulted with experienced wildlife veterinarians, and only koalas in very poor condition are euthanized, the agency told VOX. (The term “euthanasia” is a bit stretching, as it means that the animal was killed without pain. It is not guaranteed to fire from a helicopter.
What you need to help Koalus
It is easy to blame the Victorian government for the death of these koalas. And that may be worthy of some responsibility. However, when the fire broke out, there was really no good option to help the park animals without addressing more fundamental issues.
Habitat losses are significant, and so are climate change. This is one of the dynamics that damage wildfires more frequently in Australia. One study published in 2023 found that about 40% of koala habitat is highly susceptible to fire, with the proportion increasing in decades and increasing as the planet warms.
In late 2019 and early 2020, catastrophic fires destroyed eastern Australia, killing or expelling approximately 3 billion animals, including an estimated 60,000 koalas. Scientists say climate change has made the conditions for these fires more possible.
“National parks are our last fortress of wildlife, and the increasing severity of wildfires and other extreme weather events puts Australia's incredible native species at significant risk for native species like koalas.” “Climate change and habitat losses are taken seriously, with collective efforts from governments, private companies and the public, saving native species that don't exist anywhere else.”
“There's hope,” Parma said. “But that requires collective effort.”
