Up to 750 koalas have been fatally shot by helicopter snipers in the Australian state of Victoria over the past month, Australia's Liberal Party, currently in opposition, announced last week.
"The Allan Labor Government," referring to Labor Party Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan, "approved the use of helicopter-based snipers to shoot up to 750 koalas in Budj Bim National Park, in what is believed to be the first aerial shooting of koalas in Victoria," the Liberal Party added.
This came as part of a "planned culling following a wildfire there that wiped out about 2,000 hectares of bushland last month," Sky News Australia added.
Allan defended her policy by saying that the koalas being shot were "in a lot of distress," Sky News Australia reported, adding that the decision was made after "extensive assessments."
According to the Liberal Party, Wildlife Victoria's requests to send trained staff and veterinarians to the area "have been met with silence."
While Sky News Australia cited environment officials stating that the cull is necessary as many koalas are "already severely injured, dehydrated, or on the brink of starvation," this decision was criticized by some wildlife advocates.
Wildlife activists respond to the koala cull
President of the Koala Alliance, Jess Robertson stated "there is no way they can tell if a koala is in poor condition from a helicopter."
A Koala Alliance spokesman added "If koalas were shot out of trees, this means many joeys (baby koalas) would be left to suffer and die. It’s despicable. It’s cruel."
“We can’t eliminate bushfires altogether but more continuous, healthy forests can assist in reducing the risk and severity of fires. Koala habitat needs to be extensive and connected and the management of blue gum plantations needs to consider the koala as these trees are very attractive to them,” CQUniversity Australia's Rolf Schlagloth told Vox.
An aerial cull “appears to be a very indiscriminate method,” Schlagloth added.
“The use of aerial shooting should be treated as a last resort. This is the first time that koalas have been killed by shooting from a helicopter in Australia. Aerial culling of koalas is an Australian first and sets a nasty ethical precedent,” Friends of the Earth Melbourne stated.
No rescuers have bee allowed inside the national part to help orphaned koala babies because the area was blocked off by fires, the Friends of the Earth Melbourne added.
Activists are also calling on Allan's government to "end the harvesting of healthy eucalyptus trees on nearby private plantations so that koalas can safely use the trees for food and shelter," New York Post reported.
Koalas are listed as an endangered species in Queensland, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory, but not in Victoria, according to the New York Post.
Budj Bim National Park is located in the west of Victoria, approximately 250km. west of the state capital, Melbourne.