Farewell to Koalas

[Bayard]

Farewell to Koalas – Australia culls more than 700 koalas with helicopter gunships after fires in Budj Bim National Park



They came in helicopters. Not to drop water or rescue survivors, but to take aim. Snipers, armed and authorized, flew over a scorched stretch of forest in Victoria, Australia. Below them, koalas clung to burnt trees, too injured to move or too weak to feed. One by one, more than 700 of them were shot. To American readers, the idea sounds unthinkable. Koalas are symbols of innocence—gentle, sleepy, tree-bound creatures we associate with peace and eucalyptus leaves. But in April 2025, they became part of an operation that many call mercy, and others call madness.

It started in March, when a bushfire swept through Budj Bim National Park, destroying over 2,200 hectares of forest. For koalas, the consequences were immediate and devastating. These animals rely entirely on certain types of eucalyptus for both food and shelter. When those trees burn, they don’t just lose their homes—they starve. Officials and wildlife responders found koalas badly burned, dehydrated, or slowly fading away in treetops. The terrain made it almost impossible for ground crews to reach them. Trees were unstable. The fire had left dangerous debris. And the koalas were high up in the canopy, beyond safe human reach. The government of Victoria, backed by its Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), said there was no better option. It was either let the animals suffer, or end their misery as quickly and painlessly as possible. So they hired trained shooters, put them in helicopters, and gave the green light. The decision wasn’t made in a day. Officials said it followed what they called “exhaustive assessments”. The shooters were given instructions to only target koalas that were beyond saving—those severely burned, starving, or already close to death. And from a certain angle, the logic holds. The rescue alternative would have taken days or weeks. Many of the animals would have died in pain while waiting for help that couldn’t get to them. Aerial euthanasia, offered speed, mercy and finality.

But the response from the public, and from conservationists, has been anything but calm. Groups like Koala Alliance raised urgent concerns. From a moving helicopter, how can anyone be sure an animal is beyond help? How do you check if a female has a joey in her pouch? What happens to the orphaned babies? Rolf Schlagloth, a koala researcher at CQUniversity, echoed those worries. He said rescue should have been the first choice. And if it wasn’t possible, the government should have done more to explain why. “It seems very indiscriminate,” he said. Critics believe the problem didn’t begin with the fire. For years, koalas have moved between Budj Bim and nearby commercial eucalyptus plantations. These plantations offer temporary food, but they’re harvested regularly, forcing koalas to return to the park in bigger numbers than the land can support. When the fire hit, the park was overcrowded—and unprepared. The truth is, this wasn’t just a cull. It was the end result of years of mismanagement, rising temperatures, and forest fragmentation. A perfect storm for a species already struggling. Still, some veterinarians support the government’s move. They argue that dragging suffering animals out over days might have caused more pain than a bullet. But the operation raises questions that go beyond one park or one country. How do we measure animal suffering? Who gets to decide when a life is no longer worth saving?

This isn’t the first time humans have had to make these choices. At the start of World War I, tens of thousands of British families put down their pets. Faced with harsh rationing and no clear end to the war, they chose to euthanize dogs and cats rather than let them slowly waste away from hunger. It wasn’t cruelty—it was fear, grief, and a sense of duty. In Budj Bim, the same emotions seem to hang in the air. Grief for what’s lost. Guilt for what wasn’t prevented. And the heavy burden of mercy. For the koalas that remain, the future is uncertain. Fires will keep coming. So will the pressures of land development, logging, and climate change. If Australia wants to avoid another farewell like this, it needs more than sympathy. It needs policy changes: real protection of habitats, better fire planning, and stricter rules for forestry near conservation zones.

No more at link:
https://eladelantado.com/news/koalas-cull-australia-after-fires/

[byronius]

1. That's an ugly act.

Good lord.

[Duppers]

2. So SAD.

Of course, Trump would not have sent help, had they asked.

[Bayard]

3. I'm sure his two sons and Noem would have been happy to, "help."