Here is the Nature Knowledge Channel’s assessment of yet another disgraceful episode in the endangerment of Koalas in Victoria.

“Of the things we like the least, extreme cruelty to animals and dishonesty are high on the list. We would also have an expectation, as old fashioned as it now sounds, that governments conduct themselves in ways that ensure both high standards of governance and professional standards. We would also expect proper, timely and accurate communications from all levels of government in Australia. The attempted secrecy by the Victorian Government regarding the mass killing of Koalas by shooting them in the treetops from a helicopter has to be one of the low points in our relationship with the natural world in Australia. The animal organisations drawn into this dark web, who knew that this would happen prior to the mass killing, need to ask themselves some very serious questions”. Peter Hylands

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Numbers?

Claims about the population of Koalas in Victoria are similar to those very high and inflated Kangaroo population estimates in the state.

“Koalas are one of Australia’s most recognised and valued wildlife species and Victoria has a large and thriving Koala population”. Victorian Government

“The model estimated a state-wide Koala population of 459,865, with an estimated 412,948 (95% credible interval (CI) of 324,772–519,578) in native forest and woodland and a further 46,917 (95% CI, 35,998– 60,054) in eucalypt plantations”. Victorian Government

Meanwhile in Queensland:

“Koalas could be extinct in south-east Queensland in 'not-too-distant future', RSPCA says. South-east Queensland has fewer than 16,000 Koalas left in the wild, and of those experts say 10 per cent will end up in veterinary hospitals each year”. ABC, 28 May 2025

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Koalas at Budj Bim

The Victorian Government claims that:

• Koalas in Victoria are ‘overabundant’;
• That the condition of Koalas could be assessed from the air;
• That on ground teams in vehicles could collect the bodies (and no doubt kill the joeys and wounded), yet the fire ground was inaccessible and rescues were not possible;  and that
• This was the first time that aerial shooting was used to kill Koalas in the Budj Bim National park and surrounds.

As far as we know and as confirmed by Zoos Victoria when we checked a few weeks ago, not a single Koala from the fires made it to rehabilitation in the costly and publicly funded Koala Hospital (now described as ward) built specifically for that purpose and region).

The Koalas were still being killed 7 weeks after the fire at Budj Bim started.

“Aerial operations finished on Friday 25 April 2025, but ground crews are continuing to undertake wildlife welfare surveillance patrols of fire affected areas to provide support to wildlife. Since early March, 2,219 Koalas have been assessed by both ground and aerial teams, with 48 per cent (1065) identified as suffering severe injuries and burns from the bushfire and required humane euthanasia to relieve unnecessarily suffering”. Victorian Government

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Our relationship with Budj Bim spans several years and numerous visits. It had become increasingly difficult, following a series of Koala killing events by the state’s environment department, to locate any Koalas in the National Park. On one occasion in 2022 we were told by a ranger that if we wanted to see Koalas, we should go to Tower Hill. In May 2025, and again a ranger at Lake Condor who had just come across from Lake Surprise, said he had just seen a couple of Koalas.

Outside the immediate camping ground our investigations in May 2025, which were extensive, did not locate a single Koala in the Budj Bim National Park. The Friends of the Earth located just three.

So how was it possible to locate 2,219 Koalas in the Budj Bim National Park, what actually happened here?

These matters need to form part of a government inquiry into what actually occurred at Budj Bim National Park in the period following the Budj Bim fire in early March 2025.

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Our findings are not dissimilar to the investigations and conclusions described by Koala expert James Fitzgerald (Two Thumbs Wildlife Trust) and the Friends of the Earth, who visited Budj Bim following the mass killings.

“A larger bushfire in 2020, three times the size of the recent fire did not mean that helicopter shooting was employed. Why the change in five years? Have hundreds of Koalas descended onto Budj Bim after recent Blue gum plantation logging? Friends of the Earth

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What we found (images in this section from May 2025).

• No Koalas identified outside the immediate camp ground;
• Banding of major food trees; and
• Significant destruction of trees along tracks through fire grounds, these have been felled to allow  access to the fires?

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We all have significant knowledge and experience in these matters in relation to biodiversity loss in Australia and the impact of bushfires, when it comes to Koalas, no one more than James Fitzerald.

James describes the situation at Budj Bim to the Nature Knowledge Channel:

"The fire ground was long and narrow, therefore Koalas could smell the unburnt trees and find food easily. The fireground canopy has brown leaves, the fire does not look to have killed the trees, therefore the bushfire was not as destructive as the black summer bushfires. The fireground is flat country, much easier to walk in than the steep mountainous country we were rescuing Koalas and other species from the black summer bushfires (2019-2020). Basically, the justification the department put out to shoot Koalas, all seem to be exaggerated. Also, severely injured Koalas would be dead within one week of the bushfire. They did not start shooting Koalas until many weeks after the bushfire. Any Koala surviving that long post bushfire, either does not need any help or is a good candidate for rescue and rehabilitation. They were shooting them from tree tops, which means that Koalas would fall to the ground and the tree canopy would block vision for a follow up shot. Koalas would have been left alive with gunshot injuries and injuries from falling from the tree, plus no people were checking the pouches of female Koalas for joeys. The cruelty inflicted by shooting Koalas from the tree tops, is, I think, impossible to justify".

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Aerial ignition at the nearby Cobboboonee National Park

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The first thing to say about Cobboboonee National Park in South-Western Victoria is that it is a beautiful place. It is in the same cluster of parks as Mt Richmond and Budj Bim.

Despite the disaster for Koalas at Budj Bim and in the region generally, with claims from the Victorian Government that there was no food for Koalas so they should be destroyed, igniting 93 hectares of precious bushland seems irresponsible at best. Not checking for the presence of wildlife, particularly so Koalas, can only be described as outrageous. Aerial ignition, doing so from aircraft, adds another dimension to the madness.

In case you are in doubt, Koalas do call Cobboboonee National Park home, so they are still present in the park.

Photos in this section taken May 2025.

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Recent histories of non-rescues, this is what we said at the time

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“Management of overabundant Koala populations relies on non-lethal control methods, except in circumstances where health assessments require euthanasia of animals in very poor condition”. Victorian Government Koala ‘Management’ Strategy, 2023

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Framlingham fires, Western Victoria, 2007: What it looked like and should look like

In January 2007, 1,500 hectares of the Framlingham Forest were devasted by a bushfire. The forest, an island in an ocean of farmland was in large part destroyed, but some of the forest canopy survived.  After initially trying to block wildlife rescuers from entering the forest and claiming only 6 Koalas needed to be assessed, the Victoria’s environment department (then named the Department of Sustainability and Environment),swayed by media attention at the time, allowed rescues to commence. Of the 400 Koalas initially assessed by the wildlife rescue teams in the hours and days that followed, 250 of those Koalas were given to wildlife carers and after recovery were relocated.

As more information about the rescues from the Framlingham fire comes in from those involved in the rescue, over the month following the fires the rescues continued, and by conclusion of the rescue effort, 365 Koalas had been taken into care. None of the brave rescuers were injured during the rescues. 

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2013 and 2014

The largest Victorian Government Koala kill we know of prior to Budj Bim 2025 occurred in 2013 and 2014 at Cape Otway. Despite efforts at secrecy from the Government, we all became aware of what was being done.

“Wildlife officials did three euthanasia sweeps to kill 686 Koalas in 2013 and 2014, in a covert campaign that was designed to avoid any backlash from green groups and the community”. Melbourne Age, March 2015

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2018-2019 wildfires in Victoria

During the 2018-2019 wildfires in Victorian Government environment department, DELWP as it was then, were trying to stop the rescue of young Koalas claiming they were overabundant, directed that Koalas should be sent to the Healesville Sanctuary Wildlife Hospital. Ross, the Director of the sanctuary, told Peter Hylands that they received just two Koalas that fire season, one was rehabilitated. Given what is being done, how is the Werribee Hospital going to receive Koalas from public lands etc, I doubt if DELWP will change their ways?

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2019-2020 wildfires in Victoria

These fires were the most serious known and many millions of native animals died in these fires and as the world donated very significant amounts to rescue and rehabilitate Australian wildlife injured in these fires.

Trying to get information from the Victorian Government, while pretending transparency is very difficult.

“If you require any more detailed information at this stage, we encourage you to submit your query through our Freedom of Information Process (FOIs). You can find more information on the process....”.

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What the investigations revealed as the blocking of wildlife rescues from public land was enforced by Victorian Government environment staff:

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SITE ONE The Budj Bim Cultural Landscape (has recently been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List recognised solely for its Aboriginal cultural values). The property enjoys legal protection at the highest national level according to the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act of 1999.

Number of animals assessed over three day period was 171, number of these euthanised 93, including 38 out of 38 Wallabies counted and 39 of 47 Kangaroos counted. Number of Koalas assessed 77, number of Koalas euthanised 13. These numbers are very telling given the numbers of Wallabies and Kangaroos killed. These animals are much more likely to escape fires than Koalas.

Total number of animals rescued at Budj Bim likely to be 78.

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SITE TWO Bairnsdale 608 animals assessed, 34 euthanised, 135 animals rescued, 127 of which were Koalas. Period from 6 January 2020 to 25 February 2020.

Total number of animals rescued Bairnsdale region public lands likely to be 135.

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SITE THREE Orbost 556 animals assessed, 23 euthanised, 13 animals rescued, 13 of which were Koalas. Period from 13 January 2020 to 22 February 2020.

Total number of animals rescued from Orbost region public lands likely to be 13.

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SITE FOUR Mallacoota 307 animals assessed, 185 euthanised, of which 181 were Kangaroos and Wallabies, rescued and triaged 122, 53 of which were Koalas. Those triaged, 42 were released, 44 were euthanised, 17 transferred to Zoos Victoria (16 of which were Koalas) and 11 were transferred to a carer, of the initial number triaged, 8 died in care after rescue.

Period from 6 January 2020 to 6 February 2020. The majority of the killing occurring in the first two weeks.

Total number of animals rescued from Mallacoota region public lands likely to be 122 of which at least 52 died.

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SITE FIVE Hume 445 animals assessed, 7 euthanised, 2 animals rescued. Period unknown.

Total number of animals rescued from Hume region public lands likely to be 2.

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2022

In 2022 and in the west of Victoria yet again, the stories we are told by rescuers are horrific. A few days ago we visited the site of yet another Koala disaster, a fire reduction burn in the Mount Richmond National Park. Given the relatively small size of the trees in this area of the park it would not have been difficult to check if Koalas were present.

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May 2022 Budj Bim National Park

“Partnering with Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners and experienced vets, DELWP completed a two-week Koala ‘management’ program across the Budj Bim Indigenous Protected Areas in south-west Victoria between 9-22 May 2022. This work will help protect declining Manna Gum trees and special cultural values across the landscape.

A total of 125 Koalas were captured and underwent health checks over the two-week period. checked, 68 were female and 57 male, with 49 healthy females fertility controlled, unfortunately, 30 Koalas were assessed by experienced veterinarians to be in poor health and were humanely euthanised to prevent further suffering. The project has been funded as a one-off initiative through the Bushfire Biodiversity Response and Recovery Program”. Victorian Government

Then again:

"Budj Bim National Park, 14 December 2022: A total of 93 Koalas were captured and underwent health checks over the six-day period. Of those checked, 58 were female and 35 male, with 34 healthy females fertility controlled. Given the over browsing occurring in some areas, unfortunately 28 koalas were assessed by experienced veterinarians to be in poor health and were humanely euthanised to prevent further suffering".

Given the short period between both events at Budj Bim in 2022, this question arises. Given the initial and what appears to have been a significant two week and well-funded attempt to locate Koalas in the Budj Bim National Park. The search and program could only locate 125 Koalas, of which 30 (24 per cent) were killed. Just 6 months later they have a second go, this time locating just 93 Koalas, this time killing 28 (30 per cent) of the Koalas. Given that in the second round of ‘health inspections’ all the sub categories were smaller than in the first, the question arises, were the second batch of Koalas mostly the same Koalas that were assessed in May? While our question is hypothetical and we will never receive a  straight answer from this secretive government, given just how few Koalas were actually located at Budj Bim, there is a reasonable probability that there was indeed an overlap in the individuals ‘assessed’. Even the language surrounding the December kill suggests the motive for the killing had little to do with animal welfare.

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March 2023: Portland

Our frequent visits to Western Victoria, where there is a significant wood chip industry, included discussions with Alcoa’s (Portland Aluminium) media staff, at first quite open, and then closed down. So information is very hard to get. This is what we know and as reported by Michael Dahlstrom, the environment editor of yahoo!news under the headline 152 Koalas killed in private forest by US company.

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Koala Hospital?

The Koala Hospital as described by the zoos own PR.

“Australia's devastating summer bushfires ravaged native species such as Koalas. The $1.84 million Koala Hospital will be built at Werribee Open Range Zoo, with a staggering $1.3 million coming from generous donations made to RSPCA Victoria during last summer’s devastating bushfires. The remaining costs will be funded through Zoos Victoria. Bushfire donations will pay for the new $1.84 million (or as reported elsewhere $2.55 million) Koala Hospital after thousands of the animals were killed in last summer's blazes. The facility will be based at Werribee Open Range Zoo in Melbourne's outer west”.

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Blue gum plantations in the area surrounding Budj Bim National Park

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Fire management?

On 30 May 2025 we stood in Gariwerd National Park, in the same place and in among the same burnt trees we stood with immediately following the fires and that was about 4 months ago. The ash has hardened to some degree, the trees still stark and black. An occasional green shoot on an occasional tree. On most there is no new growth.

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Immediately adjoining this place and at park’s edge, a landholder has taken the opportunity the fire has provided to clear yet more bushland and to erect an exclusion fence. We see two Western Grey Kangaroos in this place. There is no other life, no bird song, no birds.

Despite all this the Victorian Government is still lighting up the bush in what it now calls controlled or prescribed burns.

We know from long experience that there is little research on effectiveness of these (western influenced) approaches to fire prevention, which in Victoria, at the scale of what occurs now are relatively new. Here is how we see it:

• The approach is ‘blunt’ and it does not consider risks and trade-offs;
• Risks relate to a prescribed burning turning into a wildfire. This does happen but the evidence for this is murky due to the poor quality of data on wildfires;
• There is rarely a ‘trade-off’ assessment done about a cool burn in relation to environmental loss, such as old vegetation and endangered species, weed penetration post burn, cost of prescribed burn and land repair, risk of turning into a wildfire, alternative approaches, such as through land-use planning;
• Prescribed burning is required every few years on the same site to maintain the clearing;
• There is no evidence of an evaluation of the need for a prescribed burn for particular ecosystems, as some land does not have a history of burning;
• There is not a price put on the value of a piece of undisturbed land. Thus, in effect, land with native vegetation is treated as of no value.There is an increasing body of evidence that land clearing is not necessarily effective in preventing wildfire, and in some situations, may increase the risk of wildfire; and
• The impact on wildlife is not considered and that is evident across the state.

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COVID bounce?

We are witness to a significant shift in behaviours. Victoria, and when it comes to the treatment of Australian wildlife, has entered an ‘anything goes” phase. Those engaged in wildlife killing and in the employ of the Victorian Government have got away with so much in the last few years, with no or little control from senior government leaders, that the conduct towards the public in Victoria has become ‘ cocky’ and arrogant and even threatening. It is indeed contemptuous, and particularly so to those who care about the natural world in that state.

The anxiety and suffering of the carers involved in local Koala care groups is also evident.

The mass killing of Koalas from the Budj Bim complex and surrounds, and from the air, is testament to that change.

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Endgame

On 3 June the Victorian Government sent out this email in an attempt to mitigate the reputational damage this event has created for Victoria. It exposes the general attitudes and behaviours now so entrenched in the state’s environment department. The inconsistent claims that follow here are dubious (major extract).

Two key questions from this email arise here:

“Since early March 2025, 2,219 Koalas have been assessed by both ground and aerial teams, with 48 per cent identified as suffering severe injuries and burns from the bushfire and required humane euthanasia to relieve unnecessarily suffering”.

QUESTION 1: Where are the 1,154 Koalas that were not ‘euthanised’? They do not appear to be in the Budj Bim National Park.

“Crews have been undertaking ground and aerial health assessments of impacted wildlife and providing support for wildlife suffering from this significant event. Aerial and ground assessments used established animal welfare guidelines to assess injuries and overall health of each individual animal”.

QUESTION 2: How many of the Koalas euthanised were killed using the ground assessment method, that is killed on the ground and not shot from a helicopter?

Extract commences:

“Since mid-March 2025, as soon as it was safe, specialist staff have been working with experienced veterinarians, locally trained and authorised wildlife carers deployed through the Wildlife Emergency Support Network (WESN), and animal welfare experts to respond to wildlife impacted by the bushfire. Crews have been undertaking ground and aerial health assessments of impacted wildlife and providing support for wildlife suffering from this significant event. Aerial and ground assessments used established animal welfare guidelines to assess injuries and overall health of each individual animal. However, due to the impacts of the bushfire and the resulting injuries and low likelihood of survival of many animals due to the sudden lack of food post-fire, many of the animals have required humane euthanasia.

In each case, this was the most humane action to relieve the pain and suffering of fire-impacted Koalas and is supported by advice from wildlife experts and experienced veterinarians.

The wildlife welfare response incident officially finished on Friday 9 May 2025, but the land manager will continue to monitor wildlife in Budj Bim National Park.

The aerial operations identified and humanely euthanised bushfire impacted Koalas in areas of the park that were not accessible by foot, and that would have otherwise suffered unnecessarily due to severe injuries from the bushfire.

The decision to employ this method was not taken lightly. DEECA made the decision to use this approach in consultation with leading animal welfare experts and experienced veterinarians. It was undertaken in accordance with strict guidelines after confirmation of the effectiveness and humaneness of an aerial assessment and euthanasia. The only viable options for large parts of the park were to either leave the impacted koalas to deteriorate and die slowly and painfully or take steps to end their suffering by using aerial assessments and euthanasia.

Koalas were individually assessed by trained and accredited wildlife assessors against set guidelines which are focused primarily on the impact of bushfire to their physical state and behavior of the individual as being strong indicators for the state of welfare. These assessments were undertaken as close as operationally viable, often at less than 30 metres.

Further veterinary assessments have now confirmed that the overall state of welfare of koalas in the bushfire impacted areas of the park is significantly improved. The updated assessment concluded that the emergency response to wildlife welfare including humane euthanasia has now alleviated suffering in those animals most severely impacted as a direct result of the bushfire. Since early March 2025, 2,219 koalas have been assessed by both ground and aerial teams, with 48 per cent identified as suffering severe injuries and burns from the bushfire and required humane euthanasia to relieve unnecessarily suffering.

Several emergency response interventions were also trialed to support the response. Artificial water troughs were deployed and were monitored by remote cameras to determine which species were accessing them. The images showed that no native mammals accessed the water troughs but that pests, including foxes, were drawn to the area. A supplementary feeding trial was also undertaken within the bushfire affected area. The site was selected based on Koala activity and accessibility for installation and monitoring. Suitable manna gum was collected from off-site and brought to the park, however no Koalas were recorded accessing the feed.

Koala health check programs will also continue across the Budj Bim cultural landscape in the future, with information from this incident informing future decisions”.

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