Australian officials are facing intense scrutiny after authorizing the euthanasia of hundreds of koalas in Victoria’s Budj Bim National Park. The controversial operation, carried out in early April, involved marksmen shooting approximately 700 koalas from helicopters.
The cull was initiated after devastating bushfires destroyed over 2,000 hectares of koala habitat, leaving many animals severely injured, dehydrated, and without food sources. Authorities stated the measure was necessary to prevent prolonged suffering among the surviving population.
However, the method—aerial shooting from distances of up to 30 meters—has drawn sharp criticism from animal welfare groups. Concerns have been raised about the accuracy of the operation, with fears that healthy koalas, including mothers with dependent joeys, may have been mistakenly killed. Activists also warn that orphaned joeys could now be left to starve or die from exposure.
Environmental organization Friends of the Earth Melbourne condemned the operation, calling aerial shooting a measure of last resort. The group emphasized that this marks the first known instance of koalas being culled from helicopters in Australia, setting what they describe as a dangerous ethical precedent.
The Koala Alliance echoed these concerns, labeling the cull as cruel and inhumane, particularly if young joeys were abandoned as a result.
Despite the backlash, the Victorian government has defended its decision, citing expert evaluations and veterinary recommendations. Officials maintain that the operation was conducted to alleviate the animals’ suffering following the ecological disaster.
Calls for an independent review of the culling process are growing, with advocates pushing for more transparent and humane wildlife management strategies in future crises.
