Outrage as Australia kills 700 koalas in aerial cull, leaving joeys orphaned

Australian authorities are facing growing criticism from wildlife advocates following a controversial operation in which snipers in helicopters killed around 700 koalas in Victoria’s Budj Bim National Park, allegedly including healthy adults caring for young joeys.

The mass culling, carried out in early April, was initiated after bushfires devastated more than 2,000 hectares of koala habitat in the area, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Officials claimed the operation targeted koalas suffering from starvation, dehydration, or injuries caused by the fires. However, animal protection groups have condemned the method used and raised alarm over the likelihood that healthy animals were also killed in the process.

Wildlife organisations said shooting koalas from helicopters — flying approximately 30 meters (about 100 feet) above the ground — made it virtually impossible to accurately assess each animal’s condition. “The use of aerial shooting should be treated as a last resort,” said Friends of the Earth Melbourne in a press release. “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.”

Koala Alliance, another advocacy group, expressed outrage over the fate of joeys left without their mothers. “If koalas were shot out of trees, this means many joeys would be left to suffer and die. It’s despicable. It’s cruel,” the organisation wrote on Facebook.

Adding to concerns, the area around Budj Bim National Park has been restricted since the fires, preventing rescuers and wildlife carers from entering to assist any surviving or orphaned animals.

Alongside calls for a full review of the culling operation, activists are also urging the Victorian government to stop the harvesting of healthy eucalyptus trees in nearby private plantations. These trees are vital for koalas’ food and shelter, especially in the aftermath of fire-related habitat destruction.

Despite mounting criticism, the Victorian government defended the decision, asserting that it followed expert veterinary advice. “After an examination of the circumstances, this approach was deemed the way to really recognise the koalas were in a lot of distress,” said Premier Jacinta Allan.

Koalas are already listed as an endangered species in Queensland, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory, where populations are increasingly threatened by bushfires, logging, and the expansion of plantations. The recent events in Victoria have only intensified concerns about the broader future of one of Australia’s most iconic animals.

By Tamilla Hasanova