Overview

• A mid-March bushfire in Budj Bim National Park destroyed 2,200 hectares of habitat, leaving many koalas injured, starving, or with low survival chances.
• Victoria authorities authorized the euthanasia of 700 koalas via helicopter-based sharpshooting, citing the animals' poor health and inaccessible terrain.
• The aerial culling method, a first in Australia, has drawn sharp criticism from animal welfare organizations for its lack of transparency and ethical concerns.
• Critics argue that remote assessments from helicopters cannot reliably determine an animal’s condition or whether females are carrying joeys, raising fears of indiscriminate killing.
• Advocates call for alternatives such as ground-based rescue and feeding efforts, while the government maintains the cull was necessary to prevent prolonged suffering.