As the ash settles over Budj Bim National Park in western Victoria, a controversial operation to cull up to 750 koalas has sparked outrage among wildlife advocates.
Helicopter-based snipers have been deployed over the past month to euthanise koalas left injured, starving, or dehydrated after a bushfire tore through over 2,200 hectares of bushland.
Authorities argue that euthanasia is necessary to prevent prolonged suffering among koalas in an already overpopulated and resource-strained ecosystem.
But critics say the method is inhumane, poorly monitored, and reflective of long-term policy failure in managing koala populations in Victoria.
Low Likelihood of Survival
The operation is believed to be the first time Victoria has used aerial shooters to manage a koala population....
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