Nillumbik Council euthanising injured kangaroos at ‘scary’ rate

More kangaroos are being hit on roads in Melbourne’s north than ever before, council and wildlife workers say. But they’ve proposed a solution to fix the crisis.

Megan Bonomi, Anika V Hulsen, Keith Haynes and Isabel Nalato value Nillumbik Council’s wildlife euthanising service. Picture: James Ross

Nillumbik Council is on track for a record number of kangaroos killed under its euthanising service, with 314 in just four months.

New “scary” data showed the council logged 349 incidents from January 1, 2019 until the end of April — 90 per cent related to kangaroos.

The council typically deals with 380 requests for help a year, but the trend could see this year’s figure go beyond 800.

Nillumbik councillor Peter Clarke said drought was causing scores of kangaroos to move into urban areas in search of food and water.

He said he saw vehicles collide with kangaroos, or come very close to doing so, almost every week.

“Native wildlife and cars do not play out well,” he said.

“Kangaroos are coming all the way down to the Fitzsimons Lane area — and that’s only in Eltham.

“We are having a very scary issue in this first quarter, and that would be no different to other surrounding councils.”

There has been a huge boom in the number of kangaroos entering suburban areas in Whittlesea. Picture: Rob Leeson

Wildlife Victoria figures also showed a spike in kangaroos being euthanised across Nillumbik, with 260 cases so far this year. Of those, 95 roos were euthanised.

The wildlife emergency agency put down 206 kangaroos in Nillumbik last year.

But the toll could be cut if some changes were implemented, locals say.

Cr Clarke said the State Government had no process to manage the rapid spread of native wildlife in peri-urban areas.

“They deal with pests but are failing to deal with our national symbols and the issues cannot be ignored any longer,” he said.

Not only that, Nillumbik is the only Victorian council which provided a 24-hour wildlife euthanising service on both public and private land.

A ranger deals with service requests within business hours, while a contractor carries out the service outside business hours.

Cr Clarke said it was “astounding” Nillumbik was the only council out of 79 in Victoria which had a strategy to manage injured native wildlife.

Doreen woman films kangaroos in Laurimar Boulevard

Wildlife campaigner spends days euthanising kangaroos in suburbia

The Wildlife Rescuers find joey inside dead kangaroo’s pouch on Yan Yean Rd

“Other than us there are some volunteer agencies and Victoria Police who also euthanise, but that’s it,” he said.

Wildlife Victoria chief executive Megan Davidson said other councils across the state should consider their own wildlife euthanising service.

“The community really value the service — councils should start thinking of wildlife as their responsibility just as cats and dogs are their responsibility,” she said.

“There just isn’t enough empathy being shown towards kangaroos — human activity continues to displace them and they are suffering.”

Volunteer wildlife rescuer Krysti Severi said she would rescue a kangaroo up to five times a week in the Nillumbik area.

She said euthanising the animals took a huge toll on her and other volunteers.

“I have a very emotional connection with roos — I have grown up with animals and have had a love for them since the day I was born,” she said.

“Most of the joeys I rescue don’t end up surviving — the damage is already done, but someone needs to be out there.

“I’ll be out trying to rescue roos right from when I drop my kids off at school to when I have to pick them up. Every day it leaves me heartbroken and I feel like quitting, but nothing is being done for them and they have no voice.”

State Yan Yean Labor MP Danielle Green was contacted for comment.

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