Wildlife campaigners say plan to relocate Mernda roos is doomed
A mob of kangaroos trapped in a Mernda paddock for more than a year is finally set to be freed. But wildlife campaigners fear the relocation attempt is doomed to fail — and there’s a key reason.
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A temporary path will be created near Mernda railway station in an attempt to free a mob of kangaroos trapped in a vacant paddock for more than a year.
However, wildlife campaigners believe the move is doomed to fail.
The mob became stuck in the Woolworths-owned paddock, close to the rail line, when a gate was left open over Easter, 2018.
Whittlesea Leader understands the path, on which ecologists will attempt to ‘herd’ about 20 kangaroos 30m back to Plenty Gorge, will be created under the elevated train line, near the Mernda skate park and south of the railway station.
It is understood the relocation will occur within the next month and will take place over “a few nights”.
Woolworths has waited more than 12 months for its relocation plan to be signed off by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).
DELWP Port Phillip Compliance manager Leigh Bryant said an Authority to Control Wildlife Permit was issued to Woolworths in June, approving a plan to “scare” and “disperse” the kangaroos.
But news of the relocation method has not been welcomed by wildlife campaigners.
Whittlesea wildlife campaigner Krysti Severi said the method would not work because kangaroos could not be herded and stayed away from unknown things.
“This (the relocation method) is just not going to work,” Ms Severi said.
Australian Society for Kangaroos president Nikki Sutterby said if kangaroos did use the temporary path it would not be the whole mob and the relocation could take “months”.
“From all of the experience I have, you cannot just open up a gate and herd kangaroos,” Ms Sutterby said.
“You just can’t.”
Metro Trains media manager Andrew Nelson said Metro had requested that the relocation be done in a way “that train services would not be impacted.”
DELWP did not respond to a question about why it had chosen the temporary path method over an offer by wildlife campaigners to dart and relocate the mob.