Spate of possum poisonings in Bayswater and Boronia

A VETERAN wildlife worker has warned of an outbreak of possum poisonings in Bayswater and Boronia, saying several of the creatures have been intentionally left to die in severe agony.

Possum catcher Paul Nolch says he fears a brushtail possum that has died in his Bayswater backyard timber nesting box may has been poisoned.

A BAYSWATER possum catcher fears a spate of possums are dying slow and painful deaths after being poisoned — including one animal found hanging from a nest in his backyard.

Paul Nolch, a veteran wildlife worker of 30 years, found a possum acting strangely in his backyard on October 27 and two days later found it dead.

Mr Nolch said he had never seen anything like it and believed the possum was poisoned.

He said poisonings were “extremely rare” but in the past few weeks he had received multiple reports of poisoned possums in Bayswater and Boronia.

Possum catcher Paul Nolch is furious over the spate of poisonings, calling the culprits “murderers”. Picture: Steve Tanner

“My first thought when I saw the possum hanging up there was ‘what the hell?’.

“Then I realised it has to be poison. We’ve had a spate of them recently,” he said.

Mr Nolch said he felt sick thinking about the pain the animal would have suffered.

“You just wonder what is wrong with people who are putting out poison. They’re murderers. There’s no compassion, no empathy. It’s sick,” Mr Nolch said.

Boronia “possum lady” Yvonne Cowling said there was a “concerning trend” of deliberate poisonings in Knox.

Mrs Cowling, who has been working with wildlife for 42 years, was aware of five possums that had died of poisoning in the past month, which she said was up from an average of about one a month.

Mrs Cowling said a poisoned possum would suffer extreme pain from cramps and seizures and could take days to die.

“It’s cruel, horrendous and miserable,” she said.

She suspected people may be luring possums with food laced with rat poison.

“If someone is doing that they have no moral character. It’s unconscionable.”

Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, possums are protected and anyone found guilty of deliberately poisoning one can face a fine of up to $77,730 or two years’ imprisonment.

People can report concerns to the RSPCA on 9224 2222.