Browsing: wildlife

INVESTIGATIONS are underway into the alleged the mutilation of a swamp wallaby and a kangaroo in the Balnarring and Somers areas. The Conservation Regulator has confirmed it has received reports of the animals being found on or around 24 June with limbs missing and mutilation injuries. The swamp wallaby was found in Coolart Reserve, Balnarring Beach, near the back gate to Balnarring Beach Road, while the mutilated kangaroo was found near South Beach Road, Somers. A spokeswoman for the Conservation Regulator said reports had been received of two separate incidents in the Balnarring and Somers areas involving the discovery of…

CONCERN is growing over the increasing numbers of native animals being killed or injured on roads across the Mornington Peninsula.While exact figures are not available, 28 koalas and an unknown number of kangaroos and wallabies have been hit and killed by vehicles. The carnage on the peninsula’s roads is reflected throughout the state and nationally, with one insurer warning that animal collisions jumped 22 per cent last year.“Alarming” research from Australian Associated Motor Insurers (AAMI) “found more than 40 per cent of Aussie drivers don’t pay attention to wildlife warning signs, and most drivers (60 per cent) would dangerously swerve…

WILDLIFE Victoria has issued a warning about the dangers caused by discarded fishing line.The warning followed the discovery of a young grey-headed flying fox that was unable to fly because of injuries from being entangled in fishing line. Grey-headed flying foxes are a threatened species in Victoria.“The fishing line and hooks had done too much damage to both wings that the only option was to humanely euthanise the animal.” Wildlife Victoria CEO Lisa Palma said. “The wing membrane of the grey-headed flying fox consists of a complex network of veins, blood vessels, muscles and nerves. While it is possible for…

THE sad sight of “possum Armageddon” around the Mornington Peninsula as wildlife literally fell from trees or died trying to drink water at the beach has prompted a reminder to place water out for animals.The four-day heatwave that affected most of south-eastern Australia saw daytime temperatures hover around 38 degrees Celsius – as much as 20 degrees above average – with little relief overnight.It is believed hundreds of the peninsula’s ringtail possum and smaller marsupials such as sugar gliders and native bush rats died from heat exhaustion and dehydration over the four days or exposed themselves to predation or the…