Why hundreds of koalas are being shot dead from helicopters in Australia

State authorities are facing a backlash over the aerial culling of hundreds of koalas in Victoria, Australia, as animal welfare groups raise concerns about the fate of their orphaned joeys.

The cull in Budj Bim National Park of around 700 koalas so far has left many joeys without mothers, animal rights groups say. Activists are now demanding an independent review of the government’s handling of the operation.

The cull began in early April after bushfires destroyed over 2,000 hectares of habitat, leaving koalas starving, dehydrated and injured.

Authorities said euthanasia was necessary to prevent suffering, but their method – using marksmen shooting the koalas from helicopters – prompted an immediate backlash.

Wildlife advocacy groups argued that assessing koala health from the air was unreliable.

They were concerned...
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