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Chota Himal

@chota_himal

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🐨 DEECA Is Covertly Killing Koalas in Victoria — We Need Your Voice.

In Victoria, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) issues Authority to Control Wildlife (ATCW) permits to allow landowners and industries to disturb or kill wildlife when it becomes an “inconvenience.” These permits are meant to be publicly recorded.

Since 2009, only one koala has ever appeared on that list.
So how are thousands of koalas still being killed, without the public knowing?

DEECA has created a loophole: they call it koala "health checks."
What are called welfare assessments have become a cover for systematic culling and often animals that are fit for rehabilitation are simply culled because there are too many, or they are putting pressure on the dwindling native vegetation. Non one knows what the criteria is to determine the need for euthanasia and it is carried out by unnamed "authorised" individuals.

These so-called health checks:
• Happen with no public oversight
• Take place in areas where blue gum plantations are being logged
• Are authorised by DEECA themselves, bypassing normal permit processes
• And now, in Budj Bim, DEECA has issued its own permit to shoot koalas.

Over 1,000 koalas have been “euthanised” under this system — and the same excuse is used every time: "It’s for their welfare."

How can the government department responsible for protecting wildlife be allowed to regulate itself — without scrutiny, without accountability?

This should alarm every Victorian. Every Australian.

We support compassionate care.
We do not support mass culling disguised as welfare.

🐨 Koalas deserve better.

📢 It’s time to act.
🖊️ Sign the petition calling for an inquiry into DEECA and its dodgy wildlife management practices.

👉 Link in our bio

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After returning from Budj Bim last weekend, my heart was heavy and my spirit deeply unsettled. I’ve long known about the dire situation facing koalas in southwest Victoria, but this visit was a stark reminder that we’ve reached a tipping point. The koala crisis is no longer looming—it is here.

Many plantations in the region have now reached maturity, and they are home to tens of thousands of koalas. Yet these plantations continue to be harvested, even around Budj Bim, despite DEECA acknowledging that koalas are being killed due to habitat loss exacerbated by drought.

When plantations are logged, many koalas are killed by machinery. Of those that survive the initial destruction, half will eventually die from car strikes, starvation, stress, or injury. Many young are orphaned and, as I witnessed firsthand, left vulnerable to predators like wedge-tailed eagles.

I visited one plantation that had once been hundreds of hectares of dense forest. Now, it’s a wasteland—just dry earth, scattered debris, and a few small clusters of trees. I counted 15 koalas on a single isolated patch. Some were on the ground, visibly exhausted and unable to climb—too weak, too defeated. They were completely exposed, with nothing left to sustain them.

If these koalas are to have any chance, the community must speak out. Please sign our petition for a formal inquiry and please donate to our legal fund if you can so we can pursue legal justice for these koalas. (links in our bio).

Thank you,
Jess Robertson
President, Koala Alliance

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Planned Burn at Cobboboonee National Park THIS SUNDAY

DEECA is planning a PLANNED BURN this weekend in the same district as Budj Bim — using an airborne ignition (a plane!) to start the fire. This is OUTRAGEOUS and DANGEROUS.

🔥 Victoria is in drought. The bush is bone dry.
🔥 Drought was one of the reasons DEECA rationalised killing over 1,000 koalas shot at Budj Bim.
🔥 There are many koalas living in Cobboboonee. These slow-moving animals CANNOT escape fire. If they fall from trees, they suffer injury or death — especially when the ground is burning hot.

How can anyone control fire intensity from the sky?
How can you monitor for wildlife from a plane?
How do you protect hollow-bearing trees and forest canopies — vital koala habitat — from being destroyed?

💔 In 2022, the same method was used in Mount Richmond National Park — another koala habitat. The burn was left unmonitored over the weekend. Locals later found incinerated koalas, destroyed canopies, and no wildlife surveys were conducted. DEECA denied responsibility then, and NOTHING has changed.

We CANNOT allow this to happen again.
We must stop DEECA from lighting these fires that are completely unjustifiable, particularly during drought conditions, putting lives at risk.

Our native wildlife needs protection not reckless destruction.

If you live in the area, please contact us if you believe this fire is putting koala lives at risk.

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This Industry is responsible for countless koala deaths and has been for decades. Plantation companies are required to report how many koalas are killed during harvests and DEECA log these numbers but none of this information has ever been disclosed.

And that is just the number of koalas injured or killed with machinery. No one is documenting what happens to koalas after they are left with no habitat or orphaned after their mothers are killed.

In our experience, many will die following a harvest, a few may survive long enough to reach habitat that isn’t already occupied.

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If you haven't seen this incredible film yet, don't miss the opportunity to see it on the big screen at Village Cinemas across Victoria and Melbourne!

This is such an important film and should be seen by everyone. To check screening details go to: www.filmprojects.com.au/the-koalas

@jessie_blackcat will be part of the Q&A panel following the screening at Southland on Saturday.

Locations: Albury, Geelong, Bendigo, Knox, Morwell, Karingal, Morwell, Southland, Sunshie

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Dingo as the Apex species and their role as the Keystond species here in #byronshire
*image 1- Dingo with fox
*image 2- Local Dingo with a cat
*image 3- Local #dog in #goonengerry at our koala trap..(I rescue koalas)

In no way am I supporting the killing of any animal but just showing the importance of the Dingoes Role, instead of using #1080 AND any form of Lethal control such as trapping and shooting.

The issue are the roaming dogs and irresponsible dog owners.

Who is joining me on #thursday and #friday to represent our #bundjalungcountry ?
The dates are: 1st AUGUST 2nd of AUGUST
I may have a stall there so please message me if you would like to help.

Byron shire council are aware of the positive casacading meso predation that #dingoes being an Apex species, achieve.
Unfortunately it appears that the #communityengagement has not come through on councils side as now the majority of the population of #byronshire do not have the education to answer @byronshirecouncil “pest management” proposal.

It has been noted (thank you @chota_himal ) that at the VERY END of the survey is mention of #guardiananimal as a resource that is long lasting, available and non lethal.

I feel this survey is far too early in the picture as education needs to come first as now all they will receive are complaints.

So I need people to come with me and be present to help those and engage with those that may need support in learning about our dingo.

I don’t know any other way to speak directly and clearly to the community that they have a choice.
A choice to embrace Eco-farming or continue in a violent loop of ecological destruction.

Please message me.
I would really love to see some activism here in sleepy Bryon🐾

Long live the Dingo!
@northern.rivers.dingo.alliance

#fox #cat #wildlife #pestcontrol #byronhinterland #mullumbimby #savethedingo #vote #helpingwildlife #animaladvocacy #animalrights #showsupport #communityfirst #dogsofaustralia #apex

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Dingo as the Apex species and their role as the Keystond species here in #byronshire
*image 1- Dingo with fox
*image 2- Local Dingo with a cat
*image 3- Local #dog in #goonengerry at our koala trap..(I rescue koalas)

In no way am I supporting the killing of any animal but just showing the importance of the Dingoes Role, instead of using #1080 AND any form of Lethal control such as trapping and shooting.

The issue are the roaming dogs and irresponsible dog owners.

Who is joining me on #thursday and #friday to represent our #bundjalungcountry ?
DATE: 1st and 2nd of AUGUST

Byron shire council are aware of the positive casacading meso predation that #dingoes being an Apex species, achieve.
Unfortunately it appears that the #communityengagement has not come through on councils side as now the majority of the population of #byronshire do not have the education to answer @byronshirecouncil “pest management” proposal.

It has been noted (thank you @chota_himal ) that at the VERY END of the survey is mention of #guardiananimal as a resource that is long lasting, available and non lethal.

I feel this survey is far too early in the picture as education needs to come first as now all they will receive are complaints.

So I need people to come with me and be present to help those and engage with those that may need support in learning about our dingo.

I don’t know any other way to speak directly and clearly to the community that they have a choice.
A choice to embrace Eco-farming or continue in a violent loop of ecological destruction.

Please message me.
I would really love to see some activism here in sleepy Bryon🐾

Long live the Dingo!
To follow more dingo updates please follow my dingo page
@northern.rivers.dingo.alliance

#fox #cat #wildlife #pestcontrol #byronhinterland #mullumbimby #savethedingo #vote #helpingwildlife #animaladvocacy #animalrights #showsupport #communityfirst #dogsofaustralia #apex

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I am so excited about the opportunity to help our wild donkeys find loving homes to local farmers here in the #northernriversnsw ..

I am ever so grateful to the farmers who are willing to teach me about donkeys and training them to be handled with care.

Look how loving they are😍
Thank you @chota_himal for teaching me they are a family group of animals just like wolves and dingoes.. actually, just like most animals.

Did you that guardian animals have been helping farmers for over 2,000 years?!

Wow! So what happened to that information to get to Australia?🤔

Anyway.. just like I didn’t know we had dingoes here and they are different colours due to habitat.. I also didn’t know about guardian animals so thank you dingoes for teaching us another gift to coexist🐾🌸

We are nearly ready for step two!

Long live the Dibgo!
@northern.rivers.dingo.alliance

#donkeylove #donkey #loveanimals #adoptdontshop #animalmagic #dingoes #wolves #sosweet #animalsarefriends #farmerfriends #friendsnotfood #animalrights #bekind #thankyou

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