The recent massacre in Victoria rethinks wildlife management in extreme situations and underscores the need to strengthen conservation policies based on science, ethics, and transparency.
—The recent massacre in Victoria rethinks wildlife management in extreme situations and underscores the need to strengthen conservation policies that are scientifically based, ethical, and transparent. —(REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw)
—Budj Bim National Park in the Australian state of Victoria was the scene of a devastating wildfire that scorched more than 2,000 hectares of vegetation in March 2025. The catastrophe not only ruined the natural landscape of the south of the country, but also critically affected one of its most emblematic species: the koala.
Dozens of specimens were injured, dehydrated, or on the verge of starvation, trapped in an environment where food is scarce and survival conditions have become extreme.

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Animals and Pets
Australia euthanizes 750 koalas with helicopter snipers after wildfire damage
While the Australian government argues that the marsupials had no chance of recovery, wildlife experts point to a lack of research before the mass cull.
By Valeria González
Apr 23, 2025 04:49 p.m. EST
The recent killing in Victoria rethinks wildlife management in extreme situations and underscores the need to strengthen conservation policies that are based on science, ethics, and transparency. —(REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw)
Budj Bim National Park in the Australian state of Victoria was the scene of a devastating wildfire that scorched more than 2,000 hectares of vegetation in March 2025. The catastrophe not only ruined the natural landscape of the south of the country, but also critically affected one of its most emblematic species: the koala.
Dozens of specimens were injured, dehydrated, or on the verge of starvation, trapped in an environment where food is scarce and survival conditions have become extreme.
In response to this ecological emergency, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate of the state of Victoria (Australia) authorized what it called a "humane cull" and euthanized up to 750 koalas by shooting them from helicopters with snipers.
Authorities explained that this measure was part of an unprecedented strategy in the region to prevent the animals from continuing to suffer from their injuries and extreme conditions. Even the state's premier, Jacinta Allan, defended the decision, advocating that it was implemented after rigorous evaluations showed the affected animals could not survive.