Dozens of koalas have been killed or injured and left for dead during logging of blue gum plantations in South Australia, according to former employees of the harvesting company and a conservation organisation that tried to save the marsupials.
They described injuries including broken skulls, jaws, arms and hips. Guardian Australia has seen photos of seriously injured and dead koalas taken at the site.
The marsupial is listed as endangered by extinction in New South Wales, Queensland and the ACT, but not in South Australia. Some Kangaroo Island locals consider it a pest.
Australian Agribusiness Group, which was contracted by land owners Kiland Ltd to manage the plantation estate, said they cleared the land “in accordance with agreed environmental land management practices”. A company spokesperson said the company was “committed to responsible environmental stewardship” and had “practices in place in relation to the welfare of local wildlife on Kangaroo Island, including koalas”.
A department spokeswoman said National Parks and Wildlife Service staff had conducted inspections of plantation sites in response to reports of koala welfare issues, most recently in October 2023, and found no evidence of injuries due to wilful or negligent actions.