Wildlife carers are reminding Macedon Ranges residents to take care on the roads with Koala breeding season in full swing.
Wildlings Wildlife Shelter Woodend volunteer Mel Fraser has urged residents to slow down amid one of the worst breeding seasons she’s seen in the Macedon Ranges for road trauma.
“Within just three weeks, four breeding-age koalas were killed by cars, meaning four individual breeding animals have been lost from the shire,” she said.
“We also attended a mother and joey found walking down the Calder Freeway, who were both thankfully rescued and released to safety.
“Tragically, a beautiful adult male koala was also struck on the Calder, and his injuries were so severe that euthanasia was the only humane option.”
Ms Fraser said reporting incidents was crucial.
“What was particularly distressing is that none of the drivers who struck the four koalas reported the incidents, meaning the animals were left alive and suffering on the road,” she said.
“Reporting is absolutely critical – the sooner we receive a call, the better the chance we have to save them.
“We’re volunteers, and many of these calls come in late at night, even after midnight on workdays, but we do everything we can to attend every case.”
The shelter has placed two koala signs in response to the fatalities to warn drivers to slow down along Gisborne-Melton Road, Gisborne and Gisborne-Bacchus Marsh Road, Bullengarook.
Koalas can be found across the Macedon Ranges, including around Romsey, Woodend, Macedon, Mount Macedon, Hesket, Cherokee, Gisborne, Riddells Creek, Bullengarook and Newham.
Breeding season typically runs from September through to early March, and Ms Fraser said during these times koalas will roam more than usual as they search for mates.
“This means they’re much more likely to be on the ground and crossing roads, making them especially vulnerable to vehicle strikes,” she said.
She said the shelter has also developed a community-based koala sighting app for residents to report sightings.
“We strongly encourage residents to report koala sightings directly to The Wildlings so we can continue building a local koala database. Every sighting helps us identify movement corridors, high-risk road areas and important habitat, allowing us to better protect these animals before tragedy strikes,” she said.
The Wildlings Woodend Wildlife Shelter recommends Macedon Ranges residents to slow down when driving around dusk and dawn; plant native trees that provide food and shelter for koalas; walk dogs on lead in bushland and forested areas; and report any wildlife roadstrike to Wildlife Victoria.
Sick, injured or orphaned wildlife can be reported to Wildlife Victoria on 8400 7300.
Locations can also be marked on Google or Apple Maps to assist volunteers to find injured wildlife.
Details: https://www.facebook.com/NoahandLil
