For the Love of Koalas: Why Every Life Matters | They Can’t Speak — So We Plead | Koala Bears
According to recent reports, at least 700 koalas have either already been killed or are likely to be culled in Australia through aerial shooting from helicopters.
The reasons given: wildfires, climate change, and habitat loss.
Many of the victims are likely to be tiny joeys — baby koalas — who haven’t even fully seen or explored the world yet. Moreover, when adult koalas are killed, their young are orphaned and may not survive in the wild without parental care.
The Australian government claims that this mass culling is being done under the banner of “animal welfare” — to prevent prolonged suffering from injuries caused by repeated wildfires. But I ask — what was the mistake of these innocent creatures? Koalas are already listed as endangered.
Culling them in such large numbers through aerial sniping will only push this iconic species closer to extinction. If climate change and habitat destruction are making survival difficult, who should be held responsible? They are not polluting the atmosphere. They are not causing reckless urbanization.
Why wasn’t a more compassionate, long-term solution considered — like large-scale eucalyptus reforestation across Australia, which could have provided koalas the only food they can survive on? (For those unaware: koalas feed exclusively on eucalyptus leaves. Without these trees, their survival is impossible.)
Moreover, killing is not the answer. This is not like controlling a disease outbreak where culling is a tragic necessity.
Why was this decision kept secret for so long, only coming to public attention after a local conservation group raised alarms? Was there any public consultation before proceeding with this mass cull?
Where is the global outcry?
Where are the loud condemnations from conservationists, environmentalists, and governments around the world?
Why are we so quick to sacrifice innocent lives to cover up the damage caused by reckless human behavior?
Remember — koalas are not found anywhere else in the world.
They are Australia’s unique treasure, part of the country’s identity.
Now, when Australia itself resorts to such drastic measures, I have nothing more to add.
Was there truly no alternative — like rehabilitation programs, wildlife corridors, or new eucalyptus plantations? Or was this simply the easiest way out? I am not a wildlife expert. I am not a veterinarian.
Who will bring back the lost koala souls? Even for the joeys that survive, their lives will be filled with trauma and loneliness, growing up without their parents.
As someone who knows the pain of losing my own mother, I feel deeply heartbroken. I can only imagine the unbearable pain those little joeys must be going through — losing their families in this silent massacre.
“Australia, please find a more humane solution to protect your precious wildlife — before it’s too late.”
