Vandals poison 100-year-old trees that were home to koalas ravaged by recent bushfires in Australia
Heartless vandals reportedly poisoned trees that were a vital food source and habitat for the koalas—a marsupial that is facing endangerment after nearly being wiped out by the recent Australian bushfires.
The illegal poisoning of two trees—a Tallowwood and Bloodwood—is currently being investigated by the Lismore City Council, in NSW's north-east.
The trees located in Fischer Street park in Goonellabah are estimated to be anywhere between 80 and 100 years old. Several drill holes were discovered at their bases last December, which investigators believe were used to inject poison.
The Tallowwood is a "core habitat" for local koalas, as confirmed by Lismore City Council's Environmental Strategies Officer Wendy Neilan, who said the poisoning was "heartbreaking."
"Koalas are very particular about the eucalypt leaves they eat with only a few species providing a suitable food resource," Neilan said in a statement on Monday. "Tallowwood is one of their preferred food trees."
According to the council, the trees are an essential part of the local ecosystem, serving as a home to possums, gliders, antechinuses, wood ducks, rosellas, cockatoos, owls, and microbats, many of whom rely on tree hollows for a place to roost and raise their offspring.
There was a significant koala population in the area, Neilan noted, thereby needing extra protection as the bushfires had pushed the species to the brink of extinction.
"Our local populations are all the more precious given the devasting estimated losses of koalas in southeast Australia due to recent bushfires," she said.
"Mature habitat trees that are dotted throughout our urban landscape in parks and backyards are essential for koala survival," Neilan continued. "By virtue of their size, these old trees provide more food and nesting resources than younger trees. These mature trees are vital to maintaining biodiversity in our urban landscape."
The trees also provided shade for children in the park, according to the council's Environmental Health Compliance Officer Stuart Thomson.
"Besides their importance to our native animals, these trees created shade for a children’s playground," he said. "It is hard to fathom why anyone would do this. It is as an unlawful act of vandalism that destroys habitat and a community asset."
The harrowing wildfire has killed an estimated one billion animals and destroyed more than 18.5 million hectares of land across the country.