Wildlings Woodend Wildlife Shelter has launched a petition for a statewide electronic wildlife warning signage program for koala roadstrike hotspots.
They are calling on the Victorian Government to establish a program that specifically responds to koala breeding and dispersal season.
The move follows a series of koala fatalities and roadstrike injuries at Calder Freeway hotspots in Macedon and Woodend.
“The reality is that we are losing koalas on our roads at a rate unlike anything we have witnessed before,” the shelter posted to social media last week.
“We have done everything we possibly can to raise awareness. We’ve put up signs, spoken to newspapers, shared countless Facebook posts, met with DTP and continued to rescue and rehabilitate every koala we can.”
When carer Mel Fraser spoke to the Express about the spike in koala road trauma in September, the shelter had tended to five koalas at the Black Forest Drive overpass in the past 18 months. Four of those resulted in fatalities from catastrophic injuries, including a mother and her joey that needed to be euthanised.
Currently in koala breeding season when koalas are active on the ground (September to January), that figure has since increased, with the most recent koala fatality occurring last week.
Local Animal Justice MP Georgie Purcell has been assisting the shelter in getting its message heard. She has raised the issue in Parliament, and sponsored the shelter’s petition which held 1744 signatures last Friday morning.
“The conversations have been positive — but we don’t have a single moment to waste,” she said.
“Our wildlife shouldn’t have to pay the price for government inaction, and the answer to this one is very simple. It just requires the political will.”
Wildlings Woodend Wildlife Shelter has warned drivers to be aware of koalas moving across roadways, and encouraged residents to sign their petition to improve safety.
“Koalas like all native wildlife, don’t understand roads, traffic or the dangers that come with living alongside us. They’re simply trying to navigate their habitat, unaware of the risks our roads introduce,” they said.
“We will keep advocating for better signage and preventative measures. We will keep responding to rescue calls, caring for the injured and giving every koala we can the chance to return to the wild. But we won’t give up on them. Please help us turn awareness into action.”
The petition closes March 1. To add your signature, visit: parliament.vic.gov.au/get-involved/petitions/electronic-wildlife-warning-signage-program