OUR VALUES:  CULLING OF WILDLIFE

Summary
Wildlife Rescue South Coast is of the opinion that most situations where a cull is called for could have been avoided by better resource management. We absolutely oppose the culling of native animals where the motivation for the action is convenience or profit. Where a cull is unavoidable, it should be supervised, and carried out within strict, humane guidelines.

Detail
Wildlife culls are generally called for when the population or location of one or more species creates a problem such as:

• Health and wellbeing of people, livestock or companion animals
  
• Health and wellbeing of the animals themselves
  
• Health of the habitat / local environment
  
• Interruption to development or other human activity
  

In most situations the population or location issues are caused by human-instigated change. In many cases this change affects the habitat of the animals concerned.

Wildlife Rescue South Coast is concerned that the culls are seen as an easy answer, in place of appropriate planning which should have taken the potential impact on the local wildlife into account. Therefore we take the position that people and organisations need to manage their land, resources and development more effectively, rather than seeking to destroy animals after the event.

Wildlife Rescue South Coast absolutely opposes the killing of any native wildlife for sport, convenience or profit.

While many situations could have been avoided, we accept that in certain circumstances, there may be no feasible or humane solution to a particular situation other that culling.  While we will never actively support such an action (especially where it could have been prevented) we accept that authorities may have no practical alternative in some circumstances.  When this is the case, the action must be done in accordance with best-practice guidelines.

We believe that the existing NSW guidelines for culling are appropriate, and provide for a humane euthanasia in these situations.  We do not believe that these are actively policed, and we understand that a percentage of culls undertaken continue to be done in breach of these guidelines. We have seen evidence of dying animals and orphaned joeys being left to their own devices – at the mercy of dogs and other predators. Wildlife Rescue South Coast  condemns these poor practices as inhumane and believes that they are illegal under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.