Wildlife rescue numbers more than doubled over three years in which land-clearing laws were relaxed by the former Liberal National state government

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Wildlife carers have blamed a surge in tree clearing in Queensland for a dramatic rise in the number of native animals needing rescue.

Figures from the RSPCA show wildlife rescue numbers swelled to 18,413 in 2014-15, more than doubling over three years in which land-clearing laws were relaxed by the former Liberal National government.

“Our wildlife intake continues to rise and, sadly, with ongoing habitat destruction, there seems little hope on the horizon that this trend will reverse,” Mark Townend, the chief executive of RSPCA Queensland, wrote in the charity’s latest annual report.

In 2011-2012 – before the LNP’s more liberal land-clearing regime took effect – the RSPCA treated 8,359 distressed native animals.

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Martin Taylor, a scientist with the conservation group WWF, said it was no coincidence that a 220% surge in wildlife patients at the RSPCA followed the weakening of land-clearing controls by the previous Queensland government.

“Loss of habitat means koalas and other native mammals are forced to search for new habitat and come into contact with cars or dogs, or they become diseased through stress or starvation,” he said.

Taylor’s research recently revealed more than 200,000 hectares of threatened species habitat was bulldozed under the LNP regime.

Labor has introduced a bill to restore land-clearing controls, which will be tied up in committee until 30 June. Labor will require the support of three of five crossbenchers, the most crucial likely to be the independent parliamentary speaker, Peter Wellington.

Wildlife carer Anika Lehmann from Moreton Bay koala rescue, said rescues of the marsupials on the fringe of Brisbane had quadrupled in three years in an “alarming” trend.

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“The trend we’re seeing is more and more koalas coming into care because they have nowhere to go and that’s the main problem – there is so much habitat loss in this area,” Lehmann said.

Vanda Grabowski from Koala Action Inc said land clearing was akin to a person having every house in their suburb “wiped to the ground” while they were at work.

“This is exactly the same thing for a koala who’s gone off having a feed, he comes back and his tree’s gone, his shelter’s gone, everything familiar to him is gone,” she said. “How would you feel if that happened to you?”