Warning: distressing images ahead
Looking at the below picture, you’d think that one lucky happy-snapper had caught a rare, exciting glimpse of an up-close-and-personal koala bear out in the wild. Well, sadly, this time you’re mistaken.
A passerby of the Brooloo Park Lookout in south-east Queensland came upon a shocking scene when they found a deceased koala screwed to a pole with building screws.
According to the ABC, the member of the public called two wildlife services for help, before council workers took the koala down from the pole.
It is unknown whether the poor koala was dead or alive or not before the incident occurred.
This picture was later posted to The Koala Rescue Facebook page in a bid to call on the public for any information surrounding who would commit such a horrific act.
The Facebook post has understandably garnered widespread outrage. One person wrote of the despicable act: “Heartbreaking!” While another added: “What pleasure and enjoyment can be derived from inflicting cruelty to any living being?”
Speaking to the ABC, Koala Rerscue Queensland president Murray Chambers says he has never seen something so cruel be done to a koala.
“The culprit even put gum leaves next to the koala … just makes you feel sick in the guts,” he said.
The Sunchine Coast police are now making enquiries about the incident.
This comes just six months after a kangaroo was found shot dead, tied to a chair and dressed up on a roadside in Melbourne.
Source: DELWP
Animal cruelty in Australia
It may come as hard to believe that despite Australia generally being an animal-friendly nation, there are those still among us who abuse and hurt animals.
Indeed, according to the RSPCA, their employees answer up to 50,000 reports of animal mistreatment in Australia each year.
What is animal cruelty?
The RSPCA state that any act of violence made towards an animal, animal neglect and even psychological harm are all forms of animal cruelty. Each of these crimes can result in hefty fines or imprisonment, and each state and territory has legislation that prohibits animal cruelty.
For more information about what to do if you believe an animal is being mistreated, visit the RSCPA website: RSPCA.org.au.
