WILDLIFE carers say dead kangaroos have been found north of a development in Yanchep and the golf course.
Northern Valleys Wildlife Support spokeswoman Sonia Cooke said
some kangaroos had been fenced in the Peet estate without water and supplementary feed for about five days last week.
Ms Cooke said some community members arranged for CH10 to visit the site but before the TV crew arrived morning the fencing had been removed, the kangaroos let loose and all the dead kangaroos collected and covered with a pile of rubbish.
Peet managing director and chief executive officer Brendan Gore said the Department of Parks and Wildlife had approved the movement of about 100 kangaroos from one section of the estate into unrestricted bushland, which involved erecting some temporary fencing.
“Additional food and water was placed within the temporary fencing, though advice from the fauna specialists was that this was not necessary,’’ he said.
“We are not aware of reports of dead kangaroos north of the residential development or golf course and are not qualified to comment on whether the deaths of kangaroos at Yanchep are a result of being moved from the golf course.
“There are a number of other factors which may have caused the death of some kangaroos, and it’s not helpful to speculate.’’
Ms Cooke said the kangaroos were dying of stress and starvation because they have no idea what to eat.
“Most will have been born in the golf course and know no different.’’
She thought a company the size of Peet would try harder to get a compassionate outcome for the animals as Stockland had done in Ellenbrook.
“It’s a little different with these kangaroos though.
“They can’t just be relocated to the bush as they aren’t conditioned to the wild and native browse.
“They need to go to a sanctuary where they can get supplementary food and water before they are deemed releasable.
“Peet should be paying for this to take place not just expecting natural selection to take place.’’
Mr Gore said Peet was concerned about the welfare of kangaroos and other fauna at Yanchep Golf Estate and some time ago engaged fauna management specialists who were continuing to advise on the best way to safely move kangaroos into unrestricted bushland.
“We have been establishing new homes at Yanchep Golf Estate for some years in harmony with the local kangaroo population.
“However, more recently, there have been significant disruptions to the kangaroos’ natural migration pattern in the area.
“While this is outside Yanchep Golf Estate’s control, we have responded by working with everyone involved – the City of Wanneroo, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Sun City Country Club, other developers and residents – to achieve a coordinated response to what is a wider regional issue.
“A fauna management plan, approved by the relevant authorities, has been in place for Yanchep Golf Estate and, in light of changes over the past few months, we are also working on a more specific kangaroo management plan.’’
The Department of Parks and Wildlife has been contacted for comment.
