During the recent Inquiry into the hunting of native waterbirds in the state, evidence of this deeply concerning long-term decline of waterbird populations was brought to light. According to recent annual Aerial Surveys of Waterbirds in Eastern Australia, populations of ‘game’ species of ducks are still dire. In spite of this, the Victorian Government decided to allow the slaughter to continue.
During 2022’s ‘shooting season’, 6 of 8 duck species that the government allowed to be killed for recreation were found to be in serious long-term decline. Two species of ‘game’ ducks, Pink-eared and Hardheads, were resilient in earlier times but have suffered population collapse during the last decade due to ongoing shooting seasons. The Hardhead and the Blue-wing Shoveler are now on Victoria’s threatened species list. The Victorian Government cannot afford to wait for more species to be pushed to the brink as others have.
In just the first week of the 2023 shooting season, 73 native waterbirds who were shot and left to die were assessed by Wildlife Victoria’s vet triage team – sadly, all had to be euthanised due to the severity of their gunshot wounds, including eight threatened species illegally shot. It’s estimated over 350,000 ducks were killed in the state in that season alone – not including those wounded and left to die on the wetlands.