During ‘shooting season’, Victoria’s picturesque wetlands — usually peaceful havens for our unique wildlife — are transformed into government-sanctioned killing fields.
The result is decimated wetlands, and animals left to suffer with shattered bills and broken wings.
The most recent Aerial Survey of Waterbirds in Eastern Australia found there to be less than half the number of waterbirds than there were in 2023. 5 of the 8 bird species the government classifies as “game” are facing dire, long-term population decline. In spite of these deeply concerning findings, coupled with the looming threat of bird flu, the Victorian Government is allowing the slaughter of waterbirds to continue.
The Blue-winged Shoveler, a species previously targeted by shooters, is now on Victoria’s threatened species list. But being labelled ‘threatened’ doesn’t mean birds are safe from being shot. In just the first week of the 2023 shooting season, 73 native waterbirds who were shot and left to die were found by rescuers and assessed by Wildlife Victoria’s vet triage team – eight of the ducks were threatened species illegally shot. Due to the severity of their injuries, all had to be euthanised.
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. The Victorian Government cannot afford to wait for more species to be pushed to the brink as others have.
Native ducks and sometimes even endangered and ‘protected’ birds are gunned down by shooters, their fragile bodies shattered by pellets.
The ‘lucky’ ones are killed instantly. The unlucky ones — an estimated one out of every four birds shot — will suffer for days or even weeks before finally succumbing to their injuries. Perhaps most awful of all? This cruelty is inflicted upon defenceless animals in the name of a ‘sport’ that the majority of caring Australians oppose.
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To make an awful situation worse, according to the government’s own survey, shockingly few Victorian shooters understand the ‘rules’ when it comes to killing waterbirds. In light of the survey findings, the Victorian Government is knowingly letting shooters onto the wetlands who don’t have the necessary animal welfare knowledge, don’t know which ducks they can legally shoot and which species are ‘protected’, and on top of this, don’t understand close-range shooting safety risks.
Despite all the evidence, the Victorian Government is appeasing the minority (shooters), ignoring the majority of Victorians, and threatening the long-term survival of our native wildlife.
Lead ammunition was found to be recently used by some shooters in the state, despite being banned for two decades – yet another example of the rules in place failing to protect wildlife. After causing an excruciating death for birds who are shot and escape, lead remains in the environment for years, posing a threat to protected animals like wedge-tailed eagles and scavenging wildlife.
The high levels of lead found in ducks at four Victorian waterways in recent years indicate a potential risk to human health too. Uncovered in Freedom of Information documents, levels were “well above” food safety standards. The EPA was advised to investigate the potential risks to the environment and to humans before the commencement of the 2021 ‘shooting season’, however the government is still yet to issue any public health warnings.
Victoria is years behind the progress of other states. Duck shooting was banned in WA, NSW and Qld in the 90s and early 2000s on animal cruelty and environmental protection grounds. A ban in Victoria is long overdue.
Please continue to urge the government to acknowledge the scientifically validated survey findings as well as the irrefutable evidence of duck shooting cruelty, and properly protect Australia’s waterbirds for good.
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