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.
With their survival hanging in the balance, the Victorian Government approved a modified ‘shooting season’ in 2023.
Sadly, new research has revealed that ducks are among the native species struggling to thrive. According to the most recent annual Aerial Survey of Waterbirds in Eastern Australia, populations of ‘game’ species of ducks are still dire, despite the record setting rainfall.
Devastatingly, 6 of 8 ducks who the Government allows to be killed for recreation have been 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. Two further “game” species are now on Victoria’s threatened species list (Hardhead and Blue-winged Shoveler). The Victorian Government cannot afford to wait for more species to be pushed to the brink as others have.
2022 saw an ‘open season’ of 90 days that killed over 320 000 ducks, not including the estimated 1 in 4 wounded and left to die on the wetlands. During the first week of the 2023 shooting season alone, 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.
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.
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.
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Lead ammunition is still being 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 the past four 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.
Along with thousands of dedicated supporters, Animals Australia has participated in the current government Inquiry into the future of recreational shooting of ducks and quail. As the committee deliberates in preparation for presenting its report to Parliament, your voice is critical.
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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