THE lifeless bodies of a mother and baby koala were found by an Ipswich resident on Redbank Plains Road still clinging to each other and highlighting again the crisis facing Ipswich’s native animals.
“It was clear that the smaller koala was obviously its baby – they must have crawled together to the edge of the road to die,” the Ipswich mother said.
“You could see spots of blood on them where they had obviously been hit.
“It is the saddest thing I’ve seen, looking into the eyes of the dead koalas and the mum cuddling its young one like that, it just broke my heart.”
“There was a human-like element to the way they were together … holding on and cuddling right until the bitter end.
“I’m a compassionate person, and I suppose if that was me lying on the side of the road injured, I would hope that somebody would stop for me.
“Some people don’t see animals as being as worthy as humans perhaps but, for my conscience, I needed to go back and check them.
“It was undignified for the koalas to be left on the side of the road like that.”
Heartbroken locals vented their grief online.
“Sick of the carnage, why don’t people care more, they are endangered almost to the point of being critical,” they said.
Another said: “This broke me. Every single animal I see or rescue or take off the road hurts so much.”
“This is so sad, and things need to change urgently,” added a third.
A Transport and Main Roads spokesman said options existed for wildlife protection, including lowering speed limits, installing signs and pavement marking, fencing, and fauna overpasses and crossings.
The Queensland Road Safety Technical User Volumes: Guide to Speed Management was updated last year, stating that wildlife should be a consideration in speed limit setting.
“There is no prescriptive guidance for the consideration of wildlife activity when determining speed limits, however, this does not preclude consideration of wildlife in speed limit setting,” he said.
“A speed limit review with respect to wildlife movements in the area can be requested through the relevant road authority.”
He said a decision to install signage on road networks lay with the road owner.
Meanwhile, a council spokesman said Ipswich was a growing city, and “development is a critical part of our responsibility to offer affordable housing to Queenslanders”.
“If approved development includes clearing native vegetation, a licensed spotter/catcher will be on site to supervise and ensure any wildlife is safely relocated.
“Council also requires any approved clearing to be staged, so that native wildlife can move into retained vegetation rather than towards hazardous areas such as roads.
“If development occurs within an identified wildlife corridor, dedicated crossings are included as a condition of approval, as well as driver awareness signage where appropriate.”
In Southeast Queensland, around 300 koalas are killed each year by motor vehicles.
Experts fear that by the time Brisbane hosts the Olympic Games in 2032, the only koalas left in the “world’s koala capital” will be in forests far outside the city.
If you find injured wildlife, you can contact RSPCA on 1300ANIMAL.