More than 100 wedge-tailed eagle birds have been poisoned and found dead on a farm in rural Victoria.
The dead birds were found by officers from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) on farmland in Tubbut in far eastern Victoria.
A Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP) spokesman told Daily Mail Australia: ‘DELWP Officers are investigating the death of a number of Wedge-tailed Eagles and a further four protected species birds on farmland in east Gippsland.
(File image) More than 100 wedge-tailed eagle birds have been poisoned and found on a farm in Tubbut, rural Victoria
‘DELWP is taking this matter very seriously. No charges have been laid but our investigations are ongoing.’
‘As these investigations are in progress, we are not in a position to comment on additional details,’ the DELWP spokesman said.
The wedge-tailed eagle is Australia’s largest raptor standing at one metre in height and with a wingspan that can reach up to 2.8m.
They prey on a range of animals including rabbits, mammals, lizards, possums, foxes and feral cats.
And the birds are known to kill their prey instantly through a fast swooping motion, according to a fact sheet by DELWP.
Wildlife carer Rose Best talked to Daily Mail Australia regarding the poisoning of the wedge-tailed eagles.
‘I don’t understand. Australia doesn’t have a lot of eagles. Why poison them?’ Ms Best said.
The wildlife carer based in Pilbara in Western Australia was shocked by the mass bird killing. ‘It’s tragic. That’s massive. That’s deliberate,’ she said.
Ms Best said she’d refer to it as a ‘localised extinction’ due to the sheer number of eagles killed.
A local community newspaper by Tubbut Neighbourhood House with a wedge-tailed eagle on its front cover (pictured)
More than 100 carcasses were found in Tubbut (pictured) in far eastern Victoria
She said the impact of more than 100 wedge-tailed eagles being poisoned is huge on the ecosystem because they’re one of the largest predators.
‘The biggest thing is that it throws the environment out of balance just like we’ve seen with the cane toads.
‘It disturbs the balance of nature because they’re one of the biggest predators.’
When asked whether anyone would have a motive to deliberately kill the protected species, Ms Best said she’s not familiar with the East Gippsland environment but she said that sheep farmers don’t tend to like wedge-tail eagles because they often prey on their lambs.
Yet she said the eagles more commonly prey on animals like rabbits and foxes.
(File image) A Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP) spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia ‘DELWP Officers are investigating the death of a number of Wedge-tailed Eagles on farmland in east Gippsland’
The dead wedge-tailed eagles were found by officers from the DELWP in Tubbut (pictured)
Ms Best was lost for words and questioned the humanity of the culprit.
‘When we lose our ability to care, we lose our humanity and when one intentionally kills and poison animals like that – you need to question that person’s humanity,’ she said.
Ms Best said wedge-tailed eagles are a protected species and hopes the person responsible is prosecuted.
Wedge-tailed eagles are protected under the Wildlife Act 1975 and deliberately killing these birds carries a maximum penalty of $7,928.50 and or up to six months imprisonment, as well as an additional penalty of $792.85 for each bird destroyed.
The DELWP spokesman said he can’t confirm an exact figure of the eagles that were killed as the investigations are ongoing but he said it is more than 100.
A farmer in the area where the carcasses were found is believed to have been tipped off a former DELWP employee.
East Gippsland wildlife carer Rena Gaborov told the ABC that people have purposefully placed toothed animal trips to hurt the birds in the past.
DELWP is calling on the community to contact Crimestoppers if they have any information to report.
Crimestoppers number is 1800 333 000 or report online.