Territory and Municipal Services are getting increasingly frustrated by attacks on the ACT’s park infrastructure while the kangaroo cull is underway:
The ACT Government has today called for information from the public after at least 30 sections of the predator-proof fence at Mulligans Flat Sanctuary were cut open last night. An inspection is currently taking place to determine the full extent of damage and repair works are underway.
This follows a spate of vandalism at nature reserves in the last two weeks since they were closed to allow for the kangaroo cull.
An extensive section of fence at Kama Nature Reserve was damaged over the weekend (estimated damage in excess of $5000) and over 20 gate locks in the closed nature reserves have been filled with glue resin material making them unusable (each lock will cost about $100 to replace).
“This vandalism is very disappointing and has been highly orchestrated since we announced the cull of kangaroos to keep numbers at sustainable levels,” said Director, Parks and Conservation, Daniel Iglesias.
“The most disappointing aspect is this deliberate attack on the two-metre high predator proof fence at Mulligans Flat Sanctuary.
“The Sanctuary plays a vital role in ecological research. Its 12 kilometre predator-proof fence encloses a 485 hectare area allowing the reintroduction of locally extinct animals that were once common in the region. Only last week a group of Eastern bettongs from Tasmania, which are extinct on the mainland, were reintroduced into the Sanctuary.
[Photo courtesy TAMS]