Wildlife warrior fights for land

COOLUM animal rights activist Jaylene Musgrave has launched a campaign appealing to Sunshine Coast developers to rethink the increase in land clearing from Noosa to Bribie Island.

According to the director of Farm Animal Rescue Australia and Sunshine Coast Koala Wildlife Rescue, land on the Sunshine Coast is being rapidly cleared to make way for development.

Vegan Warriors, of which Ms Musgrave is a part of, is concerned the clearing will reduce the natural habitat for Coast wildlife.

Ms Musgrave has met with the council and the Greens to discuss buy-back alternatives with “no luck”.

“There has been no action taken on suggestions to buy back land from developers,” she said.

“I have been meeting with (them) to discuss options on incorporating wildlife areas within land marked for clearing, but have had no response.

“If we don’t start demanding action, we will be looking at concrete jungles where once many native animals lived.”

She said the pressure on animal carers and the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital was enormous.

“There are nearly 90 koalas being cared for at the hospital at any given time and endless surgery to roos and other native wildlife.

“The reality is, what we love so dearly about our region, is inevitably disappearing forever.”

Ms Musgrave said she held grave concerns for the future of Australian fauna.

“Native marsupials struggle to survive with all the odds stacked against them – drought, loss of habitat, encroachment of civilisation, illegal and legal culling by farmers, roadside deaths as well as culling in state forests, parks, reserves, national parks,” she said.

“And of course threat from the kangaroo industry which kills close to four million roos nationwide annually to supply meat for export and pet food.

“Let’s start making some noise and give our native animals a voice.”