Koala reported as being horrifically burnt at Portland Aluminium Smelter

Feb 9 2021

https://www.foe.org.au/burnt_koala_found_at_portland_smelter

Friends of the Earth has been alarmed to learn that a koala was horrifically burnt at Alcoa’s Portland Aluminium smelter, in South West Victoria in late January.

The animal, apparently somehow entered the facility and ended up climbing some type of attachment in the smelter’s “anode room”. (Anodes can be made of petroleum coke, mixed with coal-tar-pitch, followed by forming and baking at elevated temperatures).

The burnt koala was removed, put in a bag and then released at a nearby golf course 3.6km away. Apparently, this is not the first time that koalas have been released at the golf course from the smelter.

A witness then went and found the animal a day later and called Wildlife Victoria for help.

A koala shelter was then called and volunteers then placed the badly injured animal in a basket and transported the animal to the shelter. The shelter then delivered the burnt animal to a local vet who had to euthanise the animal the following morning.

According to the vet: “Examination: (Obtunded. Severe burns to pads on FLs and HLs. Pigmented skin has all sloughed from pads and maggots are present in wounds.)”

Friends of the Earth spokesperson Anthony Amis said:

“It’s obvious that there has been a complete breakdown at Alcoa in terms of humanely dealing with a badly injured koala. Surely Alcoa knows better than releasing badly injured koalas without any thought of the suffering wrought on that animal. This is corporate mismanagement at its worst”.

Portland locals are deeply concerned and are demanding Alcoa are held to account for koalas that enter the smelter facility.

A recent visit to the smelter by FoE has revealed spaces in the security fence up to 22cm high and 30 metres long, where koalas could possibly enter the smelter facility. Koala scats were also found in close proximity to smelter infrastructure.

It also could be possible that koalas may be able to enter the facility through climbing on smelter infrastructure. Koala friendly trees are also growing in close proximity to the smelter and in late 2020, a nearby 17 hectare bluegum plantation was determined as having up to 10 koalas per hectare.

Friends of the Earth also has concerns that koalas in the area may also be suffering from impacts of fluoride emissions, similar to the tooth and bone deformities that were reported in kangaroos living near the aluminium smelter in 2010.

We, are calling on Alcoa to remedy this situation immediately at the Portland Aluminium smelter by:

• Stopping koalas entering the facility by erecting a koala proof fence and repairing areas in the fence where koalas can access the site.
• Reviewing and repairing other possible access points where koalas enter the Portland smelter.
• Reviewing Alcoa’s Koala Management Plan (if you have one).
• Working out priority locations at the smelter where koala monitoring can occur.
• Conducting specialised staff koala training, including development of protocols at the plant and key responsibilities for tasks determined in the koala management plan.
• Ensuring urgent veterinary attention if injured koalas are found at the facility.
• Ensuring koala shelter assistance if koalas are found at the facility.

Portland smelter operator Alcoa denies koala had severe burns when removed from grounds

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-10/koala-found-injured-near-portland-smelter/13139384

Feb 10 2021

Authorities are investigating how a koala found on a golf course in south-west Victoria was so seriously burnt and in distress it later had to be euthanased.

A wildlife rescuer picked up the injured koala from the Portland Golf Course on the evening of January 28 after a member of the public contacted Wildlife Victoria concerned about the animal.

The woman from a local wildlife shelter, who wanted to remain anonymous, said the koala had maggots in its paw and was screaming in pain throughout the night.

She took the adult male koala to the vet in the morning to be put down due to the severity of its injuries.

“I gave him the name Ambrose because it means ‘immortal one’,” she said.

Company removed koala from plant

The woman said she was told by a worker from the nearby aluminium smelter that he witnessed the koala inside the plant the day before with severe burns to its paws before it was knocked down, put in a bag, and taken to the golf course to be released.

The smelter regularly relocates koalas found within its grounds to trees on the adjacent golf course and koalas found in poor health were taken to a vet.

The wildlife carer said she had been in contact with the company about her concerns that an animal so severely injured had been left at the golf course, which she described as “disgraceful”.

A spokesperson for smelter operator Alcoa said a koala had been relocated from its facilities to the golf course on January 27 and it had informed the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).

“No injuries to the koala were observed … at the time of the relocation,” the spokesperson said.

“There is a large koala population in the vicinity of the Portland Aluminium Smelter and surrounding areas, and as a result koalas are periodically found in operational areas of the plant.”

The spokesperson said the smelter had procedures in place for the safe handling of koalas found at the facility which involved moving healthy koala to suitable habitat, including the Portland Golf Course.

“Koalas observed to be injured of in poor health are taken to the local veterinarian based on guidance from DELWP,” the spokesperson said.

Burns too severe for rehabilitation

Wildlife Victoria chief executive officer Lisa Palmer said the adult koala was in very poor condition when it was picked up and was later euthanased.

“The report we received from our rescuer was that the koala was suffering severe burns and was in very significant distress and pain,” she said.