An average 100 million native animals killed or injured each year from land clearing, mostly for beef farms

A new report shows an average of 100 million native animals are displaced, injured or killed from land clearing in Queensland and NSW every year, including more than one thousand koalas.

The report commissioned by advocacy groups Greenpeace and RSPCA Queensland examined government data from 2016 to 2021, with the animal numbers twice as much as previous estimates.

“We came up with a pretty startling figure, about 100 million … most of that is reptiles,” report author Martin Taylor, from the University of Queensland, said.

“We’re looking at about 1200 koalas a year is my estimate, losing their habitat and ultimately dying as a result of clearing,” he said.

The academic said most of the deforestation is the result of beef production, although the beef industry has previously denied deforestation is widespread.

“Livestock pasture development specifically is the largest driver of land clearing in Queensland and in NSW … taken together we’re looking at 90 per cent,” Dr Taylor, a former conservation scientist with WWF-Australia, said.

Cattle Australia, which represents grass-fed beef cattle producers, has been contacted for comment.

The report found the remaining ten per cent of land clearing in the two states can be attributed to cropping and plantations, urban development and forest logging.

The report which analysed government data, showed 2.4 million hectares of forest and woodland habitats, which was either mature or advanced regrowth, were bulldozed or cleared across the two states from 2016 to 2021.

That’s about twice the size of greater Sydney.

The report also examined RSPCA data on wildlife hospital admissions throughout Queensland, and found urban development is largely to blame for animals being injured.

On average, 24,000 native animals were recorded by RSPCA Queensland being rescued or admitted into its care every year, including more than 500 koalas.

“They’re not suffering, because the bulldozer has pushed over their tree, they’re suffering because they’re left with these little patches of habitats surrounded by busy roads and dogs and so forth,” Dr Taylor said.

About two-thirds of all animals taken to hospital died after admission.

The report found agricultural land clearing had almost halved in Queensland between 2018 and 2021, from 609,544 hectares to 311,809 hectares.

While land clearing in NSW remained well below its northern neighbour, it increased during the same period with 85,954 hectares cleared. 

The report found existing laws continue to be “inadequate to prevent the ongoing unmitigated suffering and killing of native wildlife that results from bushland destruction.”

Both Greenpeace and the RSPCA have called for stronger laws to protect native animals.

“Far from slowing down, the deforestation crisis in Australia is accelerating and pushing native wildlife like the iconic koala to the brink of extinction,” Greenpeace’s Gemma Plesman said.

“We’re calling for stronger nature laws that will halt nature destruction and end the extinction crisis in Australia.”

AAP