Across Australia, thousands of animals — including kangaroos, wombats, dingoes, brumbies, emus, birds, reptiles, crocodiles, and sharks — are directly killed through government‑approved culls, baiting programs, trapping, shooting, and lethal drumlines. Other species, such as rays, dolphins, turtles, and some birds and marine animals, are not culled but are still killed as predictable by‑products of state‑sanctioned systems like shark nets, drumlines, commercial fishing bycatch, habitat destruction, and “problem animal” removals. Although these actions are often justified as necessary for “public safety” or “agricultural protection,” independent ecological research consistently shows that lethal control is ineffective, unethical, and ecologically damaging.

 

At the same time, 1080 poison, a toxin banned in most countries, continues to be used across our landscapes and waterways, killing native species, introduced species, and companion animals indiscriminately.

Australia’s wildlife deserves non‑lethal, science‑based coexistence — not bullets, traps, nets, or poison.

 

CULLING DOES NOT PREVENT UNINTENDED ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES
Whether the target is kangaroos, wombats, dingoes, emus, camels, sharks, or crocodiles, the science is clear:

Killing animals does not prevent unintended ecological consequences. Human–animal conflict arises from land use, attractants, resource scarcity, and environmental pressures — not from the mere presence of animals.

Removing one animal may stop a single incident, but it does not prevent future conflict. New animals move into the vacated space, resources remain, and the underlying causes stay unchanged.

Culls also create a false sense of safety, leading people to believe an area is “safe now” simply because animals were removed. This complacency increases unsafe behaviour and ultimately increases the likelihood of further conflict.

Killing animals does not solve ecological problems. It creates new ones — by disrupting balance, removing keystone species, and triggering cascading effects across ecosystems.

 
HUMAN BEHAVIOUR DETERMINES PRESENCE OF CONFLICT
Wildlife conflict is preventable when people:

understand the species they live alongside
follow safety guidelines
avoid high‑risk behaviours
respect habitat boundaries
Education is the most effective tool for reducing conflict — not killing.

When governments rely on culling, they shift responsibility away from individuals and onto wildlife. This is dangerous, misleading, and scientifically unsupported.

 
1080 POISON IS CRUEL, NON‑SELECTIVE, AND OUTDATED
1080 (sodium fluoroacetate):

is banned in most countries
causes prolonged suffering
kills native species, pets, and introduced animals indiscriminately
persists in the environment
is poorly monitored
undermines public trust in wildlife management
Australia’s continued use of 1080 is incompatible with modern animal‑welfare standards.

 
MARINE LIFE IS ALSO BEING KILLED
Shark nets and drumlines kill:

sharks (including endangered species)
rays
dolphins
turtles
dugongs
whales (entanglement)
These programs do not prevent shark bites. They simply kill marine life while giving the public a false sense of safety — the same pattern we see with land‑based culls.

Non‑lethal strategies (drones, alert systems, education) are far more effective.

 
LAND ANIMALS ARE BEING KILLED ACROSS AUSTRALIA
On land, lethal control programs target:

kangaroos
wombats
dingoes
brumbies
emus
wallabies
possums
flying foxes
reptiles
birds
Many of these species are keystone or ecosystem‑regulating animals. Culling them:

disrupts population structure
destabilises predator‑prey relationships
accelerates biodiversity loss
undermines natural ecological regulation
Australia’s ecosystems cannot recover while lethal control remains the default.

 
🌱 ANIMALS ARE SENTIENT — NOT RESOURCES TO BE “CULLED”
Modern science is unequivocal: All vertebrate animals — including sharks, rays, crocodiles, kangaroos, wombats, dingoes, and livestock — are sentient.

They experience:

pain
fear
stress
social bonds
learning
problem‑solving
emotional states
Australia’s wildlife policies continue to treat animals as numbers to be reduced, problems to be removed, or obstacles to agriculture, rather than living beings with intrinsic value.

When we fail to recognise sentience, we justify cruelty. When we recognise sentience, we choose coexistence.

 
🌾 HOW CONSUMER CHOICES FUEL WILDLIFE KILLING
Wildlife culls do not happen in isolation. They are part of a larger system — one driven by the demands of animal agriculture.

To produce meat, dairy, and other animal‑derived products, vast areas of land are cleared or grazed. Native animals who live on or near that land are then labelled as “pests,” “competitors,” or “threats,” and are killed to protect farmed animals and maximise profit.

This means that every year, millions of native animals — kangaroos, wombats, dingoes, emus, birds, reptiles, and countless marine animals impacted by runoff and habitat loss — are killed because the industry requires it.

When we buy animal‑agriculture products, we unintentionally support:

land clearing
habitat destruction
lethal control programs
1080 poison drops
shooting of native herbivores
killing of predators
marine ecosystem decline
This is not about blaming individuals. Most people have never been told that their everyday purchases are connected to wildlife deaths.

But once we understand the link, we can make choices that reduce harm — choices that support coexistence, protect ecosystems, and reduce the pressure to kill wildlife in the first place.

A future where wildlife is safe requires not only policy change, but a shift in how we value animals — all animals, not just the ones we consider “wild.”

 
WHAT WE ARE CALLING FOR
We, the undersigned, call on the Queensland Government and relevant state authorities to:

1. End lethal wildlife culls driven by agricultural pressure
2. Ban 1080 poison and transition to humane, evidence‑based alternatives
3. Replace shark nets and drumlines with non‑lethal, science‑based safety measures
4. Establish independent scientific review of all lethal control programs
5. Require full transparency of kill numbers, permits, and contractor practices
6. Implement non‑lethal coexistence strategies as the primary management approach
7. Review agricultural subsidies that incentivise habitat destruction and wildlife killing
8. Protect native species on private land, including wombats
9. Recognise animal sentience in all wildlife and marine management policies
10. Support public education programs that reduce conflict without killing animals

Australia’s wildlife is part of our identity, our ecosystems, and our future. They deserve protection — not bullets, traps, nets, or poison.

 

Please sign to advocate for compassionate, science-based solutions that protect wildlife, promote coexistence, and replace outdated culling practices.

Our goal is to reach 10,000 signatures to demonstrate strong public support for humane wildlife coexistence and an end to culling practices.