One of Australia’s largest private irrigation companies has “unintentionally” transformed kilometres of a supply channel into a “death trap” for native animals. The problem occurred after Murrumbidgee Irrigation engineers upgraded the watercourse by lining its rough concrete walls with black plastic, which is slippery when wet, and impossible for animals to grip onto.
According to locals, the drownings have been centred along a 20km section of canal that runs through farmland in Griffith, a NSW Riverina city commonly referred to as the foodbowl of Australia. One picture supplied to Yahoo News shows the bodies of seven kangaroos floating in one spot, but locals say the problem has been ongoing for years and they’ve lost count of the dead.
Responding to questions from Yahoo News, the company has agreed this week to address the problem, but for many residents, a solution can’t come quickly enough. “It’s been pretty awful,” local school bus driver Anita Tovo told Yahoo News.
Despite not having any wildlife training, fishing struggling animals out of the water has largely fallen on her shoulders. She frequently spots kangaroos drowning during her regular route beside a stretch of the Lakeview Branch Canal, and they’re sometimes noticed by the kids riding with her.
“I don’t think I’ve ever gone down the road, morning or afternoon, and not seen a drowned kangaroo, all through the summer season,” she told Yahoo News.
Earlier this month, she photographed the bodies of seven kangaroos, floating dead in the water.
WARNING — DISTRESSING CONTENT:
On October 13, a Griffith school bus driver saw seven kangaroos dead in the canal. Source: Supplied
The Lakeview Branch Canal can be seen running through the centre of this satellite image. Source: Google Earth
On a separate occasion last year, a small kangaroo managed to scramble out of the water. A picture taken by Anita shows the animal staring back at the camera through thick foliage following its escape. But because the channel is protected by a high fence with few openings, it fell in again and drowned three days later.
“It was floating in the water. I was just so frustrated, I wished I’d just got bolt cutters and mutilated the fence,” she said.
Rescue volunteer struggles to respond to channel incidents
NSW’s largest wildlife rescue service, WIRES, has a small presence in the sprawling Griffith area. The closest rescue volunteer to the channel, Amanda McCloy, works as a busy nurse over 50km away.
“By the time someone finds a kangaroo during the day at first light, it’s probably been in there for hours, and by the time I’d get out there, it’s too late, they’re drowned,” she told Yahoo.
She describes the situation created by the plastic lining as “shocking”. Only on one occasion has she been able to fish a young kangaroo out of thick silt at the bottom of a canal when the water was low.
“There’s no point having plastic in there, keeping the water clean, if animals are dying in there, and animals are rotting in there,” she said.
This kangaroo managed to scramble out of the canal but died days later after falling in again. Source: Supplied
This is the only kangaroo that WIRES volunteer Amanda McCloy has been able to rescue from the channel. Source: WIRES
After being contacted by Yahoo News, Murrumbidgee Irrigation asserted there are strategic exit points in the fence, and that camera monitoring and regular inspections help the company “respond quickly to any incidents”.
But it also acknowledged the “distressing reports of animals becoming trapped” in its channels from the community.
“We understand that these incidents are upsetting and empathise with those who have witnessed or been affected by them. It is concerning whenever any animal is injured, regardless of the circumstances,” it said in an email.
It confirmed 113 kilometres of supply channels had been lined to both improve water delivery and reduce seepage. “While these upgrades are essential for ensuring efficient and sustainable water use, we acknowledge that they can unintentionally impact local wildlife,” it said.
Anita Tovo said kangaroos can be seen drowned throughout the summer. On Tuesday, she spoke to Yahoo News and took this image of one dead in the canal. Source: Supplied
Murrumbidgee Irrigation makes commitment after canal drownings
Responding to Yahoo News about the issue, Murrumbidgee Irrigation committed to improving its infrastructure to improve wildlife safety. It also agreed to work with WIRES head office to combat the problem.
WIRES CEO Leanne Taylor said the drowning deaths have been “distressing” for both members of the public and its volunteers.
“WIRES welcomes an immediate collaboration with Murrumbidgee Irrigation and other Emergency Services agencies to assist with the rescuing and release of native wildlife trapped in this stretch of channel,” she said.
“Further proactive measures by Murrumbidgee Irrigation is greatly appreciated to help prevent the suffering being caused to these poor animals.”
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