Demand for possum removal rises as Australians face tough fines – realestate.com.au

A shocking discovery on an elderly Victorian homeowner’s roof has prompted a dire $44,000 warning to Australians, as possum plagues skyrocket across the country, wreaking havoc on homes.

Wildlife rescuers were recently called to a property in the Macedon Ranges after a young possum was found trapped in a wire cage and exposed to harsh nighttime conditions.

The native animal, suffering from facial injuries and dehydration, was caught on the roof of a frustrated pensioner, a spokesman for the volunteer-run Macedon Ranges Wildlife Network said. Yahoo News.

Another person had set the trap to help the pensioner, but “unfortunately no follow-up plan had been put in place” for his welfare or release, they explained.

“When the homeowner realized the possum had been caught, they did the right thing by reporting the situation to Wildlife Victoria so that assistance could be provided.”

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While the homeowner’s intentions were not malicious, the incident highlights a growing trend of Australians taking matters into their own hands to deal with a national increase in possum invasions – often without realizing the harsh penalties they face for breaking strict conservation laws.

The $44,000 Possum Problem

Victorian law allows homeowners to catch and release possums from their roof spaces, but only if they follow strict rules.

These include using approved traps, checking them within two hours of sunrise and releasing the possum no more than 50 meters from where it was captured.

Violating these rules can result in fines of up to $44,380 or up to two years in prison.

It is believed the possum was locked in the cage for up to 48 hours before rescuers arrived. Source: Macedon Ranges Wildlife Network

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In this case, the elderly homeowner avoided fines after reporting the situation to Wildlife Victoria, allowing the possum to be rescued and treated by licensed caretakers.

It is illegal to capture possums, or catch and release them without a permit, throughout Australia.

Possum infestations are on the rise

The warning comes as new data shows there is an increase in possum-related problems across Australia.

According to new Airtasker dataCurrently, possum infections are peaking, with demand for possum removal services up 40 percent in August compared to previous months – and up 15 percent year-on-year in September.

Melbourne has been crowned the possum capital of the country, with certified pest technician and Tasker Ibby El-Jamal naming the city’s inner east as ground zero for possum chaos, with removal duties there three times the national average.

“Melbourne’s combination of possum-friendly old homes with holes and roof cavities can make the removal job itself difficult, which continues like wildfire,” he says.

“The noisy breeding and fighting is a nuisance at all hours, especially when it is dark. They are nocturnal animals and people would rather pay a pest controller than do it themselves.

“This is creating high demand, as evidenced by the number of possum removal tasks posted on Airtasker.”

The Inner East is closely followed by Melbourne’s Inner South, with both regions having a task rate per 100,000 population that is 300 percent higher than the national average.

Sydney suburbs such as North Sydney, Hornsby and the Northern Beaches were also in the top 10 possum hotspots, but Melbourne still takes the cake, with 60 per cent more moving orders than Sydney.