Source : Perth Now news
Three men will face court charged with killing wombats in regional Victoria in late 2024.
The Victorian Conservation Regulator revealed on Monday the three men – all aged in their early 20s – had been charged with animal cruelty and hunting protected wildlife.
In court it will be alleged the men deliberately ran over wombats with a vehicle on public land at southwest Gippsland.
A regulator spokeswoman declined to provide NewsWire with scheduled court dates for the accused men or information to find and report on the court hearings.
In a statement, a department spokesperson said two 20-year-old men and a 23-year-old had been charged after the alleged incident near the village of Walkerville in late 2024.
The trio face charges under the Wildlife Act and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
Hunting protected wildlife carries a maximum penalty of a $10,455 fine and six months in prison if convicted. Animal cruelty carries a maximum $52,275 fine and one year in prison.
One of the 20-year-olds faces additional charges over the alleged killing of nine wombats in 2025 at Venus Bay, which is about 30km from Walkerville.
“The Conservation Regulator investigates wildlife crime and prosecutes alleged offenders, supported by reports from the community to Crime Stoppers Victoria,” the spokesperson said.
When and where the men are expected to front court is unknown. The Conservation Regulator spokeswoman said any convictions would be publicised afterwards by the department.
Walkerville is a coastal, regional village of southwestern Victoria, about 140km from Melbourne.
