Heartbreaking video of wallaby foaming at mouth before 'strange death'
Mystery surrounds what’s killing a number of wallabies in Far North Queensland.
The Agile Project, which is made up of volunteers caring for agile wallabies, is investigating what’s killing the animals and coordinator Shai Ager shared a video of a “strange death” on August 23.
She came across a wallaby foaming at the mouth just moments before it died at a park in Trinity Beach in Cairns’ north.
“There doesn’t seem to be any other breaks or injuries,” she says.
“A rescuer is on its way to take it to the vet but it looks like it’ll pass before then.”
Another volunteer walks over and she tells him, “it’s foaming from the mouth”.
“Have you seen that before?” Ms Ager asks.
He replies, “no”.
Ms Ager told Yahoo News Australia the wallaby died in her arms as she was carrying it to the car.
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The marsupial is one of 45 wallabies she’s found dead in Cairns in the past week.
Ms Ager said she doesn’t know what’s killing the animals but is expecting results from toxicologists in the coming days.
“The video is terrible,” she said.
“We’re not sure about the cause but some of the symptoms involve foaming at the mouth. We’ve found three who have died with foaming from the mouth.”
Ms Ager added finding the animals dead has proved emotionally and physically exhausting for herself and The Agile Project’s unpaid volunteers.
“For a mass death like this it just breaks our hearts,” she said.
“No one should have to see this.”
The Department of Environment and Science (DES) told the ABC it had been alerted to the dead wallabies by Cairns Regional Council on Friday.
"DES wildlife officers conducted a detailed inspection but all of the wallaby carcasses had been removed," a spokesperson told the ABC in a statement.
"They could find no evidence of offences having been committed against Queensland's nature conservation laws.
"Anyone who has evidence regarding this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or DES on 1300 130 372."
A spokesperson from Cairns Regional Council told Yahoo News Australia the deaths seemed to be stress related.
“Council is reviewing reports concerning the discovery a number deceased agile wallabies at the Trinity Beach Sporting Precinct,” the spokesperson said.
“Early indications suggest that the deaths are stress-related, likely associated with being chased by dogs.
“Council is continuing to monitor the area and the Department of the Environment and Science has been notified.”
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