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ONE of Bathurst’s rare albino wallaroos has been found dead on Mount Panorama.
Researchers from the Bathurst Kangaroo Project fear stress from excavation works in the middle of the race circuti may have contributed to the doe’s death.
She was one of two albino wallaroos on the Mount that had been filmed by hidden cameras set up on the Mount by project researchers.
A Mount Panorama resident found the wallaroo dead on the Mount and alerted Bathurst ecologist Ray Mjadwesch, who collected the doe’s body.
“She had no signs of physical injury,” Mr Mjadwesch said.
“I arrived soon afterwards and delivered her to Stewart Street Veterinary Hospital where an autopsy was performed.
“Results from the autopsy just received confirm she had no physical injury or signs of disease.
“This leads us to surmise acute stress might have killed her, given her flight immediately prior to her death. Kangaroos are easily killed by stress.”
Work by the Bathurst Kangaroo Project has attracted international media attention and the albino wallaroos have been particularly popular.
Project co-ordinator Helen Bergen said researchers had been saddened by the wallaroo’s death but called it a reminder that ‘roos were highly sensitive to human disturbances such as dogs, loud machinery, shooting and other disruptions to their environment.
“Kangaroos are peace-loving animal and the most effective management strategy to ensure kangaroo and community safety is to keep them calm,” she said.
“It is perhaps not well known Bathurst has become a destination for media and film-makers wanting footage of kangaroos, and not just of our special albino does who have captured local, national and international imagination in over 40 countries around the world.
“Only this week I took a call from another international online media site whose UK office wants to come to Bathurst to do a story.
“We are very saddened at this special doe’s death and know the Bathurst community has felt great attachment to the albino wallaroos.
“We need to do better managing protocols and risks on Wahluu/Mount Panorama to protect the remaining albino doe and the wellbeing of the other kangaroos in the precinct.”
Project scientist Dr Daniel ramp said rescue data showed an average of 60-70 kangaroos – just under 10 per cent of the Mount’s ‘roo population – were removed from the Mount each year through injury and death.