WA's iconic emblem animal at risk of mysterious syndrome
The not-for-profit organisation said it is treating an increasing number of black swans for a photosensitivity syndrome.
'Over the past few months, WA Wildlife has observed a notable increase in black swans presenting with a mysterious photosensitivity syndrome, particularly around the Swan River,' the Bibra Lake-based organisation wrote in a Facebook post on Monday.
'While we typically see just a handful of cases each year, we've treated over 20 swans in 2025 alone, most rescued by our friends at WA Seabird Rescue.'
The birds — which appear on the State's flag — have been suffering from painful symptoms.
'These swans arrive with painful, sun-damaged skin, including blistering, redness and sloughing — especially on unfeathered areas like their beaks and occasionally feet,' WA Wildlife said.
The rescue centre said the cause of the syndrome is unknown, but claimed it could be linked to toxic exposure or liver dysfunction from environmental triggers. These factors increase the sensitivity of the skin to sunlight. The birds — who appear on the State's flag — have been suffering from painful symptoms. Credit: Facebook / WA Wildlife
Fortunately, WA Wildlife said the majority of swans see improvement in their symptoms.
'Most birds recover well with dedicated supportive care, including pain management, wound treatment and time in UV-protected enclosures to prevent further damage,' it wrote.
According to the WA Wildlife website, the native wildlife hospital treats more than 6500 animals from 280 species each year.
Magpies across WA have also fallen victim to a mysterious syndrome, however, this particular disease is deadly.
It is estimated hundreds of thousands of the birds have suffered from magpie paralysis syndrome, also known as black and white bird paralysis, with cases rising in spring and summer.
CEO of WA Wildlife, Dean Huxley, said the mass deaths 'feel almost apocalyptic'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
10 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Dozens waiting for aid among 94 killed in Gaza
Air strikes and shootings have killed 94 Palestinians in Gaza overnight, including 45 who were attempting to get much-needed humanitarian aid, hospitals and the health ministry say. Israel's military did not immediately comment on the strikes. Five people were killed while outside sites associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the newly created, secretive American organisation backed by Israel to feed the Gaza Strip's population, while 40 others were killed waiting for aid in other locations across the Gaza Strip. Dozens of people were killed in air strikes that pounded the Strip Wednesday night and Thursday morning, including 15 people killed in strikes that hit tents in the sprawling Muwasi zone, where many displaced Palestinians are sheltering. A separate strike on a school in Gaza City sheltering displaced people also killed 15 people. Gaza's health ministry said the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza had passed 57,000 since the war began on October 7, 2023. The toll includes 223 people who had been missing but have now been declared dead. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its death count but says that more than half of the dead are women and children. The deaths come as Israel and Hamas inch closer to a possible ceasefire that would end the 21-month war. Trump said Tuesday that Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen. But Hamas's response, which emphasised its demand that the war end, raised questions about whether the latest offer could materialise into an actual pause in fighting. The Israeli military blames Hamas for the civilian casualties because it operates from populated areas. The military said it targeted Hamas militants and rocket launchers in northern Gaza that launched rockets toward Israel on Wednesday. The UK-based human rights group Amnesty International condemned both Israel and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which the US and Israel have tapped to take over aid distribution in Gaza from a network led by the United Nations. The Amnesty report said Israel has "turned aid-seeking into a booby trap for desperate starved Palestinians" through GHF's militarised hubs. The conditions have created "a deadly mix of hunger and disease pushing the population past breaking point", it said. Israel's foreign minister denounced the Amnesty report, saying the organisation had "joined forces with Hamas and fully adopted all of its propaganda lies". Gaza's health ministry says more than 500 Palestinians have been killed at or near GHF distribution centres in the past month, including five overnight between Wednesday and Thursday in Khan Younis. The centres are guarded by private security contractors and located near Israeli military positions. Palestinian officials and witnesses have accused Israeli forces of opening fire at crowds of people moving near the sites. The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1200 people and taking about 250 hostages. The war has left the coastal Palestinian territory in ruins, with much of the urban landscape flattened in the fighting. More than 90 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million population has been displaced, often multiple times. The war has sparked a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, leaving hundreds of thousands of people hungry. Air strikes and shootings have killed 94 Palestinians in Gaza overnight, including 45 who were attempting to get much-needed humanitarian aid, hospitals and the health ministry say. Israel's military did not immediately comment on the strikes. Five people were killed while outside sites associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the newly created, secretive American organisation backed by Israel to feed the Gaza Strip's population, while 40 others were killed waiting for aid in other locations across the Gaza Strip. Dozens of people were killed in air strikes that pounded the Strip Wednesday night and Thursday morning, including 15 people killed in strikes that hit tents in the sprawling Muwasi zone, where many displaced Palestinians are sheltering. A separate strike on a school in Gaza City sheltering displaced people also killed 15 people. Gaza's health ministry said the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza had passed 57,000 since the war began on October 7, 2023. The toll includes 223 people who had been missing but have now been declared dead. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its death count but says that more than half of the dead are women and children. The deaths come as Israel and Hamas inch closer to a possible ceasefire that would end the 21-month war. Trump said Tuesday that Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen. But Hamas's response, which emphasised its demand that the war end, raised questions about whether the latest offer could materialise into an actual pause in fighting. The Israeli military blames Hamas for the civilian casualties because it operates from populated areas. The military said it targeted Hamas militants and rocket launchers in northern Gaza that launched rockets toward Israel on Wednesday. The UK-based human rights group Amnesty International condemned both Israel and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which the US and Israel have tapped to take over aid distribution in Gaza from a network led by the United Nations. The Amnesty report said Israel has "turned aid-seeking into a booby trap for desperate starved Palestinians" through GHF's militarised hubs. The conditions have created "a deadly mix of hunger and disease pushing the population past breaking point", it said. Israel's foreign minister denounced the Amnesty report, saying the organisation had "joined forces with Hamas and fully adopted all of its propaganda lies". Gaza's health ministry says more than 500 Palestinians have been killed at or near GHF distribution centres in the past month, including five overnight between Wednesday and Thursday in Khan Younis. The centres are guarded by private security contractors and located near Israeli military positions. Palestinian officials and witnesses have accused Israeli forces of opening fire at crowds of people moving near the sites. The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1200 people and taking about 250 hostages. The war has left the coastal Palestinian territory in ruins, with much of the urban landscape flattened in the fighting. More than 90 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million population has been displaced, often multiple times. The war has sparked a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, leaving hundreds of thousands of people hungry. Air strikes and shootings have killed 94 Palestinians in Gaza overnight, including 45 who were attempting to get much-needed humanitarian aid, hospitals and the health ministry say. Israel's military did not immediately comment on the strikes. Five people were killed while outside sites associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the newly created, secretive American organisation backed by Israel to feed the Gaza Strip's population, while 40 others were killed waiting for aid in other locations across the Gaza Strip. Dozens of people were killed in air strikes that pounded the Strip Wednesday night and Thursday morning, including 15 people killed in strikes that hit tents in the sprawling Muwasi zone, where many displaced Palestinians are sheltering. A separate strike on a school in Gaza City sheltering displaced people also killed 15 people. Gaza's health ministry said the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza had passed 57,000 since the war began on October 7, 2023. The toll includes 223 people who had been missing but have now been declared dead. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its death count but says that more than half of the dead are women and children. The deaths come as Israel and Hamas inch closer to a possible ceasefire that would end the 21-month war. Trump said Tuesday that Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen. But Hamas's response, which emphasised its demand that the war end, raised questions about whether the latest offer could materialise into an actual pause in fighting. The Israeli military blames Hamas for the civilian casualties because it operates from populated areas. The military said it targeted Hamas militants and rocket launchers in northern Gaza that launched rockets toward Israel on Wednesday. The UK-based human rights group Amnesty International condemned both Israel and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which the US and Israel have tapped to take over aid distribution in Gaza from a network led by the United Nations. The Amnesty report said Israel has "turned aid-seeking into a booby trap for desperate starved Palestinians" through GHF's militarised hubs. The conditions have created "a deadly mix of hunger and disease pushing the population past breaking point", it said. Israel's foreign minister denounced the Amnesty report, saying the organisation had "joined forces with Hamas and fully adopted all of its propaganda lies". Gaza's health ministry says more than 500 Palestinians have been killed at or near GHF distribution centres in the past month, including five overnight between Wednesday and Thursday in Khan Younis. The centres are guarded by private security contractors and located near Israeli military positions. Palestinian officials and witnesses have accused Israeli forces of opening fire at crowds of people moving near the sites. The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1200 people and taking about 250 hostages. The war has left the coastal Palestinian territory in ruins, with much of the urban landscape flattened in the fighting. More than 90 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million population has been displaced, often multiple times. The war has sparked a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, leaving hundreds of thousands of people hungry. Air strikes and shootings have killed 94 Palestinians in Gaza overnight, including 45 who were attempting to get much-needed humanitarian aid, hospitals and the health ministry say. Israel's military did not immediately comment on the strikes. Five people were killed while outside sites associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the newly created, secretive American organisation backed by Israel to feed the Gaza Strip's population, while 40 others were killed waiting for aid in other locations across the Gaza Strip. Dozens of people were killed in air strikes that pounded the Strip Wednesday night and Thursday morning, including 15 people killed in strikes that hit tents in the sprawling Muwasi zone, where many displaced Palestinians are sheltering. A separate strike on a school in Gaza City sheltering displaced people also killed 15 people. Gaza's health ministry said the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza had passed 57,000 since the war began on October 7, 2023. The toll includes 223 people who had been missing but have now been declared dead. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its death count but says that more than half of the dead are women and children. The deaths come as Israel and Hamas inch closer to a possible ceasefire that would end the 21-month war. Trump said Tuesday that Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen. But Hamas's response, which emphasised its demand that the war end, raised questions about whether the latest offer could materialise into an actual pause in fighting. The Israeli military blames Hamas for the civilian casualties because it operates from populated areas. The military said it targeted Hamas militants and rocket launchers in northern Gaza that launched rockets toward Israel on Wednesday. The UK-based human rights group Amnesty International condemned both Israel and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which the US and Israel have tapped to take over aid distribution in Gaza from a network led by the United Nations. The Amnesty report said Israel has "turned aid-seeking into a booby trap for desperate starved Palestinians" through GHF's militarised hubs. The conditions have created "a deadly mix of hunger and disease pushing the population past breaking point", it said. Israel's foreign minister denounced the Amnesty report, saying the organisation had "joined forces with Hamas and fully adopted all of its propaganda lies". Gaza's health ministry says more than 500 Palestinians have been killed at or near GHF distribution centres in the past month, including five overnight between Wednesday and Thursday in Khan Younis. The centres are guarded by private security contractors and located near Israeli military positions. Palestinian officials and witnesses have accused Israeli forces of opening fire at crowds of people moving near the sites. The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1200 people and taking about 250 hostages. The war has left the coastal Palestinian territory in ruins, with much of the urban landscape flattened in the fighting. More than 90 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million population has been displaced, often multiple times. The war has sparked a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, leaving hundreds of thousands of people hungry.
West Australian
17 hours ago
- West Australian
Singular signs top US radiologist to pick up imaging rollout pace
Western Australian medical technology innovator Singular Health Group has strengthened its push into the lucrative United States healthcare market with the appointment of a seasoned radiologist with more than two decades' experience as its US radiology advisor. In a move aimed squarely at cementing clinical credibility and accelerating commercialisation, Dr Alex Alonso will also set up Singular's flagship 3DICOM radiology platform at his own diagnostic centre, Life Radiology FL, in Doral, Florida. The appointment follows Singular's binding enterprise agreement with Provider Network Solutions (PNS), a leading US-based managed service organisation which manages more than 3.7 million patient plans across Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico. Chong described the appointment as a 'big win', noting his first-hand understanding of US imaging workflows and duplication challenges. Alonso said the technology could solve everyday challenges for radiologists and patients. 'I see a real pathway to nationwide rollout in the US as we move towards connected, patient-focused care, ' he said. Life Radiology will integrate 3DICOM features such as interoperability between digital patient filing systems, secure image sharing and patient access portals to streamline diagnostic workflows and reduce unnecessary repeat imaging, which remains a significant cost burden on the US healthcare system. Alonso's consulting fees will be settled through the issue of fully paid ordinary Singular shares worth US$27,000 at the end of his six-month engagement, directly aligning his interests with the company's shareholders. Today's appointment builds on a string of strategic milestones for Singular. Two weeks ago, the company inked a US$1.3 million (A$2 million) contract with PNS to roll out an initial 1000 3DICOM MD licences to doctors across Puerto Rico, Florida and Texas. The contract includes a US$500,000 commitment to develop AI imaging models and a centralised image repository, key steps towards the company's plan to address the endemic problem of duplicate imaging in the US. Industry studies estimate unnecessary imaging costs US healthcare up to US$30 billion annually. The scale of Singular's opportunity is underscored by independent research commissioned from Signify Research, estimating a total addressable market of US$19 billion annually for 3DICOM licences among 1.3 million US primary care doctors. To support its ambitious US rollout, Singular Health raised $8 million through a placement of 22.4 million shares at 35 cents each, completed just last week. The raise attracted strong institutional support and saw strategic backers, including PNS, reinforce their confidence in Singular's vision by participating in the placement. The fresh cash leaves the company fully funded for the planned national deployment of 3DICOM and further product development. Quarterly reports further reveal the company's solid operational and financial footing, with more than $5.3 million cash at bank as of the end of March. Recent achievements include the completion of the 3DICOM Gateway, a real-time browser-based tool enabling seamless sharing and access to imaging records, and the appointment of Australian radiologist Dr Ronny Low as technical advisor for the US pilot. Looking ahead, Singular Health is preparing for its first large-scale national rollout across PNS's partner networks, supported by its strategic joint venture between PNS and the Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company (HOPCo), a group operating across more than 30 US states. Singular Health's 3DICOM software, which has US Food and Drug Administration registration for diagnostic use in the US, enables advanced 3D visualisation of medical images, empowering practitioners and patients with clearer insights into imaging data. The company's broader suite of technologies, including its volumetric rendering platform and medical file transfer protocol, aims to eliminate medical imaging silos and reduce costs, patient discomfort and delays in care. As Singular Health sets its sights firmly on transforming the US medical imaging landscape, today's appointment of Alonso represents a clinical endorsement and a significant leap forward in its mission to make healthcare imaging smarter, faster and more accessible across America. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact:
The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
'Looking at you, pleading': reported spike in cruel kangaroo killing grass
Last week, Dianne Becker walked to her front verandah and saw a kangaroo. Usually, they would never be so close. "I could walk right up to it and it didn't even move," she said. "It just looked like it was a bit drunk." When the kangaroo did move, it fell over. It was showing symptoms of phalaris grass poisoning - or "the staggers" - a neurological disease characterised by head tremors and loss of coordination. The condition is caused by eating a common introduced pasture grass, and this year rescuers are seeing much more of it. The introduced grass species is found in all states and territories except the Northern Territory. Two Victorian wildlife rescue groups have reported a spike in the condition, while residents in the town of Axedale, where phalaris grass is endemic, locals say it's the worst they've ever seen. Ms Becker, who has lived in Longlea on the outskirts of Bendigo for 11 years, said it's the first time she's ever seen the condition, which is caused by toxins in young phalaris grass shoots. "To see them in that state falling over - it's like they're looking at you, pleading, 'help me', and there's nothing that can be done," she said. According to the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action (DEECA), there is no known treatment for the disease in wildlife and severely affected animals are euthanised. The kangaroo Ms Becker saw was euthanised by a wildlife rescue worker, and since that incident she had seen at least one other animal with the condition. Down the road, Axedale woman Anne Buckingham said she had seen kangaroos with phalaris poisoning every day. She and her husband have euthanised some themselves. "My husband lived here in the 1990s and it's only been the last couple of years we've ever noticed this," she said. "We've now got to make sure that we don't let the dogs outside unless they're on a lead. "They will go chase the kangaroos and the kangaroos can't jump away from them." Ms Buckingham said she and her husband had discussed removing phalaris grass from their 30-acre property last year. "It would be a big expense to change the pasture and it wouldn't solve the problem unless everybody changed the pasture on all the other farms around," she said. Wildlife Victoria said they had encountered 289 cases of phalaris poisoning so far this year, already higher than reported cases in the past four years. Data provided by the organisation since 2022 shows a steady increase in reported cases, from 46 in 2022, up to 220 in 2024. "These incidents often increase during winter and periods of drought, as phalaris is a hardy grass that continues to thrive even when other grasses struggle to survive, forcing kangaroos to feed on it when food is scarce," a Wildlife Victoria spokesperson said. A 2024 veterinary paper said low average rainfall in early autumn was a seasonal predictor for high numbers of phalaris poisoning the following winter. Leonie Sorrentino, from Melbourne-based group The Wildlife Rescuers, said they were seeing adult male roos with the condition, when they would usually see only young kangaroos. She said phalaris poisoning hotspots include the Plenty Gorge and Sunbury near Melbourne. The 2024 paper also said cases had been reported in Seymour, Dartmoor and Axedale. "The joeys actually eat it when mum's leaning over," Ms Sorrentino said. "It's really heartbreaking to go out there and you just see them and they're so confused." Dr Tian Chen, from the University of Melbourne's Veterinary School, agreed this winter had been particularly bad for cases of phalaris grass poisoning and suggested the late drought was partially responsible. According to Dr Chen, if the grass experiences drought during autumn, when it is sprouting, it produces more of the alkaloid toxins that are responsible for the condition. Farmers prevent phalaris poisoning in livestock by spraying pasture with cobalt or administering cobalt supplements, but Dr Chen said current evidence indicates this doesn't work for kangaroos. "There could be a lot of reasons for that, which is still open for future studies, but [kangaroos] are very different in terms of anatomy," he said. A DEECA spokesperson said any suspected cases of wildlife toxicity poisoning should be reported to your local vet, wildlife welfare organisation or to DEECA. "On public land across Victoria, DEECA partners with Traditional Owners and government agencies to target invasive weeds, including Phalaris aquatica, using a range of techniques including herbicide spraying, slashing and ecological burning," they said. Attempts were made to contact the Bendigo-based Wildlife Rescue Information Network. Last week, Dianne Becker walked to her front verandah and saw a kangaroo. Usually, they would never be so close. "I could walk right up to it and it didn't even move," she said. "It just looked like it was a bit drunk." When the kangaroo did move, it fell over. It was showing symptoms of phalaris grass poisoning - or "the staggers" - a neurological disease characterised by head tremors and loss of coordination. The condition is caused by eating a common introduced pasture grass, and this year rescuers are seeing much more of it. The introduced grass species is found in all states and territories except the Northern Territory. Two Victorian wildlife rescue groups have reported a spike in the condition, while residents in the town of Axedale, where phalaris grass is endemic, locals say it's the worst they've ever seen. Ms Becker, who has lived in Longlea on the outskirts of Bendigo for 11 years, said it's the first time she's ever seen the condition, which is caused by toxins in young phalaris grass shoots. "To see them in that state falling over - it's like they're looking at you, pleading, 'help me', and there's nothing that can be done," she said. According to the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action (DEECA), there is no known treatment for the disease in wildlife and severely affected animals are euthanised. The kangaroo Ms Becker saw was euthanised by a wildlife rescue worker, and since that incident she had seen at least one other animal with the condition. Down the road, Axedale woman Anne Buckingham said she had seen kangaroos with phalaris poisoning every day. She and her husband have euthanised some themselves. "My husband lived here in the 1990s and it's only been the last couple of years we've ever noticed this," she said. "We've now got to make sure that we don't let the dogs outside unless they're on a lead. "They will go chase the kangaroos and the kangaroos can't jump away from them." Ms Buckingham said she and her husband had discussed removing phalaris grass from their 30-acre property last year. "It would be a big expense to change the pasture and it wouldn't solve the problem unless everybody changed the pasture on all the other farms around," she said. Wildlife Victoria said they had encountered 289 cases of phalaris poisoning so far this year, already higher than reported cases in the past four years. Data provided by the organisation since 2022 shows a steady increase in reported cases, from 46 in 2022, up to 220 in 2024. "These incidents often increase during winter and periods of drought, as phalaris is a hardy grass that continues to thrive even when other grasses struggle to survive, forcing kangaroos to feed on it when food is scarce," a Wildlife Victoria spokesperson said. A 2024 veterinary paper said low average rainfall in early autumn was a seasonal predictor for high numbers of phalaris poisoning the following winter. Leonie Sorrentino, from Melbourne-based group The Wildlife Rescuers, said they were seeing adult male roos with the condition, when they would usually see only young kangaroos. She said phalaris poisoning hotspots include the Plenty Gorge and Sunbury near Melbourne. The 2024 paper also said cases had been reported in Seymour, Dartmoor and Axedale. "The joeys actually eat it when mum's leaning over," Ms Sorrentino said. "It's really heartbreaking to go out there and you just see them and they're so confused." Dr Tian Chen, from the University of Melbourne's Veterinary School, agreed this winter had been particularly bad for cases of phalaris grass poisoning and suggested the late drought was partially responsible. According to Dr Chen, if the grass experiences drought during autumn, when it is sprouting, it produces more of the alkaloid toxins that are responsible for the condition. Farmers prevent phalaris poisoning in livestock by spraying pasture with cobalt or administering cobalt supplements, but Dr Chen said current evidence indicates this doesn't work for kangaroos. "There could be a lot of reasons for that, which is still open for future studies, but [kangaroos] are very different in terms of anatomy," he said. A DEECA spokesperson said any suspected cases of wildlife toxicity poisoning should be reported to your local vet, wildlife welfare organisation or to DEECA. "On public land across Victoria, DEECA partners with Traditional Owners and government agencies to target invasive weeds, including Phalaris aquatica, using a range of techniques including herbicide spraying, slashing and ecological burning," they said. Attempts were made to contact the Bendigo-based Wildlife Rescue Information Network. Last week, Dianne Becker walked to her front verandah and saw a kangaroo. Usually, they would never be so close. "I could walk right up to it and it didn't even move," she said. "It just looked like it was a bit drunk." When the kangaroo did move, it fell over. It was showing symptoms of phalaris grass poisoning - or "the staggers" - a neurological disease characterised by head tremors and loss of coordination. The condition is caused by eating a common introduced pasture grass, and this year rescuers are seeing much more of it. The introduced grass species is found in all states and territories except the Northern Territory. Two Victorian wildlife rescue groups have reported a spike in the condition, while residents in the town of Axedale, where phalaris grass is endemic, locals say it's the worst they've ever seen. Ms Becker, who has lived in Longlea on the outskirts of Bendigo for 11 years, said it's the first time she's ever seen the condition, which is caused by toxins in young phalaris grass shoots. "To see them in that state falling over - it's like they're looking at you, pleading, 'help me', and there's nothing that can be done," she said. According to the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action (DEECA), there is no known treatment for the disease in wildlife and severely affected animals are euthanised. The kangaroo Ms Becker saw was euthanised by a wildlife rescue worker, and since that incident she had seen at least one other animal with the condition. Down the road, Axedale woman Anne Buckingham said she had seen kangaroos with phalaris poisoning every day. She and her husband have euthanised some themselves. "My husband lived here in the 1990s and it's only been the last couple of years we've ever noticed this," she said. "We've now got to make sure that we don't let the dogs outside unless they're on a lead. "They will go chase the kangaroos and the kangaroos can't jump away from them." Ms Buckingham said she and her husband had discussed removing phalaris grass from their 30-acre property last year. "It would be a big expense to change the pasture and it wouldn't solve the problem unless everybody changed the pasture on all the other farms around," she said. Wildlife Victoria said they had encountered 289 cases of phalaris poisoning so far this year, already higher than reported cases in the past four years. Data provided by the organisation since 2022 shows a steady increase in reported cases, from 46 in 2022, up to 220 in 2024. "These incidents often increase during winter and periods of drought, as phalaris is a hardy grass that continues to thrive even when other grasses struggle to survive, forcing kangaroos to feed on it when food is scarce," a Wildlife Victoria spokesperson said. A 2024 veterinary paper said low average rainfall in early autumn was a seasonal predictor for high numbers of phalaris poisoning the following winter. Leonie Sorrentino, from Melbourne-based group The Wildlife Rescuers, said they were seeing adult male roos with the condition, when they would usually see only young kangaroos. She said phalaris poisoning hotspots include the Plenty Gorge and Sunbury near Melbourne. The 2024 paper also said cases had been reported in Seymour, Dartmoor and Axedale. "The joeys actually eat it when mum's leaning over," Ms Sorrentino said. "It's really heartbreaking to go out there and you just see them and they're so confused." Dr Tian Chen, from the University of Melbourne's Veterinary School, agreed this winter had been particularly bad for cases of phalaris grass poisoning and suggested the late drought was partially responsible. According to Dr Chen, if the grass experiences drought during autumn, when it is sprouting, it produces more of the alkaloid toxins that are responsible for the condition. Farmers prevent phalaris poisoning in livestock by spraying pasture with cobalt or administering cobalt supplements, but Dr Chen said current evidence indicates this doesn't work for kangaroos. "There could be a lot of reasons for that, which is still open for future studies, but [kangaroos] are very different in terms of anatomy," he said. A DEECA spokesperson said any suspected cases of wildlife toxicity poisoning should be reported to your local vet, wildlife welfare organisation or to DEECA. "On public land across Victoria, DEECA partners with Traditional Owners and government agencies to target invasive weeds, including Phalaris aquatica, using a range of techniques including herbicide spraying, slashing and ecological burning," they said. Attempts were made to contact the Bendigo-based Wildlife Rescue Information Network. Last week, Dianne Becker walked to her front verandah and saw a kangaroo. Usually, they would never be so close. "I could walk right up to it and it didn't even move," she said. "It just looked like it was a bit drunk." When the kangaroo did move, it fell over. It was showing symptoms of phalaris grass poisoning - or "the staggers" - a neurological disease characterised by head tremors and loss of coordination. The condition is caused by eating a common introduced pasture grass, and this year rescuers are seeing much more of it. The introduced grass species is found in all states and territories except the Northern Territory. Two Victorian wildlife rescue groups have reported a spike in the condition, while residents in the town of Axedale, where phalaris grass is endemic, locals say it's the worst they've ever seen. Ms Becker, who has lived in Longlea on the outskirts of Bendigo for 11 years, said it's the first time she's ever seen the condition, which is caused by toxins in young phalaris grass shoots. "To see them in that state falling over - it's like they're looking at you, pleading, 'help me', and there's nothing that can be done," she said. According to the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action (DEECA), there is no known treatment for the disease in wildlife and severely affected animals are euthanised. The kangaroo Ms Becker saw was euthanised by a wildlife rescue worker, and since that incident she had seen at least one other animal with the condition. Down the road, Axedale woman Anne Buckingham said she had seen kangaroos with phalaris poisoning every day. She and her husband have euthanised some themselves. "My husband lived here in the 1990s and it's only been the last couple of years we've ever noticed this," she said. "We've now got to make sure that we don't let the dogs outside unless they're on a lead. "They will go chase the kangaroos and the kangaroos can't jump away from them." Ms Buckingham said she and her husband had discussed removing phalaris grass from their 30-acre property last year. "It would be a big expense to change the pasture and it wouldn't solve the problem unless everybody changed the pasture on all the other farms around," she said. Wildlife Victoria said they had encountered 289 cases of phalaris poisoning so far this year, already higher than reported cases in the past four years. Data provided by the organisation since 2022 shows a steady increase in reported cases, from 46 in 2022, up to 220 in 2024. "These incidents often increase during winter and periods of drought, as phalaris is a hardy grass that continues to thrive even when other grasses struggle to survive, forcing kangaroos to feed on it when food is scarce," a Wildlife Victoria spokesperson said. A 2024 veterinary paper said low average rainfall in early autumn was a seasonal predictor for high numbers of phalaris poisoning the following winter. Leonie Sorrentino, from Melbourne-based group The Wildlife Rescuers, said they were seeing adult male roos with the condition, when they would usually see only young kangaroos. She said phalaris poisoning hotspots include the Plenty Gorge and Sunbury near Melbourne. The 2024 paper also said cases had been reported in Seymour, Dartmoor and Axedale. "The joeys actually eat it when mum's leaning over," Ms Sorrentino said. "It's really heartbreaking to go out there and you just see them and they're so confused." Dr Tian Chen, from the University of Melbourne's Veterinary School, agreed this winter had been particularly bad for cases of phalaris grass poisoning and suggested the late drought was partially responsible. According to Dr Chen, if the grass experiences drought during autumn, when it is sprouting, it produces more of the alkaloid toxins that are responsible for the condition. Farmers prevent phalaris poisoning in livestock by spraying pasture with cobalt or administering cobalt supplements, but Dr Chen said current evidence indicates this doesn't work for kangaroos. "There could be a lot of reasons for that, which is still open for future studies, but [kangaroos] are very different in terms of anatomy," he said. A DEECA spokesperson said any suspected cases of wildlife toxicity poisoning should be reported to your local vet, wildlife welfare organisation or to DEECA. "On public land across Victoria, DEECA partners with Traditional Owners and government agencies to target invasive weeds, including Phalaris aquatica, using a range of techniques including herbicide spraying, slashing and ecological burning," they said. Attempts were made to contact the Bendigo-based Wildlife Rescue Information Network.
