2025 Victorian duck rescue report

In mid-February 2025 Australia was on high alert anticipating the arrival of the deadly H5N1 strain of avian flu which was decimating bird populations across the world and was expected to arrive at any time via migratory birds.

Despite this risk and outbreaks of a lesser strain of bird flu in Victoria, staunch duck shooting supporter, Premier Jacinta Allan, still called a full 3-month duck shooting season with a bag of nine birds per shooter per day. (See CADS media release here.)

Parched conditions across Victoria meant that many wetlands were bone dry. Consequently, waterbirds had gathered in large numbers on the few wetlands still holding water. However, we’re pleased that Environment Minister Dimopolous closed 19 of these wetlands to duck shooting, including several in the Kerang area, due to large numbers of protected or threatened species.

Despite reports of many threatened Freckled Ducks on Lake Marmal, it was left open to shooting, together with nearby Lake Boort. (See CADS Opening media release here.)

At 8am on Wednesday March 19, recreational duck shooters set off barrages of gunshots at Lake Boort and Lake Marmal, both Dja Dja Wurrung wetlands of cultural significance. The peace and tranquillity abruptly ended and all birds took to the air, screeching in terror. They circled the wetland in panic as shooters picked them off one by one. Wounded and dead birds crashed into the water, including threatened and protected species.

Over the five days of opening CADS’ courageous rescuers recovered 275 birds illegally left by shooters on either Lake Boort or Lake Marmal. This included 60 wounded birds which were taken to the on-site veterinary clinic for treatment by our volunteer veterinarians. Seventeen threatened species (including 12 Freckled Ducks) were recovered. This carnage came from just two Victorian wetlands. The numbers of birds left wounded and suffering on the roughly 20,000 wetlands across Victoria where duck shooting can take place is incalculable.

Shooters shot and illegally left these two injured Pink-eared Ducks to suffer on Lake Boort. A rescuer took them to the on-site veterinary clinic on the first day of shooting. Sadly their injuries were too extensive and both required humane euthanasia.
AJP MP Georgie Purcell and Coalition Against Duck Shooting Campaign Director, Laurie Levy, talk about the many threatened waterbirds, including this threatened Freckled Duck, which were shot during the opening of the 2025 duck shooting season.
Jack, a duck rescuer, attends a culturally significantly wetland, Lake Boort, on the opening of the 2025 Victorian duck shooting season.
Laurie Levy with one of Jacinta Allan’s threatened victims.
Vets inspect a sedated wounded duck at Lake Marmal on the opening of the 2025 Victorian recreational duck shooting season, another victim of Premier Jacinta Allan’s recreational duck shooting decision.
Duck rescuer and wildlife carer, Helen, finds a pit full of duck remains illegally left by duck shooters unburied on the wetlands at Lake Sandhill on the opening of the 2025 Victorian duck shooting season

After opening, Lake Boort was quiet and devoid of waterbirds. They were either all dead or had flown away. Lake Marmal still held many wounded birds which rescuers were unable to recover.

Alarms were raised when 16 cormorants and darters were brought in either dead or suffering from bird flu type symptoms and one rescuer had also come down with flu symptoms.

To be on the safe side, the dead bird display outside the Premier’s office was postponed for a week, until bird tests came back negative and the rescuer had recovered. (See CADS media release here.)

Below: With the threat of avian flu, rescuers wore bio suits when putting out the dead birds for display
Below: Dead bird display of 250 birds outside the Premier’s office, 31 March, 2025. The birds in the foreground were all either threatened or protected species.

Following the trend over the past few years, the remainder of the 3-month season was once again exceptionally quiet, with just a handful of shooters active.

The usual reports of unconscionable cruelty were documented when shooters:

  • didn’t bother to check or kill recovered live wounded birds
  • left wounded birds to suffer on the wetlands
  • failed to collect wounded birds before targeting more birds
  • threw live injured birds into their boats
  • attempted to kill wounded birds by ‘windmilling’

Shooters also illegally:

  • shot threatened and/or protected species
  • shot outside the legal times
  • shot at birds while standing in a moving boat
  • left 38 shot un-breasted birds to rot at Victoria Lagoon, near Sale
  • failed to bury the remains of breasted ducks
  • camped too close to wetlands
  • left behind unburied toilets, litter and spent cartridges
  • chopped down trees for firewood, including culturally significant scar trees
  • left campfires unattended
  • left unsecured ammunition in a public place
  • shot at trees and road signs

CADS put out a media release at the end of the season promoting the introduction of a First Nations Cultural nature-based wetlands tourism industry to replace the dying activity of duck shooting. (See CADS media release here.)