Dozens of koalas dead after logging at Australian plantation

Dozensofkoalashave been euthanized and some 80 more are being treated for injuries and starvationaftertheir habitat was logged, prompting anAustraliangovernment investigation Monday.

Victoria's environment department said the state's conservation regulator was investigating a "very distressing incident" at a bluegumplantationnear the coastal town of Portland that resulted in the deaths ofdozensofkoalas.

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"If this is found to be due to deliberate human action, we expect the conservation regulator to act swiftly against those responsible," the department said.

Those responsible could face steep fines under laws designed to protect Australia's native wildlife.

The environment department said approximately 80koalashad been removed from theplantationsite over the weekend for medical treatment, while others had to be put down.

"Wildlife welfare assessment and triage will continue with qualified carers and vets," the department said in a statement.

"Plans are being made to translocate remaining animals offsite if they are well enough to be moved."

Friends of the Earth said theplantationwas logged in December in what it called a "massacre" that left hundreds ofkoalasdeador injured.

The conservation group said the scale of the incident was uncoveredwhen local residents witnesseddeadkoalasbeing bulldozed into piles in recent days.

The deaths comeafterdevastating bushfires destroyed large swathes of koala habitat across Australia's southeast and killed thousands of the animals, which are listed as "vulnerable" to extinction.

TheAustralianForest Products Association saida forestry contractor harvested the land in November in accordance with strict wildlife protection rules before the remaining trees were later bulldozedafterthe contractor left.

"It is unclear as yet who bulldozed the trees with thekoalasapparently still in them, but it is absolutely certain that this was not aplantationor a forestry company," chief executive Ross Hampton told Nine newspapers.

"We support all those calling for the full force of the law to be applied to the perpetrator."

The forestry industry lobby group has pledged to hold its own investigation into the incident.