'Sick' gang kills hundreds of kangaroos, wallabies in Tolosa Park
POLICE are hunting a gang of killers after the ruthless slaughter of more than 100 kangaroos and wallabies at one of Hobart's most popular parks.
Tolosa Park ranger Barry Hosking made the grisly discovery earlier this week, The Mercury reported.
"I open the gate and the crows alert me to where the carcasses are," Mr Hosking said.
"Whoever is killing the animals is doing their business under the cover of darkness. It is sick.
"There are hundreds of kangaroos in the bush here at night. But why would you want to kill them just for the sake of it?"
Glenorchy police inspector John Arnold yesterday said they were closing in on whoever has killed the marsupials near the Glenorchy tip and within Tolosa Park over the past few weeks.
"We are not ruling out the use of firearms but it is also apparent that dogs are being used to entrap the animals," Insp Arnold said.
"They are then killed or later die of capture myopathy being frightened to death."
Some of kangaroos have been clubbed to death.
Others have dog bites and some have been shot.
"We believe they are being rounded up with dogs and clubbed to death, by either a group of people or an individual with a lot of dogs," Insp Arnold said.
"It's more likely to be a group. The kangaroos are quite tame so it's easy to get within close proximity of them."
RSPCA Tasmania president Paul Swiatkowski hopes the culprits are caught soon.
"This is aggravated cruelty and serial slaughter over a period of time.
Those responsible need to face justice," Dr Swiatkowski said.
Mr Hosking said the dead animals he finds are X-rayed by a vet to see if there are bullets in the carcasses.
Anyone with information about the death of the animals is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.