Operation WALLA-BYE was staged over several days and involved almost a dozen Corrective Services officers and volunteers from Derby Native Wildlife as well as an Ecologist from Queensland, who specialises in macropod relocations.
In 2012, when the 16.3-hectare prison was constructed on bushland about 10 kilometres from Derby, a handful of local wallabies became inadvertently trapped when the fence was sealed.
WKRP is an open-style prison which includes 19 self-care houses spread out amongst native vegetation, including boab trees, all surrounding a central grassed sports oval.
It’s a unique custodial environment which unintentionally has proved to be an ideal environment for raising wallaby families.
Fast-forward nine years, and the handful of trapped wallabies had multiplied exponentially, causing problems for the prison and inbreeding potentially affecting the animals’ health.
WKRP Acting Superintendent, Heather Murchie, said Operation WALLA-BYE had taken careful planning after other removal options were discounted.
“We were very conscious that it had to be done in a humane way. We needed permits from Parks and Wildlife Service and engaged extensively with animal rescue groups Derby Native Wildlife and The Agile Project based in Cairns, which specialises in this species of wallaby,” Acting Superintendent Murchie said.
“It was a great collaborative effort, with particular thanks to Ian Harmer, our Facilities Manager, who was integral as the team leader in the meticulous planning of the operation, which was executed to perfection.”
Prisoners were not involved in the capture part of the operation as it mostly took place late at night/pre-dawn, but they did contribute by putting infrastructure in place to contain the wallabies and installing the traps.
To cover every contingency, the Derby Native Wildlife volunteers even had a humidicrib on standby in case any joeys were ejected from their mother’s pouch and could not be re-inserted.
The wallabies were lured into custom made traps baited with sweet potato, a macropod delicacy.
Once trapped, the wallabies were quickly given an injection of vitamin E and selenium to help prevent capture stress and myopathy, which can kill them through the build-up of lactic acid in the muscles and heart.
They were placed into transport bags made of dark, but well-ventilated shade cloth and taken outside the prison fence where they were set free into neighbouring bushland.
Operation WALLA-BYE has been hailed an overwhelming success. Only two animals had to be euthanised after suffering suspected myopathy related complications during the process. Three juvenile wallabies that have so far avoided capture are expected to be relocated in coming weeks.
The Agile Project Ecologist, Shai Ager, said no-one in Australia had previously attempted a mass relocation of this scale from an enclosed area.
“The amazing success of this operation will help set a precedent for governments, businesses and landowners everywhere, sending a strong message that they don’t have to resort to culling and other less humane solutions.
“This was a ground-breaking, unique and complex operation that couldn’t have gone better, and the West Kimberley Prison management should be congratulated for going down this path.”
Derby Native Wildlife founder and Licenced Carer, Heidi Sampey, said the success of the operation set a template for humane wallaby relocations, big and small.
“We adapted the Queensland method slightly to suit Kimberley conditions and the fact our Agile wallabies are a bit different to theirs and it worked perfectly, so we hope this becomes the norm in this region,” Mrs Sampey said.
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