By ABC News

Copyright abc

A council has voted to relocate starving wallabies at a wildlife sanctuary on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, rather than destroy the animals.

A number of dead wallabies were found over several months at The Briars nature reserve in Mount Martha — known by traditional owners as Tichin-Gorourke.

A University of Melbourne study reportedly found there were about 150 wallabies at The Briars but the reserve could sustain only around 30.

The council voted to relocate some of the animals, conduct health checks and will consider contraceptive implants.

“We’re going to make sure that the animals under our care are looked after in the future and not just now, so thank you everybody who’s put in all of this work and I look forward to working together collaboratively,” Deputy Mayor Paul Pingiaro told the meeting.

The University of Melbourne study into the deaths revealed that abundant rain over the past year had fuelled grass growth and an explosion in the sanctuary’s wallaby population.

In putting forward the motion to relocate some of the wallabies, Councillor Pingiaro said it was the most humane option.

“What this motion does, is it prioritises life-saving and humane options. This motion places rehoming, relocation and rehabilitation at the forefront,” he said.

“Euthanasia is considered only as a last resort and based on veterinary-led, science-based, quality of life assessment.

On Monday, Mayor Anthony Marsh said it would cost about $200,000 to rehome the animals, about twice as much as it would cost to euthanase all female wallabies and joeys.

The council opened the meeting to the public to avoid further controversy surrounding The Briars, which had been scheduled to host an interactive Harry Potter exhibition and light show in 2023.

The council voted to move the event to another park because of backlash over its effect on the local environment.