Regulators in Australia have issued hundreds of animal cruelty charges over the deaths of dozens of koalas in the state of Victoria. The animals were found dead at a partially cleared timber plantation at Cape Bridgewater last year. More were later euthanised because of dehydration and injuries sustained during the incident.

A landowner and an earthmoving business are accused of harming and killing the animals by clearing the area. They face 126 charges each. A second firm, a contractor, faces one charge of animal cruelty for disturbing the koala population. They have yet to enter pleas. Victoria state’s Conservation Regulator did not name the accused. Each charge can carry a large fine or a maximum 12-month jail sentence, BBC Sydney correspondent Shaimaa Khalil reports.(BBC)…[+]