Koala plummets to the ground clinging to a gum tree as it's cut down by loggers in heartbreaking video

Heartbreaking footage has emerged of a koala scrambling up a tree as it's cut down by loggers. 

Huge swathes of unwanted blue gums are being cleared on South Australia's Kangaroo Island leaving large numbers of the iconic marsupials feared dead.

The video circulating online, which shows koalas clinging to falling blue gums, was taken across two days in November 2023 and January 2024. 

It is understood that all logging has been stopped while an investigation takes place. 

Wildlife campaigners are in despair after seeing distressing footage.

Kilometres of unwanted blue gums are being cleared on Kangaroo Island with hundreds of koalas high in their canopies

Kangaroo Island Wildlife Network president Katie Welz told Daily Mail Australia the horror video made her cry and left her feeling 'frustrated and angry'

In a statement she went on to say 'this is not about politics, it's about animal welfare'.

'The Kangaroo Island Wildlife Network is extremely concerned about the issues impacting wildlife in blue gum plantations... We have studied the plantation's 'Koala Management Plan' and while ambitious, it is mostly unachievable,' Ms Welz said.

'Currently, the toll of the harvesting on the welfare of the koala population is unacceptably high. 

'Our goal is to work with the plantations and regulatory bodies to develop a plan that facilitates the clearing of the blue gum trees without causing extreme injury and death to the wildlife.

The video circulating online , which shows koalas clinging to falling blue gums, was taken across two days in November 2023 and January 2024 

It is understood that all logging has been stopped while an investigation takes place

'We hope that by shining a light on the impact this is having on the koalas, it will encourage all relevant parties to come together to ensure that the plantations are cleared safely and the impact on all species, who currently live in these areas, is lessened.'    

Furious wildlife activists claim hundreds of koalas have been dying because of the widespread clearances that they say stretch for kilometres. 

Activists fear that clearing the land will be disastrous for a koala population that was 80 per cent wiped out by the the bushfires in 2020.

However, logging company Australian Agribusiness Group (AAG), and Kangaroo Island mayor Michael Pengilly have defended the clearing. 

An AAG spokesperson said they are 'providing the highest possible level of protection to the local animal population'.

Huge swathes of unwanted blue gums are being cleared on South Australia 's Kangaroo Island

Mr Pengilly supported this, saying AAG have gone above and beyond what is required. 

He said they're 'very knowledgeable' about animal welfare, before saying 'clearly, every now and then, one (koala) will probably go down'.

Loggers said they use spotters and thermal imaging to check for koalas. 

They also said they bypass trees with koalas, plus another another eight around it so the animals can find more of their natural habitat. 

Whistle blowers fear an Aussie icon is becoming 'collateral damage' and want the logging paused until a solution is found.