“I was walking the dog,” Kate said.

“I saw it in front the tennis courts at the Broadwater Beach Resort.

“(The possum) had been severed on the neck . . . the possum had no body there.

“It was placed in the middle of the path.”

Kate believes the head was severed by a human.

“I don’t know whether it was already dead when it happened … but it was definitely put there intentionally,” she said.

“I’ve seen possums that have been killed by dogs and cats before – this wasn’t like that.

“It wasn’t an animal attack – a human definitely did it.

“It was disgusting.”

Kate contacted the rangers and the DEC.

“It was reported to the Busselton DEC office (Monday) morning,” DEC regional wildlife officer Pia Courtis said.

Pia said she had seen things like this before.

“Within the last year we have had a few cases (of suspicious possum deaths) but nothing like this,” she said.

“We are currently investigating it.

“If the public has information on this or other cases of animal cruelty, contact the Wildcare Helpline on 9474 9055, or their local DEC office.”