CONSERVATION
RESCUE REMEDY
Brush up on the best way to respond when you encounter injured or orphaned wildlife. Stewart
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t’s not only humans who welcome the longer days and increased daylight that come with spring — our native wildlife also becomes more active. The heightened activity brings a greater risk to the safety of our native wildlife – from kangaroos getting struck by cars to parrots flying into windows, Victoria’s native animals are impacted by human encroachment on their environment. Thankfully, many of us are quick to help when we find injured or orphaned animals, but what’s the best way to respond to a wildlife emergency?
Safety first
When going to the aid of injured wildlife, it’s important to firstly make sure there
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are no risks to your own safety. For example, when helping an animal near a road remember to only stop your car and cross busy roads if it’s safe to do so. You should immediately call a wildlife rescue hotline, as the operator will talk you through the process or send a trained wildlife rescuer to help. As a Veterinary Nurse at Healesville Sanctuary’s Australian Wildlife Health Centre, Chris Stitt is part of a team that treats more than 1,500 native animals annually. Chris recommends taking an injured animal to a wildlife centre or vet, sooner rather than later. “If you are a long way from our Centre, you should go to your nearest vet clinic,” says Chris.
IMAGES: JO HOWELL, RICK HAMMOND
WORDS Jo
