Helping Our Wildlife In Crisis

Reposted from Wildlife Queensland’s Townsville Branch Blog

In the face of the ongoing, horrific and completely unprecedented devastation of wildlife and habitat across our country please consider making a donation to the wonderful wildlife carers and rescuers desperately trying to help those animals that have survived. Many will have severe injuries and all will find their familiar territory transformed to an alien landscape without shelter, food or water.

Below is a list of some of the Wildlife Care and Rescue groups dealing with this crisis in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Queensland.

If anyone has information for Western Australian groups covering the fire-affected areas (I believe mostly in the SE of the state at present) please let WQ know. Or indeed any other organisations in particular need  or which you can vouch for – this list can be added to. It is only a small selection – but we are truly in uncharted territory and these groups need your now more than ever before. THANK YOU!!

In New South Wales

• WIRES Inc (Wildlife Rescue):  https://www.wires.org.au  (Statewide)
• NSW Wildlife Council: https://www.nwc.org.au/resources/injured-wildlife-find-your-nearest-rescue-group/   (This is the NSW peak body for wildlife rehab organisations and has a list of regional groups if you would like to help a particular area)
• Port Macquarie Koala Hospital: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-thirsty-koalas-devastated-by-recent-fires (this has already raised over $2.5m (via GoFundMe) since end of October so perhaps is not in such dire need)
• Koalas in Care Inc: http://www.koalasincare.org.au  (based on mid-north coast)

In Victoria

• Wildlife Victoria Inc.: https://www.wildlifevictoria.org.au
• Australian Animal Rescue: http://www.australiananimalrescue.org.au (also helps domestic animals)

In South Australia

• Kangaroo Island Wildlife Network: https://kiwildlifenetwork.wixsite.com/kiwn
• Fauna Rescue of South Australia Inc: https://www.faunarescue.org.au

In Tasmania

• Tasmanian Wildlife Rehabilitation Council Inc. https://taswildlife.org
• Wildcare Rescue and Rehab (Wildcare Inc): https://wildcaretas.org.au/

In Queensland

• Koala Rescue Queensland Inc: https://www.koalarescueqld.org
• Wildcare Australia Inc: https://wildcare.org.au  (based in S-E Queensland, founded by veterinarian Dr Jon Hanger who has been a powerful advocate for tree-clearing reforms in Queensland)
• Wildlife Rescue Queensland: https://wrq.org.au (based in Moreton Bay area)
• Currumbin Wildlife Hospital: https://currumbinsanctuary.com.au/wildlife-hospital  (Gold Coast and hinterland)

Australia Wide

RSPCA: https://www.rspcansw.org.au/bushfire-appeal/  (helps domestic and farm animals as well as wildlife)

Locally

Also, don’t forget that we have our own wonderful wildlife care organisation here in Townsville and while they may not be dealing with fire victims, this is always a busy time for them and I’m sure they would welcome your donations too. Their address is: https://nqwildlife.org.au

We thank WQ and the author for permission to re-post this plea and list. As the author said in her covering email, “We are going to have a very different country when/if this ever ends. In fact to me it feels that it has already changed forever and it breaks my heart.”

Green Path will have more to say about the bushfires when time permits. In the meantime, please take care of yourselves, take care of others, and take care of our frighteningly fragile environment.