Environment and Resource Management

Ways to prevent human-made orphans

Not all baby animals that are left alone are orphans. Therefore, it is important that you take the time to work out if it really needs your help. A young animal should be taken into care only if you know the mother is dead, it is bleeding or injured, has been caught by a cat or dog (whether or not there are visible injuries), is cold, weak (starving) or vomiting.

Some of the things you should consider and the actions that you should take before assuming that a baby animal is an orphan are covered below.

There are a number of ways to prevent making "human-made" orphans.

  • Take the time to get to know the animals that live in your garden.Find out as much as you can about what they eat and what they do.
  • Keep cats and dogs indoors at all times, especially when there are young animals in your yard.
  • Check for nests or hollows before pruning or removing trees and bushes from your garden.
  • Teach children (and adults) to respect our wildlife and enjoy them from a distance.
  • Leave healthy young wild animals where you find them and call aQPWS officer for advice on what to do if you are worried about them.
Hand raised black cockatoo

Last updated: 22 December 2004

Caring for wildlife

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