Sick, injured and orphaned
- Wild animals in trouble
- What do I do if I find a wild animal that needs care?
- Tips on handling injured wild animals
- Caring for the animal
- And if the animal has already died…
Wild animals in trouble
While wildlife conservation focuses on protecting native species and their habitat there are times when we can also be faced with individual wild animals in trouble.
In the wild, animals catch diseases, get injured, and, at times, become orphaned. Where these wild animals live alongside human settlement they must also cope with the added risks of being run over, attacked by dogs and cats, or entangled in barbed wire, fruit tree netting or our rubbish.
This means that, sometime, you may find a wild animal that is sick, injured or orphaned. If you don't think that it can care for itself then it may require special treatment and rehabilitation from a trained wildlife carer or a vet.
Be prepared for these emergencies and have the contact details of your nearest wildlife rescue and care group or local veterinarian on hand. The following information will help you to get a wild animal in trouble to a wildlife carer as quickly as possible.
What do I do if I find a wild animal that needs care?
- First, make sure that you are safe. Don't try to handle an injured animal or put yourself in a situation where there is a risk that you could also be injured. Handling may also cause further injury to the animal (see tips on handling below). Remember, do not handle any bat (flying-foxes or microbats) unless you have appropriate training and a current vaccination against Australian Bat Lyssavirus.
- Contact a wildlife care group or the RSPCA for advice or to have the animal rescued (call 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625) or the department hotline 1300 130 372). Your local vet may also provide advice.
- If possible, remove the animal from the source of the threat (e.g. take it off a road or out of a swimming pool) and place it somewhere safe and quiet.
- If the animal can be handled, safely confine it (e.g. wrap it in a towel and place in a closed cardboard box) so that it's warm and quiet. You may be advised to take it to a licensed wildlife carer for treatment and rehabilitation. You can also contact your local vet for help.
Tips on handling injured wild animals
An injured wild animal won't want to be handled and is likely to defend itself and try to escape. It is important that these animals are always handled in a way that ensures the animal won't struggle and cause further injury or additional stress.
You should always protect yourself from scratches or bites by wearing gloves or using a thick towel or jumper to restrain an animal while you are handling it.
Handling should be brief and aimed at getting the animal into a warm and quiet enclosed space as quickly as possible (e.g. wrapping an animal in a towel and placing it in a cardboard box that it can't escape from). Make sure that any container you place an animal in has adequate ventilation.
Please remember that this is a stressed wild animal and its survival may depend on it being kept warm and quiet. Don't continually open up the container to look at the animal or show others.
When transporting an injured animal, the container must be restrained inside a vehicle and covered so that the animal can't escape. Remember to drive carefully; speeding only puts other lives at risk. Make sure the wildlife carer or vet receiving the animal is prepared to care for it as soon as you arrive. Tell the carer where the animal was found so that it can be released in the same area when it is rehabilitated. This information is also collected to identify and manage 'black spots' where significant numbers of sick or injured wild animals are being found.
If you are unsure about handling an animal just keep the animal safe until skilled help arrives.
Caring for the animal
Caring for the animal yourself is only an option if you have the necessary skills and knowledge, and have a rehabilitation permit issued by the department. Wildlife carers must also follow a Code of Practice. Once an animal is under the care of a person they are legally bound to provide for that animal's welfare under The Animal Care and Protection Act 2001.f you are keen to become involved in wildlife rehabilitation, contact your nearest wildlife care group or the Queensland Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (QWRC).
Anyone caring for native animals has to be prepared to treat them as wild animals. Human contact needs to be minimised so the animal retains its ability to fend for itself when re-introduced to the wild. Releasing the animal back into its natural environment should always be your goal and is a requirement under Nature Conservation Act 1992.
Some sick and injured wild animals cannot be rehabilitated and will never be able to survive in the wild. In these situations a vet or wildlife carer may have to euthanase the animal. This is disturbing to anyone involved in wildlife care but may be the only option when an animal is in pain or will never be able to survive as a wild animal.
And if the animal has already died…
Sometimes a wild animal may be found that has recently died. If it is a dead marsupial like a possum or a koala it may have a pouch young that is still alive and able to be rehabilitated and released back into the wild when it is old enough.
In some situations dead wildlife may be of interest to the department staff. If the animal has a tag or a radio collar it may be part of a research program and any information about it will be important and should be passed on to the department staff. Similarly, information should be passed on to the department if the animal is unusual for that area or belongs to a threatened species.
Last updated: 15 July 2008