What to do when you find injured wildlife?

WIRES provides advice on what you should do when you find injured native wildlife.

Transcript

00:00If you do find injured native wildlife, it's really important to remember that these animals

00:14can be highly stressed.

00:16So it's important to keep pets and children away and to call WIRES and a team member will

00:22be able to provide further guidance.

00:24It's also really handy if you do have a box, a pillowcase and a towel.

00:29It's really important to never approach things like large kangaroos and wallabies as they

00:34can be quite dangerous.

00:37Also animals like flying foxes, which are bats and snakes as well.

00:48Car strikes are a really big problem for a lot of our native animals.

00:51Things like birds, lizards, kangaroos and wallabies all have major problems with cars.

00:58Something we can all do is, especially in known wildlife areas and on highways, just

01:03to slow down and be aware.

01:06Especially around dawn and dusk, this is when a lot of our animals like kangaroos, wallabies

01:11and wombats will be more active.

01:13If you do unfortunately hit an animal, the best thing you can do is, if it's safe to,

01:18pull over.

01:19If you're in an area where you can, go and have a look at the animal.

01:23If you do have a towel and a box, you may be able to scoop that animal up and get it

01:26into a box.

01:28And then you can call WIRES and we can give you a little bit more advice on how to approach

01:32the situation from there.

01:34If you are able to and near a local vet, these animals are definitely going to need to see

01:38a vet.

01:39I will add, it's very important not to try and approach big macropods.

01:44Things like kangaroos and wallabies can cause quite a bit of risk to us.

01:49So in those cases, we'll be able to organise an experienced licensed rescuer.