When a kanagroo joey is born, it weighs less than 1 gram and climbs its way up into the mother's pouch. There it will stay for about 8 months until it can survive outside of the pouch. During this age, it will still drink from the teat and hop back into the pouch periodically. Joeys don’t become fully independent until 18 months of age.

Ringtail possums have a thin, white tipped tail that curls like a ring and acts like a fifth limb.

Brushtails are larger than ringtails weighing as much as 4kgs and are visually the size of an adult cat

Echidnas are found throughout Victoria, including both suburban and regional areas. Echidnas have a large home range, sometimes up to 100 hectares. 

Wombats are mainly crepuscular (active during dusk and dawn) and nocturnal (active at night) and it’s considered unusual to see them out in daytime. However, in the cooler months, they do take advantage of the lower light to come out and graze.

Rescuing kangaroo’s happens daily for majority of wildlife rescuers. Call outs mostly happen at dusk, due to low visibility, Kangaroo’s are usually quite large, and have a tendency for jumping across roads, sometimes they come out of nowhere, but majority of the time you can see them approaching the road.

It is crucial to call a wildlife shelter or group located nearby as soon as you can, to get them checked and to make sure that they don’t have any young in the pouch.

REMEMBER, just because skippy hopped away, does not mean the animal is okay. Always call for a wildlife rescuer to evaluate the animal.

Majority of our possum call outs are for Animal attacks, Car incidents or young possums being separated from their Mother.

Possums are on the smaller side. with ringtails having a white tipped thin tail, they are usually rather sweet little creatures. Brushtail possums are larger then ringtails, with black brushy tails, usually being the size of a large domestic cat.

Being fairly smaller these little guys tend to get hit by cars usually through the night due to being nocturnal. Other injuries can come from domestic animals attacking them, Pets can carry a bacterium called Pasteurella multocida that can be deadly to native wildlife.

Additionally possum young usually have a high mortality rate, so if seperated from their mothers, and being left out of the pouch it can cause stress and therefore leave them at risk of dying.

As with all other native wildlife, please contact your local wildlife shelter if you see a possum injured or without their mum.

• It is so important for young possums to be kept warm and secure in a pouch. while sometimes the mother possum may return for their baby, if you can not see a adult possum nearby then please immeiditly call for help, so we can get the baby checked and to a rehabilitation carer, to supply the baby with warmth and the right feeds.

Sometimes you will find a bird injured for all kinds of reasons, all birds are different and could be brought into a wildlife shelters care for different reasons. We get daily call outs for birds, they are probably the most frequent call out we have as a widlife shelter.

Usual injuries are from pets, Cars, infections and other animals,

Pets can carry a bacterium called Pasteurella multocida that can be deadly to native wildlife, including birds.

If they’re showing signs of Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD). This disease is caused by a circovirus that affects various bird species. Symptoms to look for include feather loss, beak deformities, and a compromised immune system.

Birds are slightly different to other native animal species. They leave the young on the ground during the fledging process, when seen on the ground, they are often thought to be injured. However, it’s perfectly normal for fledgling birds to be on the ground while they learn to fly and find food.

During this process, the parent birds will be around and watching the young. Please do not remove or touch the fledglings.

If you have a concern about a bird you’ve seen or found, Please contact your local wildlife shelter.

All animals at some stage might need some help, Our native wildlife is such a key importance for our country.

WOMBATS- Can be injured due to motor vehicle accidents, & A parasitic mite infestation that causes hair loss, thickened skin, crusting, and open wounds. In severe cases, mange can lead to blindness, deafness, and death. Mange is treatable in the wild, and Wildlife Victoria can refer cases to volunteers who specialize in treating it. Additionally they might suffer from wounds after fighting with other wombats, which can have signs of infections.

ECHIDNA- Beak injuries: A common road trauma injury, a broken beak can swell quickly and prevent an echidna from breathing. This can lead to suffocation or starvation. 

• Spinal injuries: A patch of broken spines can indicate trauma, such as from a vehicle or fire. 

• Dehydration: Sunken, flat, or empty pads on the front feet can indicate dehydration or poor body condition. 

• Parasites: Ticks are common on echidnas, and heavy tick loads may indicate poor health. 

• Mange: Hair loss between spines and crusty skin can indicate mange. 

• Bleeding into the abdominal cavity: This can occur with trauma, such as a vehicle collision. 

  Other injuries include: Wounds to the ear slits, Wounds to the digits and nails, Bacterial and fungal infections, Rhinitis, and Glossitis.

Flying Foxes often come into care after hitting a car or flying into a window or building. They can suffer from a variety of injuries from mild concussion to broken wings, broken legs and/or internal bleeding.

If the bat is laying on the ground, carefully place an upturned washing basket over the bat and call your local wildlife rescue group immediately. Injured bats are still often able to climb and will seek the protection of a tree. Keeping them contained under a basket or box will ensure that the wildlife rescuer will be able to secure them promptly upon their arrival.

Caught in fruit netting

Flying foxes are often found entangled in fruit netting in suburban areas. This usually occurs when the fruit netting has been installed incorrectly. The injuries sustained can be quite severe as their blood circulation is often greatly restricted and causes their wing membrane to die back up to three weeks after being caught. They can also suffer from serious injuries to their mouth because of trying to chew at the netting.

For bats caught in netting, please do not attempt to remove the bat yourself. Call your local wildlife rescue group who will send a vaccinated rescuer to safely remove the bat.

For more information on the correct method of installing fruit netting please do not hesitate to contact Wildcare or visit the wildlife friendly netting information page.

Caught on barbed-wire fence

There are many commercial and rural areas in South–east Queensland where barb wire is still found. This poses a great threat to not only flying foxes, but also birds, kangaroos, koalas, possums and gliders, who become entangled in the wire when they are travelling. It is a difficult and often time-consuming task to untangle a flying fox from a barbed wire fence and sometimes the injuries are so severe that the animal cannot be saved. Often the flying fox will try to chew itself free from the wire which often results in severe injuries to their mouth. In most cases it is easier to cut the fence and take the animal and wire to a veterinary clinic so they can be placed under anaesthesia and the wire removed painlessly.

Flying foxes are commonly caught of barbed wire when it is in place within 20m or a flowing or fruiting plant, or where fences exist on ridgelines and across creeks and dams. Replacement of barbed wire with plain wires on the top and bottom rows and/or the installation of brightly coloured horse wire or visible features (not grey coloured) on the fence can greatly reduce the chances of flying foxes being caught.

For information on wildlife friendly fencing visit the Wildlife Friendly Fencing website at www.wildlifefriendlyfencing.com

Extreme weather conditions

Flying foxes are often found disorientated or displaced after severe storms. There have also been instances where extreme heat waves or cold has resulted in the death of thousands of animals in flying fox camps.

Tick Paralysis

Flying foxes suffer from the paralysis tick in the same manner that many domestic animals do. If found and treated early, they have a better chance of survival.

Dog Attack

Flying foxes are prone to being attacked by domestic dogs, particularly when they are feeding on low vegetation. Any animal that is bitten or suspected of being bitten by a domestic animal requires immediate veterinary attention.

In this instance, please remove the dog from the area. If the bat is on the ground, please a large box or washing basket over the bat to keep it contained until a vaccinated wildlife rescuer attends.

If your dog appears to be injured from the altercation with the dog, we recommend that you speak with your veterinarian.

Poisoning from Palm Berries

Flying foxes tend to feed on the berries of the Cocos (Queen) Palm in South-east Queensland. This fruit though can be toxic to the bats if eaten when not fully ripe.

Trapped in Palm Fronds

Occasionally, we receive calls for flying foxes who have caught their feet in the tight fronds of Cocos (Queen) palm trees. The exotic Cocos or Queen Palm is a listed environmental weed and is recommended by most Councils to be replaced with native palms.

Burns from power lines

Flying foxes often land on power lines which usually causes no harm. However, if the flying fox reaches out with its wing and grasps another power line, it is often electrocuted. Often, they die shortly thereafter from the electrocution but in some instances, they may drop to the ground or fly away with burns to their feet and wings. If they are carrying young, the pup can survive even if the mother has been electrocuted. Always call your Energex or Powerlink (whichever operates in your neighbourhood) to report dead bats on power lines and call your local wildlife rescue group if you suspect a live pup or adult flying fox is hanging from power lines. Never attempt to free the animal yourself.

Old Age

As flying foxes age, their teeth wear down and they are unable to eat adequately. They then become malnourished and weak which results in them being reported to a wildlife rescue group.

Orphaned Babies

During the birthing season, orphaned flying foxes come into care for a variety of reasons. Mother’s can become electrocuted but the baby survives or sometimes they may become separated from their baby for a variety of reasons. These orphans are then bought into care and raised by a team of dedicated volunteer wildlife carers.