Sometimes it takes a bit of specialist knowledge to help local wildlife so veterinarians, Dr Evan Kosack and Dr Stephen Van Mil with Tony Gilding and his team at the Macadamia Castle are looking to the community to help them set up a wildlife hospital. They are calling a public meeting is taking place at the Bowlo in Bangalow on Thursday 22 November at 6pm.
‘A dedicated wildlife hospital is desperately needed in the northern rivers,’ said Dr Stephen Van Mil.
‘Currently, wildlife is taken to every general veterinary practice in the region, and the attending veterinarians may simply not have the time and/or skills to provide the care these animals need and deserve.’
Otherwise the closest wildlife hospital is at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary who receive animals from both southern Queensland and northern NSW.
‘Currumbin wildlife hospital is constantly inundated with injured animals and they are currently receiving about 55 animals a day and have treated over 11,000 animals in the last year,’ said Stephen.
‘A dedicated hospital on the northern rivers will place the wildlife first and foremost, providing them with first-class care, alongside the very best chance of full recovery and release.’
It is envisioned that all native animals would be treated at the wildlife hospital from birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians to marine creatures.
‘It will give our wildlife the committed care they require following illness, injury, abandonment. This gives them the very best chance for survival, and ideally reintroduction/release back into the wild.’
Getting it off the ground
So what is needed to get this project up and running? Well everything is the answer and that is why they are asking anyone and everyone who is interested in getting involved to come along to their first meeting.
‘This evening will not only advise everyone of exactly how we look to have this project born, but will also allow us to explain how best you and everybody can help this much-needed concept come to life,’ said Stephen.
‘We need a location, building, infrastructure, government support, funding, people, veterinarians, veterinary nurses, sponsorship.
‘We need everybody’s help because, “Without them, there is no us. Our ecosystem would collapse and we would cease to exist.”’
If you are interested in getting involved or attending the meeting email [email protected] or RSVP Tania via text on 0420 833 479.
An excellent idea! The NSW government should be funding this as a matter of priority. Oh sorry I forgot … they were the ones who changed the land-clearing rules resulting in 517,956 hectares of native bushland being cleared in 1998-2015. – That destruction would have resulted in the deaths of at least 9.1 million mammals, 10.7 million birds and 67.1 million reptiles a recent report found.
Meanwhile a dedicated network of wildlife carers and vet practices do whatever they can to save wildlife hurt by the big four: cats, dogs, cars and humans.
Not the first time this idea has been floated. Come on Northern Rivers…get behind it.
This is a great idea to have a local wildlife hospital and would really benefit our long suffering wildlife that has to cope with habitat loss and predators in the form of domestic animals. Typically though there is never any suggestions for this type of facility from any of the local politicians, especially those of national party origin. Their idea of “animal management” is to allow unbridled destruction of native fauna (and flora) and to only view anything from the natural world as a commodity or something to be shot or cut down.
How about supporting local vets to provide better care? If people know their local vet is able to provide first aid to wildlife, it reduces unnecessary stress on the animal, makes it more likely people will help injured wildlife and increases the skill and knowledge vets have to provide better care to the animals that live in our environment.
A big resounding YES!! Why only one? why not have a specialised vet in every area? It will save a lot of petrol, fumes and environmental pollution which occurs every time we take a single animal to Currumbin Wildlife Hospital. As a wildlife rescuer, career, phone duty and an ambulance driver to Currumbin I know the dire need for more of these specialised wildlife hospitals in our area.