With wild weather predicted to continue in the Northern Rivers beyond Easter, native wildlife across the region is being significantly impacted. Road users are being urged by the International Fund for Animal Welfare to take extra care when travelling.
Recent flooding events have resulted in an influx of displaced and orphaned native animals and suffering hypothermia, shock, pneumonia and exhaustion. There are concerns wildlife populations that were already ravaged by prolonged drought and the 2019-20 bushfires will plummet even further after this disaster.
Animals trying to escape floodwaters and other disasters will be roaming around trying to find food and shelter, and may appear in unexpected places. Easter is a particularly dangerous time for them, with no much extra traffic in rural areas.
IFAW Oceania Animal Rescue Officer Nicole Rojas-Marin said. ‘Millions of animals are killed or injured every year on our roads but after the devastation of these floods, they need time to recoup and recover. We simply can’t afford for our native wildlife to be impacted any further.
‘Our wildlife has been through a lot in recent years – from severe drought, to catastrophic bushfires and now these floods,’ said Ms Rojas-Martin.
‘It is crucial to get injured animals treatment as soon as possible for the best chances of survival – because every individual animal counts.’
IFAW app
The good news is that it’s now easier than ever to report and rescue native wildlife, thanks to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Wildlife Rescue App.
With one click, the app will direct the user to the nearest NSW wildlife rescue group and the user will be guided on the best way to help.
NSW road users can download the app here.
If you do see an injured animal, or are in a collision yourself, the app will help you report and rescue the animal. The app also allows the user to report deceased animals, allowing wildlife rehabilitators to accurately monitor the cause of local deaths and identify danger zones and road-kill hotspots.
The Wildlife Rescue App is a partnership between IFAW and the New South Wales Wildlife Council (NWC). You can find out more about IFAW here.
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