Recent patients
The animals listed below only visit our hospital for a short time and are then released back into the their natural environment or allocated to a wildlife carer. These animals are not available for sponsorship, however any general donations or sponsorship you make to Wildlife Warriors will go to assisting these animals.
Kinky the Eastern Water-dragon
A Beerwah resident discovered an Eastern Water-dragon that had got himself caught in a wire fence and had no way escaping by himself. He was also found to have a kink in his tail - hence the name Kinky!
Kinky was dehydrated, weak and showed signs of an infection when he was admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital earlier this week. When he first came in he was not eating and this may have been due in part to a small wound inside his mouth. He has started to respond well to treatment and his wounds are healing well.
He still has a kink in his tail – this was likely an earlier injury - however it does not hamper his movement. We expect Kinky to make a full recovery and be released soon.
Aero and Sandy the Whistling Kites
Within the last 24 hours we have admitted two Whistling Kites to the Australian Wildlife Hospital, which is unusual.
The first one to come in was from Dayboro and has been named Aero and has extensive bruising. He was found on the side of a road so it is very likely he was hit by a car. Fortunately Aero does not have any fractures and is having treatment for the soft tissue damage he has sustained.
The second whistling kite admitted has been named Sandy, and came to us from Bli Bli. He was found under a tree, unsteady on his feet with both eyes closed. After an examination our vet found that Sandy had suffered head trauma and ulcerations to the corneas of both eyes. Sandy has started eye treatment and is on anti-inflammatory medication.
Both Aero and Sandy will stay at the Hospital for a few days before being placed with an experienced raptor carer. They will both be released to the wild when they are fully recovered.
Trio the Mountain Brush-tail Possum
Our Patient of the Week is Trio, a Mountain Brush-tail Possum, that is a resident in a garden in Buderim.
Trio suffers from Possum Dermatitis, which is a common disease of possums that is largely caused by stress. The dermatitis bacteria eats away at the flesh, most often at the base of the tail or on the face and, if caught in the early stages, can be treated with antibiotics.
If you have possums in your garden you can keep an eye on them and, if you notice any loss of fur and redness, you can call us at the Australian Wildlife Hospital to arrange for the possum to be collected and admitted for treatment. Trio is lucky that members of the public brought him to us at the first signs of the disease. He will now go to a possum carer for on-going treatment and when he is fully recovered he will be released back to Buderim.
Trio has been fed fruit, rice, bread, almonds etc by the people whose garden he lives in. Bread is one of the worst things to feed wildlife because of the yeast it contains - this can make all animals very sick. The team at the Australian Wildlife Hospital advocate ‘If you love wildlife, let nature feed itself’. By continually feeding wildlife, they can become aggressive, dependant and, ultimately, sick - and what will the animal feed on when you go on holiday or move to another suburb?
Possums naturally feed on a variety of leaves, flowers, native fruit, buds, bark, grass and, occasionally, small insects. To turn your garden into a possum buffet you can plant a variety of native plants that are indigenous to the area that you live in. Also, you may be able to leave safe dead trees and hollows of limbs as nesting areas. If you keep your compost heap enclosed you will prevent possums from scavenging and will also prevent rodents.
Bob the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit was called to Buderim this week to rescue a beautiful Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo that had been hit by a car.
The cockatoo, named Bob by Hospital staff, is a juvenile, weighing 690g. He was found to have suffered a broken wing from the impact with the vehicle. Our vet also found dried blood in Bob’s mouth from the car hit and he was quite dehydrated, suggesting the injury had occurred a few hours previously.
The nature of the break to his wing did not require surgery, fortunately, so Bob has had the wing strapped to hold the bones together while they heal and his treatment includes anti-inflammatories, antibiotics to prevent infection and vitamins to aid healing.
Bob is being crop-fed as he is still young. Interestingly, the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos are fed by their parents for around 18 months.
Christine the Koala Joey
Last Monday our staff member Karen was called to a koala rescue at Elanora on the Gold Coast involving a female koala and her five-month-old joey.
The pair had been attacked by a dog and a person from a neighbouring property who had witnessed the attack bravely scaled the fence and was able to rescue the mother, rushing her to the veterinary clinic at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Sadly, she was dead on arrival.
But what of the joey? As the rescuer tells it, when the dog was attacking the mother koala a male koala came down from a tree next door and was frantically trying to get INTO the yard. He managed to do so and somehow ended up with the baby koala clinging to him. He calmly and very determinedly took the uninjured joey high up the tree out of harm’s way.
Karen, with assistance from a Wildcare Australia volunteer, an EPA ranger and concerned neighbours (including Christine and Jules) then mounted a rescue to retrieve the youngster and bring her into care, as she was not yet weaned and would be unable to survive without her mother.
In a surprising twist to this story, a red ear tag on the male enabled them to identify him as Zulu (pictured right) – a koala that had been admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital in April 2007. At that time he was suffering from a sizable tumour on his chest however, with the benefit of surgery, he made a full recovery and was eventually released back onto Christine and Jules’ acreage property. They had named him Zulu (“brave warrior”) and have kept a watchful eye on him ever since, so it seemed appropriate that the young joey, whom we believe to be Zulu’s offspring, should be named Christine.
Whilst male koalas are notable for being absentee fathers, young Christine has Zulu to thank for her being alive and well today.
Another of our staff members, Carolyn, now has the privilege of hand-raising Zulu’s girl until she too is able to be released back to Elanora in a few month’s time.
Minnie and Miney the Eastern Chestnut Mice
Last week a local resident was doing some work in his backyard that disturbed a nest of native mice. The mother scurried away leaving her two young in the nest. The resident brought the young mice, later identified as Eastern Chestnut Mice, to us at the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
Minnie and Miney are being fed special milk formula and are also having one solid meal each evening. They will be released back to the wild in about 3 weeks when they are able to fend for themselves. Native mice are protected in Australia and should therefore be released into the bush.
Eastern Chestnut Mice grow to about 14cm long with a tail that is up to 12 cm long and are a warm brown colour with a grey/white underside. They are an uncommon species, mostly nocturnal, and live in different habitats ranging from grassland to open-forest and swampy areas. They will eat seeds, nuts, fungi and some plants and arthropods.
We encourage Wildlife Warriors to use animal-friendly mouse ‘traps’ that catch the animal without hurting it, and have the animal identification confirmed before arranging for feral, introduced species to be humanely euthanised. You can email a photo to the Queensland Museum for identification of species.
Masked Lapwing Plovers
This week land clearing was taking place in Beerwah, and a nest of Masked Lapwing Plovers had to be moved. The Spotter-Catcher on site brought the eggs to us at the Australian Wildlife Hospital. The eggs were very cold when they came in and we did not expect them to be viable, however when one of our nurses picked them up a second time she heard a very faint cheeping sound!
The eggs were swiftly placed on heat bags in the humidi-crib and slowly the chicks began to chip away at their shells. They needed quite a lot of help to hatch, but eventually they were out and chirping madly!
Our staff tried to take them back to the rescue site in the hope that we could find their parents and re-unite them; however it was not possible as the land clearing had scared off the parents. The chicks have gone to a very experienced bird carer who has the challenging job of feeding the chicks every half hour and teaching them to feed on their own as their parents would! It was very fortunate for the chicks that they came in to us at the right time - just before they would have naturally hatched, as it is very difficult to incubate and hatch eggs in captivity.
Masked Lapwing Plovers grow to about 35cm and live in grasslands, mud flats and urban parks and commonly can be heard calling out at night. Parents may swoop down on people or animals that are a threat to their nest.
Mary the Koala and her joey Toyah
Last Friday night the Australian Wildlife Hospital received an injured female koala carrying a joey. Ten-year-old Mary and her six-month-old joey Toyah had been subjected to a prolonged attack involving rock and stick throwing by a gang of youths at the Jim Akers Park, Kallangur.
This was upsetting enough for the Hospital staff and volunteer rescuers Anika and Henk Lehmann from the Caboolture Koala Care and Rescue Group, however their anguish was exacerbated by the knowledge that the gang had earlier killed a koala joey, with the body found by Anika in the bottom of a garbage bin.
Anika, an experienced rescuer who is hardened to serious injury and illness in koalas, admitted she had later been reduced to tears by the incident and still finds it hard to reconcile today. She praised the efforts of a local resident (known only as Glenn) who happened across the gang while they were in the throes of the second attack while walking his dogs in the park. Glenn had the presence of mind to take the youths to task and call the Caboolture Koala Care and Rescue Group who later alerted both the RSPCA and the police to the incident.
When Mary first arrived at the Hospital she was very traumatised – her pupils were fixed and dilated – but, fortunately, despite being struck several times, she had no open wounds. Toyah was similarly distressed and anxious about his new surroundings, however a week on from the attack, both are recovering well.
Five other koalas from Kallangur (two carrying pouch young like Mary) were subsequently rescued from the same park owing to fears for their welfare. We are continuing to liaise with the police and the QPWS and will arrange for their release when we are satisfied that their home is safe for them to return to.
Diamond the Red-bellied Black Snake
Last week in Cooloola Great Sandy National Park a Red-bellied Black Snake found a discarded aluminium drink can that looked like an interesting place to explore – and, perhaps not surprisingly, once he got about 15 cm of himself in, he got stuck!
Some members of the public were nearby - a gentleman had just proposed to his girlfriend - and as they were getting ready to leave they noticed that the snake was in trouble. They managed to safely pick up the snake and put it into a secure bag. They drove the snake to the Australian Wildlife Hospital where we had a venomous snake handler ready and waiting to assist our vet with his examination.
The vet was able to inject the snake with an anesthetic so that the snake handler could cut open the can. We found that the snake had gone into the can and then doubled back the other way so was REALLY stuck! Fortunately he had no injuries at all. We kept him at the Hospital overnight for observation and then he was released back to where he came from the next day. The rescuers aptly named him Diamond in honour of the occasion!
Mollie and Maxine - Koala Joeys
Mollie and Maxine are 6-month-old koala joeys who were orphaned in separate incidents and have been in care at the Australian Wildlife Hospital for the past two months. Our Hospital Manager Gail Gipp has become their surrogate mother and tends to them around-the-clock, including bottle feeding every 4 hours.
Both came into Gail’s life as “pinkies” (pouch young with no fur) in early May and were in very poor condition. Mollie’s mother had died from septicaemia, while Maxine was found bruised on the ground after becoming separated from her mother. Each weighed approximately 100 grams.
Both Mollie and Maxine are now growing up as sisters and developing beautifully – two weeks ago they were able to leave the confines of their shared humidicrib and are enjoying their feeds and rapidly gaining weight.
Hand-raising koala joeys, or any wildlife, is not for the faint-hearted – it can be physically and emotionally challenging but can also enrich your life and bring about unexpected rewards.
Arguably Australia’s best koala “mum”, Gail has hand-raised countless animals over the past 30 years and is very open to passing on her extensive knowledge to those who are eager to learn. Gail does however screen people to ensure they have the best interests of the animal at heart and are motivated to become wildlife carers for the right reasons – most importantly, that they are committed to the ideal that every rehabilitated animal should be returned to the wild to live as a wild animal should.
Serena the Black Flying Fox
Serena was rescued and brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital after a very unhappy week in her life.
Unfortunately Serena was shot with an air rifle and, although she survived the shooting, she was unable to fly properly with a wound to her shoulder. Not being able to fly made Serena vulnerable to predators and she was then attacked by an eagle.
Luckily for Serena, her home colony was on the property of a wildlife carer and her cries of distress were heard by the carer and her son. They raced to her rescue and bravely chased the eagle away. Serena was rushed to the Hospital for treatment, as the talons on the eagle’s feet had inflicted some serious injuries to her chest, stomach and back.
At the Hospital Serena received very special treatment from Dr Claude who found that she had approximately 5 puncture holes and 8 tear wounds on her body from the eagle. An air rifle pellet was also lodged in her shoulder. Her wounds were thoroughly cleaned, she was given antibiotics to counteract the bacteria from the eagle’s claws and given medication to keep her as comfortable as possible.
Serena has now gone to a wildlife carer who is experienced with flying foxes and tells her every day what a brave little bat she is. Her wounds are healing very well and, at this stage, she is spending most of her days eating and sleeping in order to regain her strength.
Ely “Lucky” Grills the Koala
Our Australian Wildlife Hospital team is amazed by the story of an 8-year-old male koala we have named Ely “Lucky” Grills.
Last Wednesday afternoon, just as twilight was descending, Ely had the misfortune to be literally collected by a car on Dayboro Road, near the Petrie Quarry, in Brisbane’s Pine Rivers district. The driver of the vehicle alleges that she thought she saw a koala on the road but had been unaware that her vehicle had made contact with him. It was not until the driver stopped at the Petrie Train Station, some 12 kilometres on, that she was alerted to the fact that there was a koala dangling from her car’s grille by a concerned passer-by. This prompted an urgent call to the Caboolture Koala Care and Rescue group, who despatched Rhondda Hay to assist the stricken animal.
Rhondda’s first impression when she approached the car was that the koala had been decapitated, as his body was indeed “dangling” but his head and left arm were not visible. A closer inspection revealed that the koala’s impact with the car had been with such force that the hidden body parts had been pushed through the grille, wedging him close to the bonnet. This impact was consistent with the 100 kilometre per hour speed limit that exists on the Dayboro Road.
There were signs of life however, thus began a very a delicate task to free Ely, with Rhondda using household scissors to carefully cut around the grille mesh with the permission of the owner of the prestige vehicle. A few anxious minutes ensued until it was mission accomplished and, after an initial shake of his head, a limp-bodied Ely was placed in a cage and transferred to us for urgent assessment.
Whilst Ely was clearly in shock from the experience, our vets were amazed to find that he had suffered no serious injuries. Within two hours of his placement in our Intensive Care Unit, he was much brighter, sitting up and eating. Ely was however found to be suffering from an underlying chlamydial infection, so will remain at the Hospital for 45 days to complete the required treatment regime.
Happy the Kookaburra
Happy the Laughing Kookaburra was found in a chook shed by a local resident from Landsborough. He made no effort to fly away when approached and so was brought to us at the Australian Wildlife Hospital for an assessment.
Our Vet found that Happy had a broken left ulna (one of the bones in the wing) and was feeling very flat, due to the considerable pain. The break did not need to undergo surgical repair, but a figure-eight bandage was applied to hold the bones together while they heal.
Happy has now been sent to one of our experienced Kookaburra carers and will have his bandage removed in two weeks when another x-ray will be taken of his wing to ensure the bones have healed properly. In the meantime, he will have anti-inflammatory medication to make him feel more comfortable.
In the event of a good report, Happy will then have a further two-week stint in Hospital rehabilitation, including flight practice, before being released back into the wild.
Marcel the Euro
The Australian Wildlife Hospital admitted a Euro joey from Stanthorpe last week. He had been orphaned when his mother was killed by a car, and he had been taken home by a member of the public. Unfortunately he was not given the right type of milk, and the teat on the bottle used for him was far too small, and so for one week he didn’t get the correct nutrition. The joey developed a candida infection of his gut as a result of the poor diet, and was surrendered to us at the Hospital.
He has now been named Marcel (strong warrior) by his trained and experienced carer and is happily enjoying the correct amount and type of food. He will stay with this carer until he is old enough to be released back to the wild (at about 16 months old). Marcel sleeps in a pouch, but also spends some time hopping around in an outdoor fenced area. Already he has bonded with him foster ‘Mum’ and will call out to her if she is out of sight!
Euros are also known as Wallaroos and, contrary to what their name suggests, they are not a kangaroo/wallaby cross. They can range from light brown to dark grey in colour and have a longer coat that kangaroos. They are common in rocky ranges and plateaux of grassland and woodland.
At the Australian Wildlife Hospital we cannot stress enough the importance of wild animals getting care from those who are registered, trained Wildlife Carers as soon as possible. We need to remember that native animals are wild and, as such, should not be treated as pets. If you would like information on becoming a Wildlife Carer please call us on 5436 2097 and we will gladly assist you.
Danny Boy the Green Turtle
Some members of the public observed an immature Green Turtle swimming in the same place at the Spinnaker Marina (Bribie Island) over the course of a week. This behaviour prompted them to call the Australia Zoo Rescue Team who were able to catch the turtle - later named Danny Boy - and admit him to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for assessment.
Upon examination our vet found Danny Boy to be suffering from an infection, so prescribed antibiotic treatment. Danny Boy has also had a barium meal and x-rays are being taken every day to check the progress of the barium down his digestive tract. He is eating happily and has already begun to show an improvement, so the future looks bright for this lucky turtle.
Sadly, many sea turtles suffer from a floating condition where they have a build up of gas in their gut or under their shell. This gas means they can no longer dive to feed, are more likely to be hit by boats and be attacked by sharks. One of our vets once removed 13.5 litres of gas from a large (150 kg) Green Turtle - you can imagine how painful that was for her! And still she could not dive, as she had more gas that caused her to remain buoyant! The build up of gas may be caused by a blockage in the gut from plastic etc, or by a parasitic infection that slows down gut movement.
Danny Boy will continue his treatment, and all going well, will be released back to the ocean in a few weeks time.
Freya the Koala
Each year the Australian Wildlife Hospital receives hundreds of sick and injured koalas that come into care for a variety of reasons. The majority of these are caused by human impact.
Last week brought us a trauma patient whose story upset most of the Hospital staff as she suffered horrific injuries directly caused by human impact.
Freya is a seven year old female koala in beautiful condition from Kallangur. On 13 June Freya’s habitat was being bulldozed around her to make way for a housing development. Freya went unnoticed in her tree as the bulldozers moved in and it wasn’t until the tree she was in went crashing down that she was found broken and bleeding on the ground.
Freya was rushed to the Hospital in a critical condition; she suffered a badly broken jaw that had to be surgically repaired, internal injuries that also saw her undergo abdominal surgery and she also lost her left eye as it was too badly damaged to be saved. Freya hovered in a critical condition for several days and was given very strong pain relief and antibiotics and she was also on an IV drip.
Freya sat up for the first time on 18 June and we are hopeful she will make a full recovery.
She is one of thousands of koalas that are injured or killed from tree felling. Unlike many, she was found and, hopefully, her life has been saved.
Human impact takes a horrific toll on our wildlife every year with millions of animals losing their lives. We must do more to preserve habitat and remember that, whilst we need our homes, so do they!
Fred the Blue Tongue Lizard
A couple of weeks ago a wildlife carer rescued Fred, a Blue Tongue Lizard, from a yard in Waterford where we suspect he had been attacked by a dog.
An examination on arrival at the Hospital revealed that he had extensive bruising over most of his back and chest and crushing injuries to his toes. Fred had to have one digit removed and a splint applied to that leg to allow the tissue to fully heal. He subsequently developed an infection from the damage to the skin over his chest, but responded well to antibiotic treatment. He was also given Betadine baths for his skin infection and to help treat the wound on his leg. After ten days his splint was able to be removed.
Fred is now eating well and has regained full function of his leg. He is due to be released back to Waterford in a few days time.
Helmet the Broad-Shelled Turtle
A wildlife carer was driving along the Warrego Highway last week and saw a truck hit a very large freshwater turtle that was walking on the road. Incredibly, the turtle only suffered a hairline fracture to his carapace, and there was some blood in his mouth and he had bruising to one eye-lid. The carer drove for four hours to bring the turtle, later named Helmet, to us at the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
Broad-shelled turtles are known to measure up to 35cm from head to tail along the carapace, however Helmet measures a very large 38cm. Our photo (right) shows Helmet with another freshwater turtle in care.
On admission Helmet was first put onto anti-inflammatory treatment, and later he had surgery to repair the fracture to his carapace. We expect Helmet to make a full recovery, although it may take many weeks for the shell fracture to heal.
Broad-shelled turtles are common residents of rivers, ponds and lakes from Queensland down to Victoria. They are carnivores that feed on invertebrates and fish. In wet weather freshwater turtles will often be seen walking across roads far from waterways - please slow down to avoid hitting them.
Spot the Spotted Python
Rangers on Fraser Island recently found a spotted python that was severely constipated and her cloaca was prolapsing. They had observed that she had 3 hard masses in the lower abdomen.
On arrival at the Australian Wildlife Hospital an x-ray was undertaken and our Vet found inspissated faeces so surgery was performed to remove the masses. The surgery was successful and Spot is now on the road to a full recovery. All remaining well, she will be released back on Fraser Island in a few weeks time.
Spotted Pythons, sometimes known as Children’s Pythons, are related to carpet pythons but only grow to about one metre. They are a fawn colour with dark blotches, and live in dry forest and woodlands. Spotted Pythons are nocturnal and feed on lizards, birds and small animals, and kill their prey by strangulation, so are not venomous.
Spotted Pythons are a popular pet in Australia, and it is fairly easy to obtain licenses and buy snakes from authorised breeders. Before considering buying a pet snake it is important to do your research so that you are able to provide the best possible care. There are many books available on caring for pet snakes. It would also be a good idea to make sure there is a Reptile Vet in your local area.
Maria the Yellow-Faced Whip Snake
A Yellow-Faced Whip Snake was unfortunately attacked by a dog at Buderim this week when it ventured into its yard. When the dog’s owners found the snake they thought she was dead as she was limp with no signs of life. The next morning however, they had another look at the snake and found, to their surprise, that she was quite active and very much alive! The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit was called to collect the snake – promptly named Maria - and transferred her to the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
One of our vets found that she had extensive puncture wounds to her body but, luckily, no fractures were found. Maria was placed on antibiotic treatment and pain relief, and her condition quickly started to improve. She is now doing very well and is very active in her enclosure. She should be released in the next few weeks.
Treating reptiles is very different to treating mammals and marsupials. They can only have antibiotics and fluids every two days due to their slow metabolisms - this effectively doubles their time in care. With the onset of winter special care must be taken during their treatment as they need to be kept warm to heal, then allowed to cool down again before release to enable them to cope with the challenges of winter on their bodies. When they are cold they are unable to digest their food so extra care is taken to make sure the last meal we give them has been well digested before their release.
Yellow-Faced Whip Snakes are slightly venomous, small, slender snakes that only grow to about 75 cm. They live under rocks and in open grass and woodlands. They are abundant across South East Queensland.
Kamalaya the Thai Banded Bullfrog
Last week a Banded Bullfrog accidentally made his way from his home in Koh Samui to the Sunshine Coast in a traveller’s make-up bag! The tourist called the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit who went immediately to fetch the frog and bring him to the Australian Wildlife Hospital where we placed him under quarantine conditions. We notified the Department of Primary Industries that we had him as introduced species have a high risk of carrying diseases which may affect our already decimated native frog species. The Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) subsequently collected the frog from us to take to their own quarantine facility.
The tourists did the right thing by reporting the introduced species. We need to be constantly aware of the threat of foreign species on our native species and the possible negative impact they may have on our unique Australian flora and fauna.
The Banded Bullfrog is also known as an Asian Painted Frog, Chubby Frog, Rice Frog or the Bubble Frog, and is native to South East Asia. They live on the forest floor, and eat flies, crickets, moths and grasshoppers. They are able to survive very dry conditions by burying themselves in the ground and waiting for rain.
Hayden the Swamp Wallaby
Last weekend we received a phone call from a veterinary surgery on the south side of Brisbane. A member of the public had dropped off a little swamp wallaby that had been orphaned when his mother was killed by a car. The staff at the vet surgery had taken an x-ray of the wallaby and found that he had a badly broken leg. They gave him some pain relief and then organised to transport him up to us at the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
When the wallaby arrived at the Hospital and was examined by one of our vets the diagnosis was not good - Hayden had an open compound fracture, with the bone protruding through the skin. This type of fracture is difficult to treat as once the bone has been exposed to air it has also been exposed to germs and this can make the healing process difficult.
The vet in charge of Hayden decided to operate on his leg and place a pin into the bone to stabilise it while it heals. Hayden came through the surgery very well, and was placed on antibiotics and pain relief to aid his healing.
Once Hayden was ready to leave the Intensive Care Unit he was sent to an experienced wildlife carer who is rehabilitating other swamp wallabies of the same age. Hayden will however need to have regular check ups at the Hospital to monitor the healing of his leg and, at some point, the pin will have to be removed. Hayden’s future is looking very bright at this stage and he should ultimately be able to return to the wild.
If you see a marsupial on the side of the road, please check to see if there is a joey in the pouch that can be saved. Joeys can live for up to a week inside the pouch of a dead mother, and have a good chance of survival if they are placed into the care of trained wildlife rehabilitators.
Barkley the Barn Owl
Barkley is a juvenile Barn Owl who was attacked by birds in a tree, and twice during the attack he fell to the ground.
The Australia Zoo rescue team picked him up and brought him to the Australian Wildlife Hospital to have a thorough work-up by one of the vets, as it was clear that he was injured.Birds will often attack other birds and animals that are injured because they attract predators to the area. We suspect that Barkley was initially hit by a car as he was found to have extensive bruising to his left wing as well as some bleeding in his mouth. Fortunately he does not have any fractures and his injuries will heal quickly.
Barkley has been at the Hospital for three days and is slowly getting stronger and his appetite is returning. He will continue a course of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication and will then move into a larger enclosure to allow for flight practice before being released.
Barn Owls are a common species around the world and are often seen around Brisbane suburbs. They are also known as Ghost Owls or Delicate Owls and will feed on small rodents in woodland and urban areas.
Zimmie the Koala
Last Monday afternoon one of our staff noticed a koala in her garden in Petrie that had a ‘dirty bottom’ which is a classic sign of the Chlamydia infection. She called the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit who arrived with their gear to rescue the koala who was, fortunately, in a small paperbark tree.
Rescuer Cory climbed into the tree, and Toby passed him the ‘flagging’ pole. Rescue teams use a long pole with a ring at the top that is covered with fabric, and place that above the koala’s head to guide the animal down the tree. The koala, later named Zimmie, jumped into a nearby pine tree and went up quite high within a few seconds! From the paperbark Cory was able to use the pole to flag her down far enough for Toby to continue from the ground. Our staff member, Julie, was then able to hold Zimmie against the tree before Toby was able to pick her up and put her gently in a cage.
Zimmie is a mature female, about 10 years old, and is suffering from severe cystitis. Fortunately, she is not like most female koalas with this condition, who develop ovarian cysts. Her bottom is stained brown from constant leakage of urine from her bladder. Zimmie has now started a 45 day course of antibiotic treatment and supplements to treat her condition and we expect her to make a full recovery and to be released back to the wild.
The Chlamydia infection is rife in the koala population of south east Queensland and the infection may manifest as conjunctivitis or cystitis. When you see koalas in the wild please check that they are healthy with clear eyes and a white bottom, speckled with grey, that is natural camouflage for when they are high up in the trees. If the infection is caught in the early stages the koala has a very good chance of making a full recovery. If you see a koala that is not well please call our Wildlife Emergency Hotline - 1300 369 652.
Loggerhead Turtles
The rescue team was called to Wurtulla last Friday to collect a tiny Loggerhead Turtle hatchling that had been found in a very weak condition after struggling to get out of its nest. With that mission accomplished and the hatchling placed in the care of the Australian Wildlife Hospital, the team re-visited the site the next day to see if they could find any other hatchlings in need of help.
Sadly, they found that the nest had been laid under a pathway and so constant compression over the site meant many turtles had died trying to get out and head to the ocean. The eggs would have been laid about 8-9 weeks ago. The rescue team found that 42 were already dead in the nest, however they were able to gently take out 37 healthy and active hatchlings and immediately send them on their way into the sea. They also rescued 20 weak hatchlings which they transferred to the Australian Wildlife Hospital where we placed them in warm water to allow them to recover from their struggle to get out of the nest. We did not need to feed them as they still had part of the albumen from their eggs attached, so would get their energy needs from that.
The rescue team released the first four of these rescued hatchlings on Wednesday - 30 kilometres offshore in the eastern Australian current (just like in 'Finding Nemo'!) into deep water to give them a greater chance of survival, away from land-based predators such as sea gulls.
Research has shown that only one in one thousand marine turtles reach sexual maturity, which is why it is so important for us to do everything we can to protect turtles and their habitat and breeding sites to give each hatchling the greatest possible chance of survival. In 15 to 20 years these turtles will return to the coastal zone to eat soft corals, sponges and jellies and, after 30 years, they may come back to the region to lay eggs of their own!
Stakey the Magpie
The Australia Zoo rescue team responded to an emergency call from Minyama on Wednesday afternoon to rescue a Magpie that was walking around with a kebab skewer sticking out of the left side of his head!
Fortunately, once he arrived at the Australian Wildlife Hospital our vet was able to remove the skewer easily - leaving just a small wound on the side of his head. The Magpie was given the name Stakey (for obvious reasons) and is currently undergoing treatment for his injury including antibiotics to prevent infection and anti-inflammatory medication to reduce pain and swelling. Stakey will go to a carer for short period of rehabilitation before being released.
Stakey's prognosis is good, unlike many other birds that incur this terribly common injury. You can help birds like Stakey by breaking up any sticks - like those from kebabs and Pluto pups - and disposing of them properly, to ensure that other birds are kept safe.
Zigg the Bush Stone-Curlew
A Bush Stone-Curlew came into our care last week after he was found lying on the ground in a park in Cleveland. The rescue team travelled down to Brisbane and brought the bird - named Zigg - back to the Hospital for our vets to undertake a thorough examination.
No visible injuries were found but Zigg was extremely weak and could not stand up. Over the last few days he has shown a vast improvement and, with the help of physiotherapy, is now able to stand but is still a bit wobbly. He is being moved out of intensive care during the day to be housed outdoors for a few hours. The nurses will gradually increase his exposure to the outdoors as part of his rehabilitation until he is well enough to be released back in to the wild.
The Bush Stone-Curlew is a large (52 to 58 cm), slim, mainly nocturnal, ground-dwelling bird and is quite unusual looking. When sighted the bird will normally crouch down or stand perfectly still and rely on the plumage pattern to disguise it, rather than attempt to fly away. They were once quite common, however their numbers have declined significantly through loss of habitat and predation by foxes and feral cats.
Cory the Little Corella
A Little Corella came into our care on Tuesday after a concerned member of the public rescued him at a caravan park in Caloundra with an injury to its wing. He has been named Cory.
One of our vets gave Cory a full examination including an x-ray, which revealed a fracture to his left shoulder. Surgery was performed and a pin inserted. A small wound was also noted under the right wing which was flushed out with a diluted solution of chlorhexidine which is an antiseptic.
A support bandage has been applied to the left shoulder which will be re-assessed regularly over the next 2 weeks. A course of metacam has also been prescribed - this is an anti-inflammatory medication used to provide pain relief.
The pin will be removed after 20 days if the shoulder has healed. After his pin is removed Cory will be placed with a wildlife carer until he is strong enough to fly again.
Dempsey the Carpet Python
Dempsey - a carpet python - came into our care last week as a result of an emergency call to the Hospital. A gentleman by the name of Cameron phoned in, concerned after seeing a python with a bulging stomach and a split in its side. The rescue team was dispatched and traveled to Noosa and caught a ferry across to North Shore, found the python and rushed him back to the Hospital.
After close examination Vet Amber concluded that old scar tissue had burst after Dempsey had swallowed a sizable chicken. The saying "his eyes were bigger than his stomach" is quite accurate in this case.;
Dr Amber washed down the open wound and applied thin, impregnated gauze to the area. A course of antibiotics has been prescribed to prevent any infection. Now it is a matter of waiting for the food to digest and then suturing the wound. Hopefully Dempsey will eat smaller prey in the future.
Wood Ducks
Eight gorgeous ducklings (Wood Ducks) came into our care this week after their mother was sadly hit by a car on a busy road in Maroochydore. It is a heartbreaking incident that could easily have been prevented if the driver had been aware of the sign indicating a duck-crossing, and driven more slowly.
Wood Ducks nest in trees near water, sometimes directly over water, but other times up to 2 km away. After hatching, the ducklings jump down from the nest tree and make their way to water. The mother calls them to her and the ducklings may jump from heights of up to 89 metres without injury! You might be lucky enough to see a family of Wood Ducks in your area as they make their way to a waterway.
Wherever you see a sign indicating wildlife - ducks, koalas, kangaroos, or echidnas - that is the location where there have been numerous incidents of animals being hit by cars. Please slow down when you see those signs - they are there for a reason - and keep a look out for injured wildlife on the roads.
Pinchy the Channel-Billed Cuckoo
A Channel-Billed Cuckoo came into our care on 2 March after a resident found him in the Buderim State Forest.
Pinchy - as he has now been named - presented with a missing toe nail and swelling and bruising to the left hip. There was also evidence of some kind of trauma, possibly the result of being hit by a vehicle.
Pinchy was prescribed medication to reduce the swelling and is still unable to fully extend his left wing. He is otherwise bright and alert and will be re-assessed over the next few days. All being well, he will then be placed into long term care until he is fully rehabilitated and able to be released back into the wild.
The Channel-billed Cuckoo is not a bird we see commonly at the Australian Wildlife Hospital – it migrates to northern and eastern Australia from New Guinea and Indonesia between August and October each year and leaves again during February or March.
This type of bird is the largest parasitic cuckoo in the world. Apart from its large size, its massive pale, down-curved bill, grey plumage (darker on the back and wings) and long barred tail, make it impossible to confuse it with any other bird. In flight the long tail and long wings give the bird a crucifix-shaped silhouette.
Sinya the Possum
A Common Brush-tail Possum and her joey came into our care last Friday. She has been called Sinya and came to us after being taken to a local vet with injuries. She was then transferred to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for treatment.
A thorough examination by Dr Peter revealed extensive bruising and swelling to the radius (her arm) and an x-ray showed a fracture in two places. Surgery was performed to insert two pins and, thereafter, a course of antibiotics prescribed to prevent infection. Medication for pain relief was also administered.
So far Sinya is making a good recovery but will need to stay with us for at least a week and then conclude her rehabilitation with a carer.
These possums get their name from their brush-like tail and are marsupials - which means they carry their babies in a pouch. The joeys stay in the pouch and drink their mother's milk until they are 4 months old.
Zeb the Koala Joey
Last Thursday evening a koala joey had the good fortune to be rescued from a rain-soaked backyard vegetable garden in the northern suburbs of Brisbane thanks to the vigilance of the resident. For reasons unknown he had become separated from his mother and, despite a search, she could not be located.
On arrival at the Hospital he was immediately checked over by Hospital Manager Gail, who is an expert with koala joeys. She named him Zeb and assessed his age to be just ten months – his condition suggested that he had been separated from his mother for 3-4 days. Joeys of Zeb’s age do not have the survival skills to fend for themselves, particularly in a challenging urban environment and without the nutritional nourishment provided by their mother’s milk.
Little Zeb was exhausted from his ordeal and, not surprisingly, extremely hungry - Gail fed him infant formula and fresh eucalypt leaves overnight which he consumed with vigour. Fortunately, he was otherwise only suffering from a slightly weepy left eye and a build up of mucus in his nasal cavity.
Gail was able to place Zeb into the care of one of our staff members, Carolyn, and prescribed four hourly feeds, eye drops and a course of antibiotics to hasten his recovery.
One week on and Zeb is now thriving – he has ceased his medication and adapting well to the new experience of being in care. He will return to the Australian Wildlife Hospital when he is weaned in a few week’s time to complete the final stage of his rehabilitation before being returned to the wild.
Goldy the Eastern Brown Snake
Last Sunday we had a call from a member of the public to say that an Eastern Brown Snake had got his head caught in an aluminium drink can. As you can imagine, he was not a happy chappy! Fortunately our Senior Vet Jon, who was nearby rescuing a kangaroo that had been hit by a car, was able to collect the snake straight away and bring him into the Hospital.
Jon anaesthetised the snake – quickly named Goldy - so that he was relaxed and safe to handle, and then he easily removed him from the can. Goldy had not sustained any injuries and once he had fully woken up from the anaesthetic he was able to be released back near to where he came from.
Eastern brown snakes are venomous – the venom is the second most toxic land snake venom in the world and upsets the blood clotting mechanism of its prey. They feed on rats, mice, lizards and other snakes and are active during the day. The adult is uniform in colour – they can vary from light brown, orange or black and can grow up to 2.4 metres in length.
Give all snakes a wide berth if you come across one - they will leave you alone if you leave them alone. Registered commercial snake catchers are available to relocate snakes that find their way into homes - give us a call on 1300 369 652 if you need a referral to a snake catcher in your area.
Whistler the Wandering Whistling Duck
Whistler came into our care this week after a keeper at Australia Zoo noticed her in amongst the Zoo's kangaroo enclosure with a drooping wing.
After being examined by Dr Stacey she was found to have two breaks in the wing. A pin was inserted to hold the bones together - the wing was then strapped and a course of Baytril (an antibiotic for bacterial infection) and Metacam (for pain relief) were prescribed.
Whistler will have the pin removed in approximately ten days and will be in rehab for a further two weeks - it is hoped that she will then be able to be released back amongst the flock of ducks that roam about the Zoo.
Hooter the Masked Owl
Last week a beautiful Masked Owl came into our care after being found on the side of a road in Glasshouse Mountains. It was assumed that the owl, who was subsequently named Hooter, was hit by a car. It was apparent however, that he was also suffering from eye injuries.
An examination by Dr Peter revealed ulcerations to both eyes. Antibiotics and topical eye medication were administered over the following week and, in an effort to save Hooter’s sight, a procedure which involved stitching the eyes lids together was undertaken to the left eye which was the worst affected.
Up to this point Hooter’s prognosis was not looking promising, however a week down the track we are happy to report that Hooter has now made a full recovery and will be released back into the wild today.
The Australian Masked Owl is seldom found more than 300 km inland. They are nocturnal and their prey includes rodents, reptiles, birds, insects and bandicoots. Their population is declining and several states have this owl on their Species Conservation Status list. They are very territorial and remain in the same area all their lives.
Hannah the Platypus
Hannah, a young three-and-a-half month old Platypus, came into our care last week after a long drive from Uki, a small town in NSW. She was found on a bridge by a local resident who contacted the Tweed Valley Wildlife group who, in turn, contacted another wildlife carer from the Gold Coast and arranged a meeting point in Murwillumbah late that night. Hannah was a cold, exhausted and dehydrated little puggle and needed to be kept warm if she was to survive the night, so the carer turned the heater on the maximum setting in her car, which soon turned into a sauna/humidicrib enabling the puggle to warm up. (The carer on the other hand was sweating profusely!).
The next morning the puggle was brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for a thorough examination – including a blood test and x-ray - by Hospital Manager, Gail, who has experience caring for platypuses. This revealed a slight respiratory infection, malnutrition and dehydration. Two deep, infected puncture wounds were also detected which could have been inflicted by the spurs of another platypus.
Antibiotics were prescribed for the infection, fluids administered for dehydration and food and rest prescribed. Hannah is being fed a special formula, is feeding well (see photo) and sleeping a lot – fortunately, she has a good prognosis for a full recovery.
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