Previous patients
Jake the Pelican
Jake, a male pelican, came to the Australian Wildlife Hospital after concerned beach-goers noticed fishing line protruding from his mouth. Our seabird rescuers responded immediately to the call and brought him into the hospital where an x-ray revealed fishing line and a hook down his gullet.
Surgery was scheduled for the following day and, fortunately, it was a success, with the offending items skillfully removed by Dr Jon.
Jake is now well on the way to making a full recovery however, sadly, he is just one of a number of patients we have seen this year that have ingested items carelessly discarded around our waterways. With so many people looking to enjoy the water this Christmas, we ask that everyone please take care to dispose of any rubbish, lines or hooks into bins rather than the ocean or shoreline to help to prevent any other wildlife having to undergo this type of ordeal.
Chook the Lace Monitor
A Lace Monitor was brought into our care after a phone call from a local resident requiring some assistance. The Monitor, aptly named Chook, had apparently swallowed some chicken meat which the person was using to try and capture a feral cat. The person became concerned when the wire attached to the meat was no longer visible on the ground.
Consequently, our rescue team was called upon to capture and bring Chook into the Australian Wildlife Hospital. An examination and x-ray revealed both the wire and two large chicken bones in Chook’s esophagus and stomach.
Chook was immediately prepped for surgery to remove the bones and wire.
Fortunately, Chook’s operation went well and it is expected that he will make a full recovery and be released back to the wild over the coming weeks.
Zephyr the Peregrine Falcon
A Peregrine Falcon came into our care this week and has been named Zephyr. He was found at the Readymix Quarry in Glasshouse Mountains, lying on the ground with an apparent eye injury.
One of our dedicated vets examined Zephyr and fluids were used to flush out the eyes - he had a cloudy cornea in the left eye and both eyes were suffering from ulcers. Sadly, an x-ray revealed pellets from a firearm had embedded in his spinal region.
After two days of care Zephyr was stable enough to undergo surgery to remove the pellets. Unfortunately for Zephyr, being a raptor, his eyes are his means of survival. It is a great shame that a person has inflicted an injury of this nature onto this type of bird.
We will continue to monitor him and administer medication in the hope of repairing the damage to the eye area and, ultimately, releasing this magnificent falcon back to the wild.
Kathryn the Pelican
Last Saturday a pelican at Bell's Creek got into trouble when she ate some fishing hooks that had a tiny piece of fish on them. She was rescued by some specialised sea bird carers and found to have fishing line coming from her mouth and tied around her body. The rescuers were unable to untangle the line around her body so brought her to us at the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
Once admitted, the line was removed and X-rays clearly showed the two hooks in her stomach so our vet began 
surgery immediately to remove them. The pelican was named Kathryn and, fortunately, she came through the surgery with flying colours. She is now on a course of antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and pain medication and will stay with the carers for rehabilitation for a few weeks before being released back to the wild.
Please remember when you are fishing or on the beach to pick up any fishing line and hooks and put them in the rubbish bin so that they don't cause harm to our wonderful marine animals.
Possum the Sugar Glider
An infant sugar glider, who was given the unlikely name of 'Possum', came into care at the Australian Wildlife Hospital this week after being transferred from a suburban veterinary clinic. He had been brought to them by concerned residents after being attacked by a cat.
Possum was examined and, fortunately, found to have no visible signs of injury. Cat attacks can lead to serious injuries and infections and, sadly, cause the death of many wild animals.
Possum was kept under observation for 24 hours then released into the care of an experienced wildlife rehabilitator who specialises in gliders. He will remain there until he is able to fend for himself in the wild at approximately 12 months of age.
Gliders are nocturnal and can glide up to 90 metres. They live in leaf nests constructed in hollows, in groups of up to 10 and are commonly found living in Queensland rainforests. They feed on wattle exudates, gum sap, nectar and insects.
Soakey the Brahminy Kite
A stunning brahminy kite was feeding near fishing trawlers off the coast of Mooloolaba earlier this week. Unfortunately he got himself tangled up in the fishing lines to the point where he was in the water struggling to keep himself afloat.
Members of the public got him out of the water and called some experienced sea bird carers who met them on shore and brought the kite to us. They named him ‘Soakey’- a fitting name for a bird that had found himself fully immersed in water!
At the Australian Wildlife Hospital Soakey was put under a general anaesthetic and had x-rays taken. There was a concern that he had eaten a fish with a hook inside – however our vet found nothing to indicate this on the x-rays. Soakey was then kept warm in a humidicrib for 24 hours.
He underwent a test flight the next day and flew beautifully - he was then released by our rescue team back at Mooloolaba.
Jack the Galah
An juvenile galah came into our care last Friday. He had been hit by a car on the Bruce Highway. Fortunately, a concerned driver who noticed the incident brought the bird in to the Australian Wildlife Hospital and named him Jack.
Jack was, understandably, in shock. He had suffered head trauma and concussion. Our vet also found that Jack's foot was turning in slightly – a condition known as pigeon-toe. An x-ray revealed no fractures or breaks to the wings which was fortunate for Jack. He is however also undergoing treatment for suspected heavy-metal poisoning.
Jack is still under close observation in our intensive care unit, however we are hopeful of a full recovery.
Lucky the Lace Monitor
Lucky came into our care last weekend after a motorist accidently ran over him. As luck would have it, the driver stopped and managed to capture him and drove straight to the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
Lucky was fortunate indeed. An examination by one of our vets revealed lacerations to the tongue along with bruising to the head. Lucky will stay in our care with the expectation that he will now make a full recovery and be released back in to the wild.
The Lace Monitor, or Lace Goanna, is a member of the monitor lizard family and are commonly known as goannas. They frequent both open and closed forests and forage over long distances (up to 3 km a day). They are mainly active from September to May, but are inactive in cooler weather and shelter in a tree hollow or under a fallen tree or large rock. The females lay between 4 to 14 eggs in spring or summer in termite nests. Their diet typically consists of insects, reptiles, small mammals, birds and birds' eggs.
Robbo the Tawny Frogmouth
A Tawny Frogmouth came into our care this week after a concerned resident found the bird sitting on the ground. He has been named Robbo and is a juvenile.
After a thorough examination by Dr Amber and with no obvious signs of ill health, Robbo will now be transferred to a registered wildlife carer where he will be monitored for a short while. Assuming all is well, he will be released back into the wild as soon as possible.
The bulk of the Tawny Frogmouth's diet is made up of nocturnal insects, worms, slugs and snails. Small mammals, reptiles, frogs and birds are also eaten. Most food is obtained by pouncing to the ground from a tree or other elevated perch. Some prey items, such as moths, are caught in flight, which has led to many unfortunate instances of birds being hit by cars while chasing insects illuminated in the beam of headlights.
With their nocturnal habits and owl-like appearance, Tawny Frogmouths are often confused with owls, but are actually more closely related to the Nightjars. Their feet are weak, and lack the curved talons of owls. The Tawny Frogmouth is found throughout Australia, including Tasmania. It can be seen in almost any habitat type except the denser rainforests and treeless deserts.
Womble the Puggle
A puggle (young echidna) came into our care after being found by a farmer while ploughing his land about 40 km out of Emerald. After discovering that he had unearthed the nursery burrow, he contacted us for advice.
We arranged for the puggle, quickly named Womble, to be flown down to Brisbane and then transferred to the Australian Wildlife Hospital to be hand-raised. In their natural environment echidnas dig a nursery burrow and deposit the puggles, returning every five days to suckle them until they are weaned at seven months. Unfortunately because this burrow had been dug up the only chance of survival for Womble is through our care.
After examination by our vets he was found to be very healthy with no injuries. Womble is now in the care of our senior vet nurse, Vicky, until he is old enough to be released back out into the wild.
Pengy The Penguin
Our very unique patient of the week is a Little Penguin. It is very unusual for a penguin to be found this far north and there have only been 5 reported findings in the past 20 years. Pengy may have been caught up in the storms experienced down south and swept up the coastline. He was found by a camper at Sandy Cape on Fraser Island, who then reported it to the local Parks and Wildlife Ranger.
Pengy was admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for a check over by one of our vets. He weighed 600 grams when admitted and it was determined that he should achieve a goal weight of 1000 grams before being released back into southern waters.
Pengy was otherwise given a clean bill of health and placed into the care of some experienced sea bird rehabilitators. He is enjoying a diet of fresh seafood and has subsequently gained 200 grams since being in care.
Bart the Hawksbill Turtle
Queensland Parks and Wildlife rangers were patrolling the shark nets at Rainbow Beach this week when they found a rare Hawksbill Turtle floating against the side of the nets, unable to dive.
Sadly, Bart is one of many turtles we admit to the Hospital each year that are diagnosed as "floaters". They get a build up of gas in their gut or under their shell that prevents them from diving to feed; it also leaves them susceptible to boat strikes and even sunburn damage to their shells. This gas build up can be caused by a parasitic infection or a blockage caused by something like a plastic bag. A single plastic bag has been known to cause the death of up to 50 marine animals before finally decomposing. It is very difficult to see if a plastic bag has been ingested by a turtle because the density of plastic means it is not able to be identified on an x-ray, and it is very difficult to operate on a marine turtle. Deconstruction and replacement of the shell can take years to heal.
We are treating Bart with anti-parasitic medication, de-gas tablets and antibiotics; he has also been placed on IV rehydration fluids and will undergo ultrasound and x-rays to help with the further evaluation of the problem.
With time and a lot of TLC we have been able to rehabilitate many turtles and release them back to the wild and we hope that Bart will be one of them. He is now eating squid happily on his own, which is a good sign.
Please be sure to throw litter into a closed rubbish bin to ensure it does not end up in the sea where it causes so much harm!
Lace Monitors - Smallies 1 and 2
Our patients of the week this week are two very special lace monitors. They have been named Smallies 1 and 2 and were brought into the hospital by Briano and Tosh, two of our animal rescuers, six months ago as eggs! Their mother was nowhere to be seen when our rescuers came upon their nest in Beerburrum that was disturbed by a bulldozer.
When lace monitors produce eggs, they are laid in termite nests where they become entombed by termites. These eggs were rescued from a site where land-clearing was taking place, and were placed in an incubator.
The lace monitors are now 3 months old and are ready to be released back to the wild.
Greater Glider Maxine
Maxine was found by passers-by lying on a road. When she came into our care she was found to be nursing an injury to her tail but is now responding well to treatment.
She is feeding well on a diet of a variety of eucalypt leaf. The Greater Glider's natural habit is the eucalypt forests and the tall open woodlands.
They are found throughout eastern Australia from Victoria to Northern Queensland and they vary in weight from 900 - 1700 grams for southern species and 650 grams for the smaller northern species.
Tucker the Water Dragon
Tucker, a water dragon, was sunning himself when he was attacked by a dog. Fortunately the dog's owners rescued him and brought him to the Hospital.
Our vet, Dr Amber, found that he was in shock, with deep wounds to his tail. The very tip of his tail needed to be surgically removed, and depending on how well it heals, he may still need to have a larger part of the tail amputated. The good news is that water dragons survive well with part of their tails amputated, and we expect Tucker to make a full recovery.
Water dragons are found along the eastern fringe of Queensland and are common residents of suburbia close to creeks - even in inner Brisbane. They readily hide in water if approached, are great swimmers and can remain submerged for a few minutes. Look out for them in your garden - they are wonderful to have as they eat small bugs which would be feeding off your plants.
Ningi the Emu
Our patient of the week this week is an emu chick whom we have named Ningi.
Ningi was attacked by a bird of prey and sustained three large puncture wounds to his body. He was found in the Quilpie area - his concerned rescuer phoned us for advice on feeding until she could bring him into our hospital for treatment.
When Ningi came to us on 5 September he was found to be dehydrated so he was given sub-cutaneous fluids, was prescribed antibiotics and had his wounds flushed to prevent infection.
Ningi will be rehabilitated with a volunteer carer over the next couple of weeks then released back into the wild.
Orphan Update - Luke and Charlotte
We are pleased to report that two earlier patients - Squirrel Gliders, Luke and Charlotte - are continuing to thrive.
Their excellent condition is testament to dedication of their volunteer carer.
Casper the Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo
Our patient of the week is a Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo named Casper. You will often see these magnificent birds soaring over the tree tops and letting out a loud call. They form large flocks in winter and feed on native trees and shrubs, including eucalypts, banksias and feed on wood boring insects and pine seeds around pine plantations. They can grow up to 65cm.
Casper was bought into us by a member of the public after being found on the ground. He is an immature cockatoo and is in poor body condition and appears to have been sick for some time with a coccidia infection. The infection is so severe that it has caused a cloacal prolapse and a yeast infection. He has now had surgery to repair his cloaca and is on antibiotics. He is making a slow recovery and will stay with us for some time before going to a wildlife carer for further rehabilitation then, hopefully, being returned to the wild.
Hawkeye the Pacific Baza
Our patient of the week is a Pacific Baza who has been named Hawkeye and was bought to us by a concerned member of the public on the 19th August. Hawkeye was found hanging upside down in a tree after flying into a truck.
An examination by one of our vets revealed bruising around the eye and a fracture to the fibula. He is improving each day and is now feeding himself which is very encouraging. We are planning for him to be able to leave the hospital within a few days to be looked after by a raptor carer in order to continue his recovery and rehabilitation before being released back into the wild.
Tango the Koala
Tango is a small, very cute two-year-old koala who came to us last week from Bundaberg. She was hit by a truck on Friday night and taken to a local veterinarian. X-rays revealed a broken right femur and she also had multiple lacerations to her face. The veterinarian from Bundaberg drove Tango to the Australian Wildlife Hospital on Saturday afternoon, realizing a koala with such serious injuries was outside her area of expertise.
On arrival, Tango was given pain relief and antibiotics and placed on IV fluids and her surgery was scheduled for Sunday. Dr Jon and Dr Amber performed the surgery, using plates and screws to repair the break. Tango is still in the Intensive Care Unit, however she is recovering well and getting stronger each day.
Tango was named by a special group of children who visited the Australian Wildlife Hospital on Friday 17 August to mark KIDS Foundation's Injury Free Day.
The group of twelve children, each of whom has serious injuries themselves, was visiting the Sunshine Coast from across Australia to participate in TANGO, a personal development and leadership program designed to assist young people with life-changing injuries to discover their talents, achieve their goals and experience new opportunities.
They will be monitoring Tango's progress over the next 2-3 months, after which time she is expected to be released back to the wild.
Bandit the Carpet Python
A 2.5 metre carpet python was sunning himself on a road in Ilkley so some concerned members of the public stopped their cars to try to get him out of harm's way. Another car approached and the rescuers tried to slow it down but it continued forward and drove straight over the snake!
The rescuers were able respond quickly to put him in a box and bring him in to us. He has been named Bandit, and is moving well which is a good sign. He will have to stay with us for at least 8 weeks of observation because it can take some time for internal injuries to become evident in such large reptiles.
Snakes are protected animals in Australia and need your help to conserve them and their habitat. If you find a snake that is in need of assistance, please call our 24 hour emergency number 1300 369 652.
Koala Joeys - Angel and Gillian
At the weekend we admitted two koala joeys into our care - Gillian and Angel, both around 5 months old. The joeys were from separate mums but both had suffered tree falls. The joeys were dropped as male koalas were trying to mate with their mums. Gillian was homed with an experienced carer to be hand-raised and eventually released back into the wild. Angel is being looked after at the hospital as she suffered more serious injuries, including spinal damage. Angel has been placed in a humidicrib and is on a course of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication and is being closely monitored.
If you have koalas in your area, please keep an eye out for these vulnerable little ones and call us on 1300 369 652 if you have any wildlife emergencies.
Majestic the Black-Necked Stork
This week we received a call from a member of the public who reported that there was a single Black-Necked Stork that had been mixing with a flock of pelicans at the Donnybrook Boat Ramp for two weeks. It is quite unusual to see these wonderful birds in south-east Queensland, particularly at a boat ramp - they normally inhabit wetlands and swamps. The person was concerned that the bird had stayed in the one place for two weeks.
We sent two experienced bird carers to the rescue and, with plenty of patience, they were able to safely catch the bird and bring him in to us. He is a juvenile and has been named Majestic.
Our Vet found him to be underweight, with sores on his feet, and an x-ray showed six hooks and a swivel in his gut. Most of the hooks are disintegrating on their own, but the swivel may need to be surgically removed at a later date. Majestic has gone into care with the ladies who rescued him - he is doing well and eating 16 yellow-tails each day! We expect him to stay in care for quite some time, before – hopefully - releasing him back to the wild.
Jenny the Pelican
Earlier this week Pelican and Seabird Rescue received a phone call from a lady at Cabbage Tree Point, in the Logan Shire, reporting a pelican with a large amount of fishing line hanging from her mouth. Fortunately, Jenny the Pelican was fairly easy to catch and she was rushed up to the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
Dr Jon, our head vet, examined her she was very underweight with about 10 metres of fishing line hanging from her beak. The loss of body condition indicated that the fishing line had been with her for some time. Then, on X-ray examination, something far worse than the fishing line and a hook were found in her stomach - a 40cm piece of wire! Jenny had to be prepped for immediate surgery.
A laparotomy, a procedure where the abdomen is surgically cut to gain access to the intestinal tract, was performed and a very large piece of wire, as well as the fishing hook, was removed. It appears that the wire had come loose from a crabbing pot The inside of Jenny's stomach was very inflamed and sore which, again, indicates that she had ingested the items some time ago.
If having wire in her stomach wasn't bad enough, Jenny also has a condition called 'bumble foot'. Bumble foot is found in water birds that have been in captivity and have been inappropriately housed, with hard and unsuitable flooring. To correct this condition she may have to have her foot splinted and lots of supportive therapy in the future.
Jenny is now on a course of antibiotics, supplementary IV fluids and being looked after by dedicated seabird carers. She is recovering from the surgery and, so far, progressing well.
Ted the Grey Goshawk
On Tuesday our rescue vehicle collected a Grey Goshawk from Maleny who had been hit by a car. Grey Goshawks are magnificent birds of prey that feed almost exclusively on other birds. They require precision flying skills and perfect function in their talons to hunt effectively.
When our vets anaesthetised Ted for examination they found that he had a few more issues than were apparent on the surface. He was severely dehydrated and had suffered deep wounds to both his feet, probably over a week beforehand. He was also suffering from a secondary stress-related infection in his mouth called Trichomoniasis. Both of these were probably contributing to Ted's emaciation and dehydration and he was in a very bad way when he arrived at the hospital.
He is currently in our intensive care humidicrib receiving intravenous fluids and antibiotics. Sadly for Ted, he will need to have one of his toes amputated once he is in a more stable condition. Dr Peter, our specialist in raptor treatment, will perform this surgery however he is confident that he will ultimately have a successful release back into the wild. Fortunately, the badly affected toe is not essential for effective hunting, and he should cope well.
Grey Goshawk (Accipiter novaehollandiae) is also known as the White Goshawk. It is distributed over much of the northern and eastern sides of Australia but, sadly, has become rare due to clearing of native habitats. It feeds primarily on birds, but the larger females will also prey on mammals.
Orphan Update - Luke and Charlotte
This week we would like to report on the progress of two very special Squirrel Gliders, Luke and Charlotte. You may remember their story from a few weeks ago. These siblings lost their mum as a result of a cat attack. They were very lucky to survive the attack themselves and since have been adopted by a 'foster mum'.
The pair were so small at the time of rescue; they needed to be fed every two hours to supplement what their mum would have been feeding them. By the end of the first week they fell ill and had to come back to the Australian Wildlife Hospital to see the Vet. They have since recovered and are doing much better.
Luke and Charlotte's carer has been doing a wonderful job of looking after them and now has them feeding every four hours, which is six feeds a day! They are gaining weight and strength gradually and are very fortunate to have the dedication of their carer to raise them up.
It is a tragedy that Luke and Charlotte lost their mum to a cat attack, but now they are in the best foster care and are being given a chance of survival.
Turt's Release
This week was very exciting for all of the Australian Wildlife Hospital team, as we were able to release one of our very special patients.
You may remember our story about "Turt" the Green Turtle who was rescued from Mooloolaba back on Anzac Day. After our vets had removed a fishing hook and fishing line from her, she began to make great improvements and we are glad to report she made a full recovery.
Turt was taken back to Mooloolaba to be released by the team of vets, nurses, volunteers and rescuers that all helped her along during her recovery stages. This is definitely the best part of our job - what we look forward to most of all is a successful recovery and release!
At the Australian Wildlife Hospital, we currently treat more than 5000 patients per year for illness and injury and, as the human encroachment on wildlife habitat expands, we can expect an increase in our patient numbers. Most wildlife become sick or injured due to human interference and with marine turtles, it is usually from discarded fishing tackle and plastics, or boat strikes. In Turt's case, it was the initiative of the family who noticed her unable to dive, that saved her life. Had Turt been left in the wild as she was, she certainly wouldn't have made it.
Honey the Koala and her adopted joey Malibu
The Caboolture Koala Care and Rescue Group went out to a rescue late on Friday night, for a koala and her joey hit by a car at Narangba. The mother was run over by a car, as indicated by tyre marks across her left hip, and her newly-furred joey was tragically thrown out of the pouch and died instantly.
The rescuers named the mother 'Honey' and brought her to us at the Australian Wildlife Hospital. She was assessed and found to have major trauma to her mouth. This type of trauma is common when koalas are hit by cars, as their teeth bite into their tongue on impact. Honey's front incisors were badly damaged, but the good news is that these teeth continue to grow in koalas throughout their lifetime.
Dr Amber stitched up her badly lacerated tongue and washed out her mouth with antiseptic and prescribed pain killers, anti-inflammatories and antibiotics to prevent infection. Her injuries improved significantly within the first 24 hours and she should make a full recovery soon.
The very next night, another female koala and her joey were stuck by a car and rushed to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for treatment. Sadly, the mother didn't survive the journey and passed away on the drive here. Her young joey was protected in the pouch at the time of the accident and luckily escaped physical injury, however the emotional trauma of tragically losing her mum would have been very scary for her.
There is a happy ending to this sad story however, as Honey has happily adopted "Malibu" the joey as her own. She is very protective of her and will nurture and raise her until she is fully weaned off her milk and big enough to go out to the wild on her own. It surely was fate that brought this special mum and koala joey together and they make a perfect pair.
We are heading into the breeding season for koalas and so they are more active at night and more likely to be on the roads. Please slow down on the roads and look out for our wildlife. If you see an injured animal please stop and call us on our 24 hour emergency number: 1300 369 652.
Nelson the Koala
This week the rain has brought in a large variety of animals. Nelson the koala was one who was rescued from Kipparing, in the Redcliffe Shire.
This poor boy had spent the last few days on the ground, where members of the public were able to get right up close and pat him – which is very unusual behaviour for a wild koala! Volunteer rescuers were notified and were able to collect Nelson and get him up to the vets at the Australian Wildlife Hospital for assessment and treatment.
At an estimated 5-6 years of age, Nelson was in very poor body condition on arrival. Our vets have detected severe conjunctivitis in his left eye which will need a course of antibiotics to clear up. An x-ray and ultrasound were also taken to investigate his internal organs. In addition, they have taken blood samples from him to send away to pathology for testing. These tests will help determine whether Nelson is suffering from any other ailments and, from there, we will be able to prescribe further treatment.
Nelson will be stabilized in Intensive Care until our test results come back and, in the meantime, we will continue to provide the best care for him, keeping him well fed and comfortable.
Remember, if you come across any native wildlife that you think is sick or injured, call the Australian Wildlife Hospital on 1300 369 652 for advice.
Turt the Green Sea Turtle
Turt was rescued twice in one day on April 25th! It was a busy day out on the water, with perfect conditions and everyone enjoying the Anzac Day public holiday.
In the first instance, some fisherman had noticed Turt floating around on the surface and, when they got close enough, lifted the 19 kg turtle into their boat for a closer inspection. There was a discarded fishing hook lodged in her mouth that they were able to remove for her. Thinking that she was ok, they released her back into the water, where she floated around for a while before another concerned family noticed her in trouble.
They too were able to lift her into their boat and look after her while the Coastguard alerted the Rescue Team at the Australian Wildlife Hospital with the details. While the Rescue Team were on their way, the family kept Turt nice and calm and cool in the shade of their boat canopy. They moored alongside the jetty so she could be easily transferred to the Rescue Vehicle and back to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for treatment.
Turt had to undergo surgery to remove a hook that was embedded inside her (see x-ray photo). The poor girl had ingested alot of fishing line and it was all caught up in her intestines and gut and, as a result, she has had a big accumulation of gas under her shell which was causing her to float. The vet placed her on a course of treatment and, hopefully, in time, will be able to swim and dive normally again.
She didn't have much of an appetite when she arrived, so we have kept offering her some tasty treats to eat with her medication! This week she has begun eating a variety of fish, squid and sea grass and her strength is improving rapidly. She has also started submerging, which is a good sign she's well on the way to a full recovery.
Every year more than 6 million tonnes of rubbish is dumped into the world's oceans and is the cause of painful injuries to much of our precious marine life. It is up to us to keep our waterways clean and free of rubbish to avoid seeing cases like Turt's in the future. Our team of vets, nurses and volunteers have done a wonderful job helping Turt to recover but, of course, it couldn't have been possible without the initial rescue by the lovely family that day! Thanks are extended to everyone involved as she certainly wouldn't have made it out in the wild for much longer without intervention.
Squirrel Gliders Luke and Charlotte
A young boy found a dead squirrel glider in his garden on Saturday morning and noticed that her pouch was moving. He called his dad and together they took the glider to their local vet, who referred them to the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
It is estimated that the mother had been dead for more than 12 hours, and found puncture wounds to her body which are tell-tale signs of an attack by a cat. The young boy named the two joeys that were squirming inside their mother's pouch Luke and Charlotte. Nurse Jo gave the joeys some glucose, as they were very dehydrated, and put them inside a pouch to keep warm. Luke and Charlotte were then entrusted to one of our wildlife carers, who specialises in caring for gliders and will hand-raise the pair.
We appeal to all cat owners to keep their cats indoors unless they are accompanied outside and encourage you to put a collar with a bell around your cat's neck. This bell can be a warning to all wildlife that danger is approaching, so they have a better chance of staying out of harm's way. If any wild animal is attacked by a cat it is important to keep them warm in a dark box, and then to seek veterinary help as soon as possible to treat them for shock, trauma and infection.
Skittles the Scaly-breasted Lorikeet
Skittles is a scaly-breasted lorikeet who was rescued from the local area a little while ago. He's a real little character with a great personality but, unfortunately, he suffers from Beak and Feather Disease. This means he is quite sick and sadly - it's a disease that commonly affects lorikeets and sulphur-crested cockatoos in the area.
The disease was first positively diagnosed and shown to be caused by a virus in 1987, after it caused a significant number of deaths among threatened parrots. The virus kills feather and beak cells. The symptoms of balding, feather distortion and beak deformities have been recognised in captive birds for many years, but their cause was unknown. Symptoms include diarrhoea and feather abnormalities, with most birds eventually dying. Death may occur suddenly within one to two weeks of the first symptoms.
It is so sad that there is no known treatment for this disease so the team here at the Australian Wildlife Hospital have embarked on a research program to get some answers. Skittles has become a major player in this research and is one of twelve lorikeets in the program. All they have to do is donate a little bit of blood once a week to be sent away for testing. The aim of this project is to see whether the disease progresses the same way in lorikeets as it does in other parrot species - that is whether lorikeets become carriers and subsequently can infect other wild parrots. A project such as this will help determine whether lorikeets can clear the disease completely and subsequently be released back into the wild with no detrimental affects to other wild parrots. Our vets can also observe whether lorikeets effected by PBFD continue to shed the virus after the active stage of the disease has finished and their feathers grow back.
The program is still in its early stages, so it will be some time before we see the results. In the meantime, we will be looking after Skittles and his buddies here at the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
Hyabusa the Sea Eagle
On Sunday a fisherman was enjoying a day out on the Pumicestone Passage when he noticed a White Bellied Sea Eagle sitting on the bank unable to fly. He was able to put a towel over the bird and contain it in a box. He kept it in a dark, quiet place overnight and contacted a bird carer, Maureen, on Monday morning. Maureen collected the bird and brought him immediately to the Australian Wildlife Hospital to be assessed by one of our vets, Dr Stacey, who specialises in avian medicine.
Maureen named the Sea Eagle 'Hyabusa' which is Japanese for 'Bird of Prey'. Dr Stacey assessed Hyabusa and found a puncture wound on his left leg. X-rays were taken and luckily showed no bone damage. There is no way of knowing what caused this wound but it was flushed out, and Hyabusa was started on a treatment of antibiotics, pain killers and anti-inflammatories.
Hyabusa has made it through the first critical 24 hour period of being in care and has a good grip on his perch, which is a good sign. His leg is still very bruised, but hopefully the treatment will be a success and he will be able to be released back to the wild in a few weeks.
The White Bellied Sea Eagle is the largest coastal bird of prey and they are usually found in pairs over coastal islands, reefs, estuaries and bays - and often far inland on major rivers. Look out for them soaring high in the sky when you are on the coast!
Ebb the Koala
Ebb is young koala who was found abandoned in the Pine Rivers area and admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital in February. There had been no mum in sight, so we can only assume that something happened to her as he was too young, at under one year of age, to be left by himself.
One of our older female patients, Jamie, has since become a surrogate mother to young Ebb and they have established a close bond during their rehabilitation together.
This week there has been quite a bit of activity outside in the hospital grounds, and some machinery has been used to start excavating the site for the new Australian Wildlife Hospital, which will be the world's largest. Whilst it has been something of a milestone to see the construction work get underway, all the activity on day one caused Ebb some anxiety, so since then he has been spending his days in the relative calm of the Intensive Care Unit and returning to his outdoor enclosure at the end of every afternoon.
Ebb is progressing very well in terms of his physical development, but is not yet displaying signs of independence so he will remain in care until he is a little more mature and ready to fend for himself in the wild.
Tank the Saw Shell Turtle
Tank the Saw Shell Turtle was brought into us from a carer who collected him from a vet surgery in Strathpine. Because of our expertise in wildlife medicine many vet surgeries choose to send wildlife cases to us for treatment.
Poor Tank had a fish hook down his distal oesophageus, as you can see on the X-ray picture below. The fish hook was too embedded to remove through the mouth so Dr Che had to surgically remove it through the neck. Tank is recovering in intensive care and is currently on a course of pain relief and antibiotics.
Tank appears a lot brighter today and the vets are happy with his progress so hopefully it won't be long until Tank is back out in the wild.
Below are some interesting turtle facts taken from the website listed below:-
http://www.abc.net.au/creature
features/facts/turtles.htm
- A group of turtles is called 'a bale of turtles'
- Turtles shed their shell as they're growing; this skin resembles a burnt leaf.
- The largest turtle in the world is the Leathery Turtle whose shell is up to 2.4 metres long and can weigh up to 860kg.
- Turtles and tortoises are the oldest forms of reptiles alive today and have changed very little in their 200 million year history.
- Turtles and tortoises are the only reptiles that have a shell built into their skeleton.
- Turtles don't have teeth, but instead have horny ridges that are serrated and sharp on their upper and lower jaws.
- Tortoises are related to the Turtle family. They live on land, have elephantine legs and eat vegetation.
- You can tell the difference between a male and a female turtle by the length of their tail and the shape of the back of their shell. Males have a longer tail while females are generally bigger.
- The Snake-Necked Turtle's long neck enables them to draw breath at the surface without exposing the rest of the body to predators.
- Some turtles can breathe underwater through their bottoms, especially during hibernation.
- One of the most unusual turtles is from North and Central America and called the Alligator Turtle (or Snapping Turtle). It has shield-like scales, similar to an alligator, and a special tongue that moves like a worm underwater. Any unsuspecting fish trying to eat 'the worm' will become the turtle's next dinner.
Aspen the Eastern Brown Snake
Aspen was rescued this week from a house at Elimbah. The owners were quite used to her living in their garden shed and happy to have her there too! They had however mistaken her for a harmless python, not realizing she was a highly venomous snake.
On Wednesday they noticed that she had entangled herself in some netting in the bucket she was living in so it was good they called the Australian Wildlife Hospital when they did!
Our rescue team were able to untangle her and bring her in to be checked out by Dr Amber, who teamed up with Deon from the Reptile Department at Australia Zoo to examine Aspen's injuries. Working with a venomous snake requires an experienced handler who knows exactly how the snake should be treated and, in this case, allowed our rescue team to head straight back out to another rescue!
Dr Amber and Deon firstly had to safely guide Aspen's head into a clear perspex tube to ensure that she was unable to bite anyone whilst getting an injection of anaesthetic. Once safely asleep, Deon was able to monitor Aspen's breathing rate while Dr Amber cleaned up the wounds caused by the net cutting into her. Dr Amber also had to stitch together a few areas which should heal up nicely.
All going well, we can expect Aspen to make a good recovery and be released safely back into the wild where she won't be a bother to people.
Pollard the Possum
A cute little Ring Tail Possum was found on the veranda of a Caloundra residence yesterday. The poor thing was curled up in a ball, covered in saliva and blood from a cat attack. At only 107g, she didn't stand much of a chance against the cat at all. All too often here at the Australian Wildlife Hospital, we see the poor victims of domestic pet attacks.
Pollard was lucky and got to the Hospital as soon as possible and was able to be treated straight away. This quick rescue certainly saved her life. After treating the puncture wounds on her skin, it was found that her left hind foot had a broken toe with the bone exposed. Surgery was the only option as a severe injury like that could have become badly infected, not to mention very painful! Dr Amber had to surgically remove this broken toe which was a very delicate operation (Pollard has very small toes!).
All was a success and now Pollard is being cared for by one of our wonderful, dedicated wildlife carers. She will be fed and her bandages changed until her wounds heal, then hopefully she can go back to the wild where she belongs.
Little Loggerhead Turtles
Last Wednesday was turtle day at the Australian Wildlife Hospital! There were reports of little baby turtles washing ashore all along the coastline. The poor little things, just recently hatched along various Sunshine Coast beaches, struggled with the big swells and rough winds on their way out to the deep blue.
Members of the public and Council Lifeguards were on the ball and quickly notified us of the strandings. Dedicated wildlife rescue volunteers were a wonderful help in transporting the little ones around and getting them into care.
Luckily, with no injuries, they will soon be able to be released off Steve's research boat, Croc One, back into the currents where they belong. Unfortunately, only an estimated 1 in 1000 hatchling turtles will survive to an adult age, so whenever and however we can help them, we will!
If you find a sick, injured or lost turtle on your local beach, remember to call us on 1300 369 652 or QPWS Marine Stranding Hotline Number 1300 130 372. They will be able to advise you about what to do!
Kerry the Koala
Kerry the Koala spent four long days tangled in a barbed wire fence before being rescued by carers at the Gold Coast. She was badly injured and very stressed out by the time she was found. Residents of the area had noticed her but failed to report her until four days later!
A severe tear to her pouch meant re-construction surgery and sadly the loss of a little joey koala she had been carrying. This is so unfortunate and such a painful ordeal for Kerry to go through. She is still recovering in Intensive Care at the moment and will move outside when she stabilizes. Until then we will keep her as comfortable as possible and treat her wounds so they do not get infected.
Sadly, barbed-wire fences claim the lives of many species each year, including possums, gliders, flying foxes and birds. Another victim of a barbed wire entanglement this week was a juvenile Kookaburra. The wire was embedded into the skin of the right wing but luckily the quick response of a wildlife carer and our vets was able to save its life. It too will need time in Intensive care to recover before being released back into the wild.
Bill the Kookaburra
Bill the kookaburra was admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital on Valentine's Day. Sadly for him, he was hit by a car 24 hours prior to being admitted. He has a fracture to his left tibiotarsal (shin bone). Dr Amber commenced surgery immediately and placed an intramedullary pin into his leg.
This stabilised the fracture and will remain in place for at least two weeks. Bill has been placed on antibiotics and will require lots of loving care over the next few weeks. Bill did not get to have Valentine's dinner with loved ones but Dr Amber expects a speedy recovery.
Trey's friend Finn
Finn is the second platypus that has come into care in the last two weeks. Strangely, he was found walking on the highway at Kiels Mountain. It was obvious he'd been on his own for a while, due to his poor body condition. He was very de-hydrated and skinny, which meant any longer out there and he probably wouldn't have survived.
Here at the Australian Wildlife Hospital, he has made friends with Trey who came into Gail's care a few weeks beforehand. This is good for both of them, as they get to grow up together and enjoy each other's company during rehabilitation. Their favourite time of the day is definitely swim time! Watching them play in their pool and forage for mealworms is a highlight for the staff and volunteers to witness and great fun for them too.
Unfortunately, in the area that Finn was found, there was a lot of evidence of recent land clearing and development. Often, when excavating equipment is used, platypuses' burrows are wiped out, leaving the inhabitants stranded and with nowhere to safely live. It's very lucky Finn wasn't run over by a car or truck on his travels down the highway and, with the dam and creek levels dropping, there is now less and less suitable habitat available for them to live.
Gail will be caring for Trey and Finn for some time, but the future for them is looking good.
Monet the Rainbow Lorikeet
Monet the Rainbow Lorikeet was brought into the hospital from Caloundra on 5 February 2007. He is unfortunately one of many parrots hit by cars that we see here at the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
Part of the reason why these beautiful birds get into so much trouble with cars is due to native flowering shrubs being planted on islands in the middle of busy roads. Planting of native plants is a brilliant idea if planted in the right locations. Planting them in your gardens (if domestic animals are controlled) is a great way to attract our native birds.
Monet is currently in intensive care with neurological trauma. He has been placed on a series of medication. Monet is however doing well - if he is not chirping away, he is happily preening himself. We are hopeful that his rehabilitation will remain on track so that he can be returned to the wild where he can be with his other Rainbow Lorikeet friends.
Karen the Shingleback Skink
This week, a lonely Shingleback Skink was dropped off at the gates of the Australian Wildlife Hospital. We are very used to getting lizards and skinks brought in, but not of the Shingleback variety, as they are not commonly found in this area. This little one was noticed by some passersby whilst driving out west. Thinking it to be sick, they decided to rescue it and bring it with them on their visit to Australia Zoo. It was very underweight and had a fungal and bacterial skin infection.
To clear this up, our vets have placed Karen on a treatment of antibiotics, and our nurses give her a daily soak in a diluted Betadine solution. Hopefully, after a week of this treatment, Karen will have made a significant improvement, and will also be back on a proper diet in order to get back into a good body condition.
Shinglebacks are very close relatives of the Blue-tongue Lizard; however they prefer the dryer climates, which is why they're generally found west of here. They are very interesting-looking skinks, with rough scales, quite dark in colour and a broad triangular-shaped head and tail to confuse predators!
However, it's cars that are the main threat to these skinks. As they are commonly found sunbaking on the roads, Shingleback Skinks are often overlooked by motorists and sadly run over. It is important to keep a sharp eye out for all wildlife on and near our roads and slow down where caution signs are posted.
Next time you visit Australia Zoo, you may be lucky enough to bump into a member of the Wandering Wildlife Team and meet a Shingleback Skink up close and personal! They have a small family of Shinglebacks that have been raised and live at the Zoo, so be sure to keep an eye out for them.
Trey the Platypus
One of the most unique Australian native animals is arguably the platypus. Part of the monotreme family (whose only other member is the echidna), platypus certainly are amazing! Few people are lucky enough to catch a glimpse of these nocturnal creatures in the wild. So you can imagine our surprise this week when young Trey was admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital in a very critical condition. He was very weak, underweight and had a serious skin condition. Orphaned, with no chance of survival in the wild, he is now in care with our Hospital Manager Gail; she has taken on the role of 'surrogate mum' to this little Aussie battler.
Raising an orphaned platypus is very involved, with feeding required every few hours and medication for his dermatitis administered regularly. There is also swim time, when Trey gets to go fossicking in his pond for meal worms and other yummies that make up his complete dietary requirements. This is also great enrichment for Trey as he gets to practise the vital skills that will help him to survive in the wild.
Platypus and echidnas are the world's ONLY living monotremes, and it is here in eastern Australia that the platypus calls home. So, it is up to us to ensure that their habitat is conserved and protected, not polluted. Platypus sightings are rarer these days, which indicates that with the rapid growth in residential and commercial development, comes the rapid decline of such special wildlife.
Buckey the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
Buckey was found on the ground at a property at Clagiraba on the Gold Coast. He was found with an injured wing and unable to fly. The property owners were worried about him, so they notified a member of the Wildcare group based on the Gold Coast and they were able to go out to rescue him. It was obvious that he had some damage to the wing, so he was taken straight to the closest vet for x-rays. They showed that Buckey had been shot and still had the lead bullet lodged in his wing. Ouch!
It was decided they needed a second opinion on the possibility of removing the bullet, so Buckey was brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital on Wednesday. Here, he was x-rayed again and underwent surgery to dislodge the bullet. The surgery was successful and Buckey was a very good patient. He will now be recovering with a registered Wildlife Carer until he is fit for release. He will need to be monitored very closely as he has shown signs of lead poisoning from the bullet. He is on a course of antibiotics to ensure he's comfortable and to improve his recovery chances.
Sadly, native birds are often targets for deliberate injuries by humans, and the holiday period is when we see a lot of cruelty cases. It is illegal to deliberately harm any native wildlife, so be sure to report any cruelty cases to your local Wildlife Authority so the persons responsible can be prosecuted.
Victor the Koala
It's a good thing the Australian Wildlife Hospital runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Without the dedication of the hard-working team of vets, nurses, volunteers and wildlife carers that are on alert during this very busy season, poor Victor the koala may just not have made it.
It was the Boxing Day traffic that caught Victor off guard when he was hit by a car on the New England Highway, in the suburb of Geham at Crow's Nest. The quick response of Clare, one of our wildlife carers based at Toowoomba, gave us the best chance of saving Victor's life. She was able to pick him up and start driving to meet our Rescue Ambulance halfway, and transfer him so that he could continue the two-hour journey to the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
Victor was examined thoroughly on arrival and x-rays were taken. They showed that he suffered terrible fractures to his right arm and severe lacerations on the right side of his tongue. He underwent immediate surgery to stabilise the fracture by application of an external fixateur. It is estimated an injury of this type could take quite a while to repair, so Victor will be cared for here at the Australian Wildlife Hospital until such time as he is ready for release. Currently he is in our Intensive Care Unit where the nurses can keep a very close eye on him, as he's not out of the critical stage yet. Regular pain medication is necessary to keep him as comfortable as possible during his recovery.
We hope you all stay safe on the roads over this busy holiday period, and please watch out for wildlife! Any sick or injured wildlife should be reported immediately to the Australian Wildlife Hospital on 1300 369 652.
The large numbers of koalas being hit by cars and attacked by dogs could be greatly reduced if we all:
- Slow down while driving through areas where you know koalas and other wildlife live
- Keep pets locked inside at night time to allow our native wildlife to move around safely to feed
With those simple tips in mind, we can all do something to help save sick and injured wildlife in our own backyards!
Kyle the Bearded Dragon
Poor Kyle the Bearded Dragon was rescued from Boondal Entertainment Centre by a caring family who had seen him struggling across the hot carpark dragging his left foreleg. Kyle was initially examined by Nurse Bev, who soon realised that there was something seriously wrong with his left elbow, which was quite swollen. Dr Jon anaesthetised and x-rayed Kyle's leg and discovered that the elbow joint was being eaten away by a chronic infection. There was no alternative but for the limb to be amputated.
Amputation of a limb can represent a serious disability for a wild animal, and we will only perform such operations if there is a good chance that the animal can easily survive in the wild. In Kyle's case he had survived in quite good body condition for at least six months in the wild, so he obviously was coping despite his injury. So we have decided to give him a second chance at life. Kyle has been placed on antibiotics and will be in rehabilitation for the next two to three weeks, and if all goes well he will be back out with his buddies in the wild once again.
Percy the possum
In October last year a Common Brush-tail Possum was hit by a car and killed. Luckily a member of the public stopped and checked her pouch… and found a little furless joey. She took the orphaned joey home with her to rear and named her Percy.
The possum was raised for a year and treated very much like a pet and so has become ‘humanised', craving human contact and not behaving as a wild animal should. Although Percy was given plenty of love over this time, she missed out on learning natural possum behaviours, as her surrogate mum was not a registered wildlife carer and couldn't provide her with all of her possum needs. Percy was brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital and will need to spend at least six months with a registered wildlife carer learning to be a possum again. This will be a time of intensive work teaching her to be independent of humans, to forage for food on her own, interact with other possums and protect herself from dangers in the wild. Possums are predated upon by introduced predators that are a great threat, including red foxes, cats, and dogs.
The best thing for Percy when she was first found would have been for her to be taken immediately to the Australian Wildlife Hospital or to a carer. Please remember, if it is safe for you to do so, check dead wildlife on the side of the road to see if they do have joeys – and if they do, take the mother's body with the joey to the Wildlife Hospital or wrap them in a towel and keep in a warm place while you call us for a Carer's contact number. Please don't pull the joey off the teat or out of the pouch as you can injure or stress the orphan. For all injured or orphaned possums and other wildlife, call 1300 369 652.
If you are interested in becoming a wildlife carer, contact WILVOS (Wildlife Volunteers Association Incorporated) on (07) 5441 6200 or WILDCARE AUSTRALIA on (07) 5527 2444. A wide range of courses are run each year specialising in care of different species, and it's a great opportunity to learn from the best!
Charlie's released!
The most rewarding part of our job is when we get to see the animals we've worked so hard on get released back into the wild. This was realised last week for Charlie, the Green Sea Turtle that we've been looking after for the past two months.
The exciting thing is that we've come full circle with this patient. Briano and Kate rescued him off the beach at Marcoola; he then was treated in hospital by our vets, cared for by our nurses and finally released by Briano off Croc One!
But when one moves out, unfortunately another one (or two) move in. Sadly, we are seeing too many sick turtles washing ashore. The most recent additions to our turtle rehabilitation facility are Coincidence and Xena. Coincidence weighed in at almost 17 kg and is missing his left front flipper. Xena is the smallest green turtle we've had into hospital and is pictured here with Bonnie. They have both just arrived and are still in the process of being examined and diagnosed. When the results come in, we will be able to begin treatment and hopefully get them back onto the road of recovery.
We wish you all a safe and Merry Christmas, and be sure to keep in touch in the New Year!
Turtle Talk
As the traffic on our waterways continues to increase and pollution levels spiral out of control, it is our marine and sea bird life that suffers. We are well aware of the devastation caused by these factors here at the Australian Wildlife Hospital, where we see it all first-hand. This week alone, we have had four sea turtles washed up on local beaches. Three were Green Sea Turtles and one a Hawksbill.
Their common problem is that they are all 'floaters'. Coccidia, blood fluke and obstructions (pollution) in the intestines causes this, and results in a large amount of gas accumulating under the shell. This, of course, makes them float. Once weakness, dehydration, hunger and barnacles set in, the turtles get so sick that they are washed ashore. Floating on the ocean surface also leaves them vulnerable to sunburn and boat strikes – OUCH!
Charlie (the turtle formally known as Chloe), was lucky when some lovely people stopped on their morning walk at Marcoola Beach to help him. They called the Australian Wildlife Hospital emergency hotline for assistance, and he is now safely residing in an ICU pool at the Hospital. Charlie will have x-rays, ultrasounds and other procedures to determine what the cause of his illness is. He and the others will most likely be in hospital for some time before they are fully recovered. Turtle re-habilitation takes a long time.
Sea turtles are one of our favorite marine creatures, so please help them by learning about them and following our top ten turtle tips:
- Australia is home to six of the world's seven species of sea turtles
- Sea turtles have lived in the oceans for over 100 million years
- All of Australia's sea turtles are either listed as endangered or vulnerable
- Leatherback turtles grow the largest, up to 900kg and can have a carapace length between 1.8 and 2.8 metres long.
- When breeding, nesting females return to the same area, thought to be in the same region as they were born
- If you see turtle nests in the wild, please do not interfere with them
- When you find rubbish on the beach, pick it up and put it in the bin
- Fishing tackle and plastics are a major threat to sea turtles, so clean it up!
- Young marine turtles drift and feed in the open ocean. When they are about dinner plate-size, turtles settle near inshore feeding grounds where they can find sea grasses, algae, jellyfish and crustaceans
- Take action and join your local community water watch group – become a Wildlife Warrior!
Tanamai the Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake
A trip to the beach is always lots of fun. The sun is shining, the sea is sparkling and the snakes are swimming! Well, it's not every day we get to see these awesome oceanic species in action. But Tuesday called for a beach rescue in Caloundra, where Tanamai, the Yellow-bellied Sea Snake was found washed ashore.
Alerted by Matt, the lifeguard on duty, our rescue team was quick on the case, as this species is dangerously venomous. At a length measuring nearly one metre, Briano was able to safely tail and bag the snake on the shore of Dicky Beach and bring it to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for attention.
He was very weak and exhausted from a long time out at sea, so on arrival to the clinic Tanamai was examined straight away. Tanamai appeared slightly neurological, with a mild left-side head tilt, and x-rays were taken to investigate his lungs. He has been placed in the ICU on a series of treatments and we are waiting on test results from pathology for more answers about his condition.
Of the 54 known species of sea snakes, there have been 11 recorded from Moreton Bay alone. The Yellow-bellied Sea Snake is known as the world's most widely spread and truly oceanic snake, and is found in all tropical and subtropical seas. They are recognised by their sharply contrasting black body and yellow belly and their yellow paddle-like tail has black spots or bars on it.
It is important that all snakes are treated with caution and this summer, for any snake questions or rescues, call a professional!
Cuddles the Koala
Early this week, a mysterious koala was rescued from Redcliffe. He was noticed with sore ears by members of the public late in the afternoon, and the Koala Rescue Group was called to attend. They swiftly rescued this poor male koala and brought him to the Australian Wildlife Hospital to be treated.
After examination, a microchip was found and we were able to identify him as ‘Cuddles', a six-year-old male. He was originally caught, tagged and released by another koala hospital back in 2002! Now that we had his name figured out, we needed to solve his ear problems.
On arrival, both of his ears were bald and extremely red and painful. It is thought that they had been burnt. Another burn was noted on the right side of his rump, which was cleaned up and treated. Burn patients often suffer from severe dehydration, so he was given some fluid solution also. He is now recovering and will be on a short course of antibiotics while he heals. We will make him as comfortable as possible during his stay and he will move out of the ICU to an outside enclosure very soon.
It is not known for sure how his burns came about. We have had bushfire patients in the past and as we all know, especially at this time of year fires can be a real threat to us, our homes and our wildlife. Sadly, large numbers of wildlife perish each year in Australian bushfires. Those lucky to escape alive often suffer bad injuries as a result and if they're not found in time, can't receive the medical attention they need.
Here's some advice from the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service website to remember if you see or are in a bushfire:
If there is a bushfire, follow the track to the nearest road, beach, lake or creek for refuge. Large logs, a ditch or burnt ground can also provide protection in some situations. Avoid areas of heavy fuel, such as deep leaf litter or thick vegetation, and stay low to the ground where the air is coolest and contains the least smoke. In high fire danger conditions, walking tracks and other areas may be closed. It is essential for your safety to follow the instructions on signs in these conditions. If you see a bushfire, please alert a ranger or the police as soon as possible.
If you see animals that need assistance from a bushfire, call the Australian Wildlife Hospital on 133 369 652.
Bandicoot Babies
There's nothing more heartbreaking than witnessing the devastation a pet cat or dog can do to a family of native wildlife. All too often we are getting little orphans into the Australian Wildlife Hospital whose parents have been killed. Often, they arrive here in the pouch of their dead mum. Their only hope is to be cared for and hand-reared by a dedicated wildlife carer until they are big enough for release.
Marley and Pink Toe are two bandicoot babies who were recently found in the pouch of their mother, who was attacked and killed by a cat. They are Long-nosed Bandicoots, which when fully grown are the largest of the mainland species of bandicoots found here in Australia. They have grey-brown fur and a creamy white belly and feet. Their ears are pointed, their teeth are delicate, and as the name suggests, their nose is narrow and long!
At the moment, these two bandicoot brothers are being fed a special milk supplement four times a day. After their last feed for the day, some yummy goodies are left out for them forage for and snack on during the night. They like to eat both insects and some fruits and veg. Bandicoots are nocturnal animals, so night time is when they are most active, and most vulnerable.
Loss of habitat, due to development is a major threat to bandicoots in the wild. They are being forced into suburbia, and people were killing them because they thought they were rats! At night time, they fall victim to cat and dog attacks and often get run over as well.
With only a short life span of up to two and a half years, these little critters don't waste anytime when it comes to breeding! A mother bandicoot can have between one and four babies at a time, after the shortest gestation period of any living mammal – a quick 12.5 days!
Long-nosed Bandicoots play a very important role in bushland ecology. As their droppings are dispersed they add natural nutrient to the leaf mulch. They also eat grubs that would otherwise weaken the roots of grasses. It is important that we look out for these amazing little marsupials, and keep our pets locked inside at night time, to allow our nocturnal natives to hunt and feed safely.
Henk the Green Tree Frog
Henk is a Green Tree Frog from Ipswich that had a bit of a misadventure in a family's backyard swimming pool. They found him with an injured leg, which they thought to be broken, so decided to bring him into the Australian Wildlife Hospital for some specialist veterinary attention. He was quite dehydrated on arrival and it was noticed that he had chlorine deposits on his skin.
After a soak in demineralised water, Henk was x-rayed and diagnosed with a fractured pelvis. It is thought he may have been sucked into the pool filter and suffered these injuries as a result. Dr Amber has admitted Henk to hospital for four weeks of rest and will continue to x-ray him to check on the progress of his pelvis healing. We have had success with frogs with similar injuries before, so with his medication and special care, we hope to see Henk hopping back to a full recovery.
Green Tree Frogs are the second most widely distributed frogs in Australia, found in all states except for Victoria and Tasmania. It is a familiar species that many people recognise, but they often turn up in water tanks, shower blocks and even toilets! It is important that we act now to conserve frogs in Australia, as scientists have noticed quite a decline in their population. The book A field guide to frogs of Australia offers some great advice on frog conservation. Here are a few tips:
- Don't drain frog breeding sites of water
- Don't introduce new fish species to ponds and creeks
- Don't use pesticides if you can help it (frogs do a good job of eating many insect pests)
- Don't collect frogs or tadpoles from national parks
There are a lot more wonderful facts and information on all frog species found in Australia in this guide, which is available for purchase here at the Australian Wildlife Hospital. Remember for any wildlife emergencies, you can call us on 1300 369 652.
Harry the Koala
Harry is a two year-old-male koala that was hit by a car in Ormiston, Redlands recently. On admission to the Australian Wildlife Hospital, our vet observed that Harry was suffering old fractures to his elbow and shoulder, blood on his chest and lacerations to his tongue. In addition, his eye was badly ruptured, which was going to require surgery.
Harry was placed in intensive care for close monitoring over a few days until his eye operation. The removal of his eye was necessary as it was irreparably damaged. The operation was a success and Harry was a very good patient. After a few more days of rest in our ICU, Harry has now moved into our ‘Mums and Bubs' enclosure, where he will reside happily outside for his rehabilitation.
We have just come out of the annual breeding season for koalas, which is the busiest time of year for us here at the Australian Wildlife Hospital. We see an average of 30 koalas per month admitted during the year, but from July to September (breeding season), those numbers increase to 90 koalas per month! The majority are hit by cars (like Harry) or victims of dog attacks, and are in a very critical condition when they arrive. Treatment can take months, which means we generally have 40 koalas in the hospital at all times undergoing treatment and rehab.
The large numbers of koalas being hit by cars and attacked by dogs could be greatly reduced if we all:
- Slow down while driving through areas where you know koalas and other wildlife live
- Keep pets locked inside at night time to allow our native wildlife to move around safely to feed
With those simple tips in mind, we can all do something to help save sick and injured wildlife in our own backyards!
Sun, Sand and Snakes!
It was a beautiful, sunny weekend with many locals and holidaymakers enjoying our Sunshine Coast beaches. You can imagine the surprise of one local beachgoer when on her morning walk along the water's edge at Maroochydore, she came across what she at first suspected was an injured sea snake. While keeping an eye on its movements, she alerted the weekend surf lifesaver on duty then called the Australian Wildlife Hospital for assistance.
Together they kept onlookers at bay and the snake safe until Briano arrived in the rescue vehicle. He immediately identified it as a Yellow-faced Whip Snake, measuring approximately 2.5 ft in length and living up to its reputation as ‘the cheetah of the snake world' by moving across the sand very fast! This nice, slender snake, with gorgeous colourings, was quite displaced out on the open beach. How he got there still remains a mystery, but we suspect he may have been dropped by a bird of prey in the area.
It's the second beach snake rescue for Briano this week. The other being an Eastern Brown Snake who decided to sun itself right between the red and yellow flags at Currimundi! Remember – as the weather warms up, reptiles are going to get more active and appear in unexpected places. So, stay vigilant and call an expert for assistance on 1300 369 652.
Teak and Tumbles
A misadventure for a mother echidna and her baby puggle ended in a visit to the Australian Wildlife Hospital this week. Teak and Tumbles were out and about on Hamilton Rd on Monday, when they came into contact with some excavating equipment in the area. The hit caused Teak (mum) to be knocked onto her back, and this sent little baby Tumbles out of the pouch and rolling down a small hill.
Vet Nurse Beverley was called out in our Rescue vehicle to Woombye to assist, and was able to collect both mother and puggle and re-unite them here at the Australian Wildlife Hospital. After they both had a veterinary check-up and radiograph taken, they were given the ok to go into care for a short time before release. Our resident echidna specialist, Head Vet Nurse Vicky, will be looking after them and place them back into the wild (away from heavy machinery!) when they are ready.
Sunny the Koala
Last week we had a special patient visit us again. Sunny is a beautiful male koala who unfortunately was hit by a car back in August 2004, but has returned back with injuries far worse.
On Sunny's first trip to the hospital, he had head trauma and a few lacerations to his face. Sunny spent five months here at the Australian Wildlife Hospital before he was released at Birkdale, where he was from.
Unfortunately when he returned to us last month, we was in a bad way. Sunny was hit once again on the same road! But this time he had a badly fractured arm, facial injuries, abrasions on his hind legs and his teeth had punctured his top lip and nose.
Poor sunny had to have surgery on his arm, but he is recovering well. It's so sad to see this beautiful boy come back to us for the second time in two years, let alone getting hit again on the same road! Sunny is such a sweet, quiet, placid boy and we all hope he recovers well enough to go back home soon.
Dolphin rescue
Two of our wonderful staff members Briano and Kate had the day off and were going for their morning coffee, when they received a phone call from a Caloundra lifeguard to say there was a dolphin tangled in the shark nets down at Dicky Beach. Briano and Kate got there as quickly as they could. Briano jumped on the jet ski at Kings Beach with Troy, one of the lifeguards. When they got to the net they found that it was wrapped around both of the dolphin's pectoral fins, the top jaw and through the mouth. The dolphin was exhausted and had little strength left. The right pectoral fin had a large slice where the net had cut into it and bones were exposed. The first thing they did was cut the net away from the fin, and then they removed the net from the dolphin's mouth and freed up the other pectoral fin. Once they had completely removed the dolphin from the net, Briano swam to the surface, carefully guiding the dolphin as he went. The dolphin was then maneuvered to the shore where other rescuers were waiting.
Once notified of the dolphin, Kate called us here at the Australian Wildlife Hospital. Dr Che Phillips along with Wendy Agnew (University of Queensland fifth-year vet student) left the hospital to help out and to provide veterinary support to the injured dolphin. Sea World on the Gold Coast was also contacted. Luckily, Sea World veterinarian Dr David Blyde was in the area, so he was able to come and help out with the dolphin as well. The dolphin was placed in the shade and kept cool with sea water. Blood samples were collected and x-rays taken of his injured flipper. The dolphin was given pain relief in the form of injectable antibiotics and oral antibiotics and fluids. The Sea World van then arrived and the dolphin was placed in the vehicle and transported carefully back down to Sea World for further veterinary attention.
Fleur and Olivia
Fleur and Olivia are two beautiful Green Tree Snakes, so similar they could be twins. Sadly, their stories are similar too – both were victims of severe attacks by domestic cats. The Green Tree Snake is a harmless native species that can often be seen moving in trees or across the ground during the day. They mainly prey on small frogs and lizards and have no venom. Unfortunately they have no defences against attack by domestic cats, so poor Fleur and Olivia ended up with multitudes of infected puncture marks from the cats' teeth. Thankfully, the owners of both cats were good enough to bring in the snakes for urgent treatment, and both are now recovering in our reptile ward. With luck they will be released back into the wild within the next week or so. Both cases demonstrate the terrible damage that domestic pets cause to our beautiful wildlife and environment. Cats are great pets, but keep them indoors; they have no place in our fragile native ecosystem!
