Latest news with #wildliferescue
ABC News
2 days ago
- Climate
- ABC News
Gang-gang cockatoos suffer hypothermia, frozen wings in Victorian Alps
Skiers and holiday-makers are enjoying one of the strongest season openings for years as thick snow blankets the Victorian Alps. But gang-gang cockatoos, who usually prefer cool temperatures, are at risk of dying in the freezing conditions. The endangered birds are being found grounded in the snow, weak and disoriented, suffering from hypothermia. Deb Howie, who has been rescuing stricken birds at Falls Creek, said the "cold and windy" conditions were taking a toll. "This winter has been so brutal … we're finding that there are quite a few gang-gangs that are actually struggling," she said. "They're grounded on the snow, and they don't really move. Falls Creek visitors have been advised to carry cloth bags or pillowcases while walking, so they can gently capture any grounded birds and keep them warm while waiting for help. Ms Howie said of the 10 gang-gangs she had rescued so far, most were juveniles. Wildlife carer Jo Mitlehner has also been involved in the rescue efforts and said it was crucial to reunite separated mates, as gang-gangs pair for life. At the start of the snow season, she rescued a mature female gang-gang that had been separated from her partner. "We found her crawling in the snow at Falls Creek," she said. Ms Mitlehner said as soon as the female was well enough, she was returned to where she had been found because the gang-gangs were preparing to leave the area. On release, another carer believed he heard a nearby gang-gang responding to her call. Ms Mitlehner said the birds were not usually found at such high altitudes in winter. While not strictly migratory, they often move from mountain forests to lower elevations during colder months. Ms Mitlehner said she and her team thought a longer summer might have allowed for a second breeding season, leaving more juveniles unprepared for the cold snap. Sean Dooley from BirdLife Australia said shifting climate patterns could be a factor in why the birds had not moved down the mountains. "It could be related to the fact that over the past decade or so, we have had much milder winters, and perhaps the gang-gangs have started to adapt to this shift in climate and not been moving as far," he said. According to the latest data, gang-gang populations have already suffered a sharp decline — a drop of nearly 70 per cent between 1999 and 2019. The 2019–2020 bushfires caused further devastation. In 2022, the parrot was officially listed as endangered, with an estimated 25,300 mature birds remaining in the wild. "Experts say the likely reason for the decline in gang-gangs has been the destruction of the big old, hollow-bearing trees that they nest in up in mountainous areas, from native-forest logging," Mr Dooley said. A Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson confirmed that much of Victoria had endured below-average minimum temperatures for June. And while there is still cold weather ahead in the short term, the bureau's forecast for August to October is for warmer-than-average temperatures. Until then, Falls Creek head of visitor experience David Leathem urged snow-goers to keep an eye out for "vulnerable species, particularly the endangered gang-gang cockatoo". "We encourage residents and visitors to stay alert and contact local wildlife carers for assistance and advice."
ABC News
4 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Sea turtle clinic on Magnetic Island showcases dedication of wildlife carers
Down a dirt track behind the sandhills of an idyllic Queensland tropical beach is a ramshackle, but special, cluster of buildings. This unassuming place occupies the site of a former sewage pumping plant, and is where a team of dedicated volunteers run the Magnetic Island Network for Turtles (MINT) clinic for sick and injured sea turtles. The clinic isn't usually open to the public, but I'm here to find out exactly what happens when your patient is a sea turtle, and how the volunteers' work helps some of the Great Barrier Reef's threatened species. The day starts at 8am when biologist and volunteer Adriana Labate unlocks the gates. Adriana Labate is part of the MINT turtle clinic's daily care team. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) She leans over the first "hospital bed", a "self-cleaning" aquaculture tank that is a bit over 2 metres wide and made of dark green plastic. "This is Boris," she tells me, her soft voice competing with the hum, swish and gurgle of the water filtering system. The scent of seawater fills the air. Inside the tub is a green sea turtle ( Chelonia mydas ) that was rescued after being spotted struggling with fishing line wrapped around its left flipper. Boris hasn't eaten since arriving some weeks ago. Patient Boris spends a lot of time sitting on a rock. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) It is still too early to tell if Boris is a "he" or a "she" because at about 20 years of age, the turtle is still a youngster. It becomes easier to tell the difference between male and female green sea turtles once they mature at about the age of 30 and males develop longer tails, but for now, volunteers use a mix of pronouns to refer to their juvenile patients. The other current patient is Joni, a slightly younger green sea turtle, that was found stranded on one of the Island's beaches. Joni was underweight, could not swim normally, and had a shell infection that made it softer than normal. Unlike Boris, Joni greets Adriana enthusiastically at the edge of the tank. "She already knows food is coming," Adriana says, scooping some turtle scat out of the water. Life on the reef Both Joni and Boris were born on the Great Barrier Reef before riding the currents in the Pacific — like Nemo — as far away as South America. That's decades spent defying the odds; only 1 in 1,000 sea turtle hatchlings survive to adulthood. While swimming on the surface of the high seas, the turtles would have eaten whatever they came across such as squid, jellyfish, and algae. Now they've come back to the Reef to mature and breed and would normally switch to feeding mainly on seagrass on the sea floor. Seagrass is a protected marine plant, and it is illegal to harvest it from the wild, so the patients are fed greens like bok choy or cos lettuce instead. But high-protein seafood is the quickest way to get them to put on much-needed weight. In the volunteer headquarters, Adriana carefully weighs out a portion of chopped squid to feed to Joni. Adriana walks past volunteer HQ, which houses a kitchen-cum-office. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Adriana heads to the kitchen to get Joni's breakfast. The walls are adorned with colourful turtle-themed mosaics. (ABC Science: Anna Salleh) It's important to know how much the patients are eating as part of getting them well enough to be released. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) It's important to know how much the patients are eating as part of getting them well enough to be released. (ABC Science: Anna Salleh) Joni loves her squid but is a fussy eater. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) High-protein squid will help Joni gain weight before being released back into the wild. (ABC Science: Anna Salleh) Volunteers keep detailed records of their patients. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Volunteers keep detailed records of what happens on their shifts. (ABC Science: Anna Salleh) Joni is a little fussy, preferring squid over prawns, and especially likes being tantalised by squid tentacles, Adriana says. "You wave them around and pretend that it's an animal … They think that's the creature swimming." Adriana notes that Joni is eating well and has regular bowel movements, which is a good sign there are no gut blockages. Sadly, the records show Boris is losing weight. Turtles can 'give up on life' Turtles can need rescuing for lots of reasons. Some, like Boris, get tangled up in discarded fishing gear, and some are slashed by passing boat propellers. Others battle diseases due to poor water quality, have their food sources destroyed or are choked by plastic. Affected turtles can't swim or dive for food properly. And no food means no energy. It's a vicious cycle. "They get to a point where they're so weak they just wash up on the beach and give up on life," says Paul Groves, co-founder of MINT. Paul's "day job" is as a marine scientist with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. But his main job in the hospital is to look after infrastructure, which includes keeping the seawater in the tanks circulating, clean and at the right temperature — to avoid "turtle soup" in the north Queensland summer. Paul Groves smiling at the camera. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Paul Groves helped found the clinic. (ABC Science: Anna Salleh) Paul is always perfecting the filtration system to reduce the amount of seawater he has to pump up from the beach, which he describes as his "least favourite job". ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Paul's responsible for keeping the seawater circulating and filtered. With a background in aquariums, it's a system he's always trying to perfect. (ABC Science: Anna Salleh) This colourful header tank put in with community help holds seawater pumped up from the nearby beach. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) The better job he does at filtration, the less seawater he has to pump up from the beach to this header tank, something he describes as his "least favourite job". (ABC Science: Anna Salleh) Adult green sea turtles can take four to six people to lift, says Paul. To help cope with bigger patients the hospital got a grant to install a crane to lift bigger patients. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Paul recently got a grant to install a crane to lift adult green sea turtles, which can otherwise take four to six people to lift. (ABC Science: Anna Salleh) Adults sea turtles can weigh hundreds of kilograms. Here Paul shows a small and large harness that can be used to transfer rescued turtles to the hospital. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) These small and large harnesses are used to transfer rescued turtles from the beach to the clinic. (ABC Science: Anna Salleh) Paul helped establish MINT in 2012 to rescue turtles like Boris and Joni and nurse them back to health so they could be released again to the wild. Back then, countless starving and weak sea turtles washed up on the beaches around Townsville after Cyclone Yasi destroyed the seagrass beds they grazed on. The impact of Yasi also spurred Tim Downs, a Magnetic Island local, to volunteer to help the MINT clinic's medical team. Tim Downs is a volunteer at the turtle clinic. ( ABC: Anna Salleh ) Over the years, Tim's seen countless patients admitted to the clinic — and not all survive. He recalls one "badly smashed up" turtle that had been struck by a boat. Another boat strike case left a deep cut on a turtle's head. "She was very badly concussed … we had her for about three days before she died." Then there was the case of an animal that had its neck trapped in a crab pot. Most patients have "floating syndrome", where the gut is unable to digest its contents properly, so gas from decomposing food builds up inside the turtle causing it to float aimlessly. Swallowing something they shouldn't have is one of the main causes of this life-threatening condition. Fishing line cut blood circulation to Boris' left flipper. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Turtles have downward-facing spines in their gut to help them filter food from sea water that they "vomit" back out through their nostrils. But this means they can't easily cough anything back up again. And unless it gets passed at the other end, something as innocent as an escaped party balloon can cause a potentially fatal blockage. Swallowed fishing line can wrap around a turtle's innards too, Tim explains. And the movement of the gut tightens the line, making it difficult to pass or be removed by surgery. "It's a pretty agonising death for them," he says. All patients that can fit are put in a CT scanner for free at James Cook University. ( Supplied: JCUVets ) All patients that can fit are put in a CT scanner for free at James Cook University. (Supplied: JCUVets) Tim at the door of the hospital's mobile "tiny home" medical centre. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Tim at the door of the clinic's mobile "tiny home" medical centre. (ABC Science: Anna Salleh) 20250502_090510 The medical centre is a mobile tiny home that can be conveniently moved if MINT's rent-free status with Townsville City Council ends, or there is a mass stranding of turtles. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) It's in here that complex procedures like tube feeding occur. (ABC Science: Anna Salleh) Boris gets medical care Thankfully, a CT scan indicates Boris hasn't swallowed any fishing gear. But the turtle isn't eating. "His prognosis is good, providing he gets off his hunger strike," Tim says. And if Boris doesn't start eating soon, tube feeding might be necessary. Gina Sweeney, an ex-nurse, injects Boris with a drug to stimulate appetite in the hope it helps. Patients can also get injections of vitamins, antibiotics or painkillers as part of their care. Gina then chases the Boris around the tank to catch and manoeuvre the 13kg turtle out of the tank. That may seem hefty but adult male turtles can weigh up to 150kg. She gently places Boris on the injecting table carefully avoiding contact with the sore flipper that was damaged by fishing line. Gina injects Boris with an appetite stimulant. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Gina first came across a turtle in the wild while diving on the Great Barrier Reef. "There's something so majestic and I just love them — prehistoric, gentle, graceful … I'm fascinated," she says. "It's a privilege to be able to look after them." Gina feels connected to green sea turtles like Boris. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Joni's day spa When it's Joni's time for some medical care, first on the agenda is a shell clean. In the wild, "cleaner fish" would keep a turtle's shell in good nick, but in the clinic, patients need a weekly scrub. Out come a selection of dish brushes used to scrub most of the shell, and toothbrushes for the sensitive infected parts. Luckily for Joni, this whole process doubles as a delicious back scrub. Turtles apparently like their butt being scrubbed. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Turtles have nerve endings in their shell and they particularly enjoy being scrubbed near their rear end, in the same way a dog does, says Lily Donnelly, a PhD student in conservation genetics at James Cook University. "They do enjoy a scratch. They get a bit invigorated by it," she says. After the scrub, Lily cleans out the tiny sores on Joni's shell and puts ointment on them. Then she flips Joni over to attend to the sores on the turtle's underside. Lily is also involved in the medical team. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Lily, who volunteers in the medical team, is also studying the impact of extreme weather on turtles. (ABC Science: Anna Salleh) Ointment is dabbed into sores on Joni's underside. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Ointment is dabbed into sores on Joni's underside. (ABC Science: Anna Salleh) Joni's day spa kit including paw-paw ointment and toothbrush to apply it. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Joni's day spa kit complete with paw paw ointment. (ABC Science: Anna Salleh) A weigh-in is the final stage before Joni is returned to her tank. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Joni is putting on weight, but is still quite thin. (ABC Science: Anna Salleh) A volunteer gently cradles Joni's head and at times covers the turtle's eyes with a towel to keep it calm. The final part of Joni's "whole body pamper" is a massage with paw paw ointment. Extreme weather takes a toll Lily's been volunteering for the clinic since 2022, and MINT recently got a grant for her to research ways to improve flatback sea turtle ( Natator depressus ) reproduction success on Magnetic Island. Most patients that come to the clinic are green sea turtles, which spend more time close to shore than other species. Hawksbill sea turtles( Eretmochelys imbricata ) are sometimes rescued too. But flatbacks are the main species that nests on the Island's beaches. And extreme temperatures have seen some flatback turtle eggs boiled in their shells, Lily says. "The sand is too hot, and their eggs and turtles are getting cooked before they hatch." Back in the volunteer headquarters, Lily retrieves plastic containers with some of her research samples from a freezer. Her gloved hands cradle a frozen ball — it's a hard-boiled yellow egg yolk with a tiny turtle embryo still clinging to it. This flatback turtle egg was found cooked in the sand. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Overheating not only affects the number of hatchlings from each nest but when babies do survive, they're more likely to be female — something that can also affect reproduction success for the species. A record deluge too has been a challenge for turtles. This year's monsoon saw around 2.5 metres of rain fall in a just few short months. From one of the other freezer bags, she takes out another victim of extreme weather: a dead hatchling that got "cold shock" after 10 straight days of driving rain. "It got stuck in the sand dunes and it didn't make it." Lily holds a hatchling that didn't survive the record-breaking wet season. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Volunteers and fundraising Paul has organised a working bee to attract prospective volunteers so there are more people here today than usual. But there's a lot of training required to be a volunteer and people often leave not long after they arrive. This leaves a gap in the feeding roster that has to be rapidly plugged with the remaining volunteers. He encourages people who are prepared to commit for at least six months. While a voluntary workforce is good, the clinic still needs to get grants for infrastructure and electricity, and fundraise for running costs such as food for the patients. They aim to feed a recovering turtle 10 per cent of its body weight in seafood every day. Paul and Tim chat to a potential new recruit. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Fortunately, there is a volunteer vet on the team and James Cook University provides free CT scans for any patients that can fit in their scanner. Medications and surgery must be paid for separately though, and this is where the Magnetic Island community steps in. "People on the Island collect their cans and bottles and then donate them to us and that [a "cash for cans" container deposit scheme] pays for the food and the medicine and electricity," Paul says. Around the Island, people support fundraising efforts for the clinic. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) As I leave, the place still buzzes with activity. Adriana has shifted from patient care to painting doors and Paul is assessing whether or not he can build a roof over some holding tanks to prevent turtles drowning when it rains heavily. Joni goes home Two months after my first visit to the turtle clinic, a notice pops up in my social media feed. Joni has recovered and will be released back into the wild. After 16 weeks in care Joni has done well and if anything is "a little bit fat," which should give her a head start going back into the ocean, says Dhanushka Jayokody-Perera, a volunteer vet. Dr Dhanushka Jayokody-Perera — known as "Dr Dhash" — volunteers veterinary services to the clinic. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) "Joni's recovered much quicker than some of the others we've had," Dr Jayokody-Perera says. On a bright, sunny Saturday, I join a group of islanders who form a U-shape on the beach as Joni is lifted down to the water's edge. Joni is carried through a crowd on the last leg of the journey from the clinic to back to the reef. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) Joni is carried through a crowd on the last leg of the journey from the clinic back to the reef. (ABC Science: Anna Salleh) After 16 weeks, Joni is back in the ocean. ( ABC Science: Anna Salleh ) After 16 weeks, Joni is back in the ocean. (ABC Science: Anna Salleh) This is the moment the volunteers have been waiting for. Joni takes off like a rocket through the water as the crowd claps and cheers. Lily reflects on the highs and lows of turtle care. "It's bittersweet, but it's always great to see them go back to their ocean home," she says. But not all turtles that come into the clinic make it back home. An X-ray revealed Boris had a broken flipper. The team gave him painkillers and a moon boot, and he picked up for a while, but then complications from a lack of blood set in and the turtle needed surgery to remove part of the flipper. Sadly, despite all the team's efforts, Boris didn't recover and unexpectedly died two days after Joni was released. Tim reflects on the time he spent with Boris. "They win you over because you care for them for so long," he says. "[Boris's death] is sad, but it's something you have to accept when you take on the role of a rehabilitator. "We think about the ones we can save, rather than the ones we lose."
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Guernsey wildlife hospital build begins but £2.2m still needed
Work to build a new wildlife hospital to care for injured animals across the Bailiwick has begun but more money is needed to complete it, an animal charity has said. Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) said the laying of foundations for the new state-of-the-art centre was a "major milestone" in the project which will include a new wildlife hospital, welfare kennels and ferret charity said the facility would treat local species such as hedgehogs, birds and marine manager Steve Byrne said: "We're incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported the big build so far but we still need help to raise the remaining £2.2m to bring this vision to life." He added: "Every year we help thousands of wild animals and this facility will give them the best chance of recovery and release back into the wild."Mr Byrne said the welfare kennel unit would house cruelty cases and strays and would help re-home dogs. There would also be an isolation kennel area and a laundry section for the added: "The ferret unit will help house the many stray and unwanted ferrets we help each year and the wildlife hospital will provide facilities for the 3,000-plus wildlife we help every year."The GSPCA continues to appeal for donations to help bring the wildlife hospital and "much-needed" dog kennel improvements one step closer to completion.
National Post
6 days ago
- General
- National Post
Wildlife rehab centre admits hundreds of animals each year
Sylvia and Robin Campbell didn't plan to start a wildlife recovery centre. Their journey in wildlife recovery began when Robin found a great horned owl caught in a barbed wire fence near where they lived on Vancouver Island. The owl's wing was severely injured, so he took it home. Neither he nor his wife Sylvia knew anything about caring for wild animals; they just wanted to help. Article content Article content Since there were no wildlife rescue facilities where they lived, they sought out advice and assistance from a friend who was a retired veterinarian. With a lot of patience and care, the owl recovered. Article content Article content 'We love animals, but we had never done anything like that before,' admitted Sylvia. 'A local newspaper heard about the owl and ran an article about it. After that, people started bringing us other injured animals.' Article content Sylvia and Robin didn't have the heart to turn away any of the ill, injured or orphaned animals, so they built a little wildlife sanctuary behind the convenience store they owned and managed at the time. The goal was to heal the animals and return them to the wild. Article content Eventually, they purchased an 8-acre property in Errington, B.C. on North Vancouver Island that was zoned to allow them to build a proper wildlife recovery centre. Establishing a non-profit agency came next and the recovery efforts grew from there. 'We accidentally made our way into caring for wildlife, and it all started with one injured owl,' Sylvia said. 'Wildlife rehabilitation was just beginning to develop 40 years ago when we started North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre.' Article content Today the facility is a world-class wildlife rehabilitation centre that admits over 700 injured, ill or orphaned animals each year. With the help of a resident vet, dedicated staff and about 80 volunteers, hundreds of animals are healed and returned to the wild annually — including many eagles and even black bears. The animals that are too severely injured to survive in nature find a permanent home at North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre where they help to educate visitors about being responsible stewards in nature. Article content The facility is open to visitors daily and once a year visitors can witness a rehabilitated eagle be released back into the wild. 'It's always a good feeling when you release an animal back to the wild,' Sylvia said at the 2025 public eagle release. Moments later a bald eagle soared off into the sky with about 300 people watching with smiles on their faces. Article content Those who love wildlife and nature and want to help have plenty of options. It can be as simple as installing a bird feeder, joining a nature cleanup, volunteering at a recovery centre or supporting an organization that helps wildlife. About 80 volunteers help North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre with their mandate to help injured, ill and orphaned wildlife on Vancouver Island.
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Yahoo
Driver's remarkable discovery at Sydney Airport after two-week trip
Boarding a flight for a two-week trip overseas, one NSW traveller had no idea they'd inadvertently grounded a frequent flyer. That frequent flyer wasn't of the human kind, but a plucky kookaburra that had somehow managed to survive the fortnight trapped inside the car of the tourist, which had been left in a car park at Sydney Airport. The traveller returned from their trip to make the remarkable discovery behind the car's grille before rescue organisation WIRES were called. Attending volunteer Kelly was "astonished" to find the bird alive and despite showing signs of weakness, it was injury-free. The driver speculated the kookaburra had been eating insects under the hood to survive. The driver revealed on their way to the airport from regional NSW they had collided with a bird but after inspecting their vehicle, there was no trace of the animal. After two weeks caring for the bird, volunteers were able to identify the location where the collision occurred and released the kookaburra in its original habitat. "It flew to the treeline where another kookaburra was perched, and was welcomed back into its territory," WIRES revealed. Drivers warned to take extra care as collisions increase While animal strikes on regional roads are on the rise, smaller animals, including joeys, can often survive when they enter the grille and become lodged inside the car. In 2020, a young agile wallaby survived a 300km road trip relatively unscathed. And in July and September 2023, there were two other instances of 'miracle' wallabies surviving the strange ordeal. Drivers are being warned to be extra vigilant on Australian roads in recent years. It comes as smash repair businesses in Canberra revealing there's a backlog of customers with cars damaged either by wildlife, or subsequent collisions after swerving to avoid animals. Royal Automobile Association (RAA) Senior Manager of Road Safety, Charles Mountain, said there was a "clear trend" that kangaroo collisions were increasing in South Australia as urbanisation continues amid a national housing crisis. "Kangaroos in particular are unpredictable creatures that can seemingly come out of nowhere and pose a significant safety risk," he said. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
