What to do if you find a sick, injured or orphaned wildlife
Contact Bonorong Wildlife Rescue on 0447 264 625 (all hours)
Please note: Bonorong Wildlife Rescue is a privately run, volunteer-based rescue service operating Tasmania-wide.
These four steps will increase the chances of successful release back into the wild:
- Keep the animal warm, dark and quiet
- Do not feed it anything, as often this can do more harm than good
- Keep handling to a minimum
- Keep away from people and domestic animals
What Happens Next?
Depending on the circumstances of the animal there are a few steps that could happen next:
- A trained volunteer wildlife rescuer will contain the animal
- The animal will be transported to a veterinary clinic for assessment
- The animal will be placed with an experienced wildlife rehabilitator
Members of the community may be asked to hold wildlife for short periods, or even overnight, while the above steps can be arranged.
It can be tempting to care for the animal yourself, however, it is best looked after by an experienced wildlife rehabilitator with experience, skills, capacity and appropriate facilities to rehabilitate it for release back into the wild.
How Can I Help Injured and Orphaned Wildlife?
Make a Donation
You can provide donations to organisations that assist with injured and orphaned wildlife, for example:
Your donations help injured and orphaned wildlife recieve the best care to enable them to be released back to the wild.
Make Pouches or Nest Boxes
The Animal Rescue Cooperative (ARC) links members of the community with willdife rehabilitators who need assistance.
Become a Wildlife Rescuer
Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary offers free rescue training throughout Tasmania. This is great way to voluntarily assist injured and orphaned wildlife when it suits you.
Become a Wildlife Rehabilitator
Being a wildlife rehabilitator is a voluntary activity that requires dedication to achieving the best outcomes for wildlife. This means dedicating your time, parts of your home and financial resources to wildlife. This role will not be suited to everyone. For more information see: Wildlife Rehabilitation in Tasmania.