Quick Links
Biology
Diet
Home Range
Reproduction and Development
Natural History
Capture and Handling
Common Reasons for Rescue
– Koala out of place in a suburban area
– Koala sightings
– Koala bitten or chased by a dog
– Hit by car
– Baby koalas
– Koala in a pool
– Sick koalas
– Dead koalas
– Koala with an ear tag
Rescuing and Caring for Koalas
Koalas are arboreal (tree-dwelling) marsupials, with a distribution over most of the eastern part of Australia, although the populations are largely fragmented. They are found in sclerophyll forests and woodland areas ranging from the Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island in South Australia, to the southern-most parts of Victoria (including populations on French, Snake and Raymond Islands) up to the southern edge of the Atherton tablelands in Northern Queensland.
Koalas are folivores, feeding on a diet that is nearly entirely made up of leaves from the Eucalyptus genus, although they will occasionally eat non-Eucalypt species such as Brush Box (Lophostemon confertus), Allocasuarina sp. and Melaleuca sp. Despite there being over eight hundred species of Eucalyptus in Australia, koalas as a species eat only around 40 to 50 of those. In most areas, koalas will have access to around seven species of eucalyptus. Soil type and seasons have a major impact on whether leaf in a certain area is palatable, so whilst they may favour a species of eucalypt from one area, they may not eat it if it comes from a different area. There are also some species of eucalypt that koalas favour only in a specific season.
Some of the main browse species in South-east Queensland include:
Blue Gum (Forest Red Gum) (Eucalyptus tereticornis)
Tallowwood (E. microcorys)
Grey Gum (E. propinqua, E. punctata and E. major)
River Red Gum (E. camuldulensis)
Swamp mahogany (E. robusta)
Secondary browse species […]
We have created several easy reference sheets to help guide you on your wildlife journey:
Become a Wildlife Transporter
Become a Wildlife Rescuer
Become a Hotline Operator
Become a Wildlife Carer
Become a Wildlife Release Site
Our organisation is always looking for more volunteers to care for sick, injured and orphaned wildlife in the South-east Queensland region.
Although wildlife rehabilitation can be a very enjoyable and rewarding experience, we must remember that the welfare of the animal is of the upmost priority.
The aim of the wildlife carer should be to rehabilitate the animal or raise it to a state of maturity such that it can be safely and successfully released back into its natural environment.
We must always remember that they are wild animals and need to be treated as such. Although it might be fun for us to have a “pet” wild animal, it is not fair to the WILDlife – we must always remember that they are wild and they must be able to be returned to where they belong. It is important to also note that the holding/taking of wild animals without approval is illegal.
To provide for the animal’s physical and psychological needs wildlife carers must have appropriate training, adequate time, suitable facilities and be prepared to meet all the costs incurred, such as for food, housing and some medical expenses.
Volunteers must be 18 years and older to rescue and rehabilitate sick, injured and orphaned wildlife in their own right. Wildcare’s insurance cover and State legislation restricts children from having direct physical interaction with injured wildlife. Whilst we recognise the importance of teaching children and nurturing their appreciation of our native wildlife, we need to ensure compliance with all legal guidelines and our insurance cover. We do have many […]
Please do NOT touch any bat! In South-east Queensland report all sick and injured bats to the Wildcare Hotline on 07 5527 2444 or the RSPCA Queensland on 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625).
For more information on sick and injured bats – Click here
Quick Links
Did you know
Microbat or Megabat?
Natural Behaviour
Identification of Flying Foxes
Found a Sick or Injured Flying Fox?
Why Do Flying Foxes Need Rescuing?
– Trauma
– Caught in fruit netting
– Caught in barbed-wire fence
– Extreme weather conditions
– Tick paralysis
– Dog attack
– Poisoning from palm berries
– Trapped in palm fronds
– Burns from power lines
– Old age
– Orphaned babies
How Can You Live In Harmony With Flying Foxes?
Microbats
Why do microbats sometimes need rescuing?
Caring for Bats
Bats are the only mammals capable of sustained flight.
Bats are a very important pollinator of native plants and disperse seeds over a wide area.
There are about 1100 species of bats in the world. Australia has 77 different species of bats. South-east Queensland has at least 31 different species.
The smallest bat in the world is the Bumble Bee Bat which lives in Thailand and weighs only 2 grams.
The largest bat in the world is the Giant Flying Fox which lives in India and has a wingspan of 1.8 metres.
Bats are eutherian mammals and like humans they carry the foetus in the uterus until it is well developed.
Bats cannot stand on their hind legs, they can only hang by their feet and by their thumbs.
Microbats are small bats with a wingspan of about 25cm and feed on insects such as mosquitos. Many microbats use echolocation to navigate in complete darkness with some species spending their days deep within caves, while others rest beneath bark on trees and in man-made structures […]
If you have recently joined Wildcare, or are considering joining, you will find below links to documents to help you on your journey to becoming a wildlife volunteer.
It is essential that all wildlife volunteers have a thorough understanding of their obligations when dealing with protected species.
Wildcare Volunteer Manual
Our Volunteer Manual sets out information on how the wildlife volunteer sector operates as well as information about Wildcare. It includes detailed information on our comprehensive training program as well as the procedure to obtain a Permit Authorisation through Wildcare.
Easy Reference Sheet – Becoming a Wildlife TRANSPORTER
Easy Reference Sheet – Becoming a Wildlife RESCUER
Easy Reference Sheet – Becoming a Wildlife CARER
Easy Reference Sheet – Becoming a HOTLINE OPERATOR
Easy Reference Sheet – Becoming a Wildlife RELEASE SITE
Online Release Site Application Form – complete this form to site up as a release site
These Easy Reference Sheets set out the requirements for some of the most common facets of wildlife volunteering. Regardless of how much time you have, there is always some way each of us can contribute towards helping our local wildlife.
Code of Practice for Sick, Injured or Orphaned Protected Animals in Queensland.
The Code of Practice is the Queensland legislation which sets out the standards to which all wildlife volunteers must adhere.
Guideline – Rehabilitation of sick, injured and orphaned protected animals – Conditions and restrictions
The Guideline sets out important information from the Department of Environment and Science regarding how protected wildlife are dealt with in Queensland.
Wildcare Safety Management Manual
Important information on safety standards for undertaking volunteer wildlife work. The SMM contains detailed information on attending different rescue scenarios which must be adhered to, to ensure compliance with permit and insurance requirements.
We have put together an information sheet for the […]
Please DO NOT attempt to handle snakes, bats, adult koalas or adult kangaroos and wallabies as they can cause serious injury.
We have wildlife volunteers available 24 hours a day that are specially trained and equipped to handle these animals.
Wildcare Australia Inc Hotline – 07 5527 2444
Covering wildlife rescues in the South-east Queensland council regions of Gold Coast, Logan, Scenic Rim and Brisbane 24 hours – 7 days a week
Outside of these areas? Click here for other wildlife contacts
These are some of the basic rules to be adopted if you find an injured native animal or bird:-
If it is safe to do so, pick the animal up using a towel or blanket, being careful to avoid being scratched or bitten. Most small animals can be picked up in this manner – place the towel or blanket over the animal (including its head) and pick it up like you would a small load of washing.
Place the animal in a cardboard box lined with a towel or blanket. The towel will give the animal something to cling to so that it doesn’t slide around in the box. Make sure that you put some ventilation holes in the box first!
Place the box securely in your car (not the boot as exhaust fumes can kill the animal). Make sure that the lid is securely closed so that the animal cannot escape.
If you cannot obtain immediate assistance, keep the animal in a warm, dark place and keep noise to a minimum to avoid stress. Remember the animal is in unfamiliar territory and unfamiliar noises and smells can be extremely stressful to a native animal. Our native animals can die very quickly from stress.
DO NOT OFFER […]
Training workshops are currently only available to current Wildcare members. Non-members are welcome to join Wildcare in order to register for workshops and you can join online at https://wildcare.org.au/help-us/join/
For more information about workshops, please email education@wildcare.org.au
Education Calendar
WILDCARE offers a comprehensive range of training workshops in native animal care and management that are undertaken by…
wildlife rehabilitators
zoo and captive animal staff
animal welfare officers
veterinary nurses
parks and wildlife employees
eco-tourism staff
everyday people who just want to learn more about caring for Australia’s unique wildlife
We offer a huge range of workshops on topics including:-
Orientation Program
Rescue and First Aid for Native Wildlife (Basic and Advanced Courses)
Caring for Orphaned Mammals (Joeys)
Wildlife Habitat and Native Plant Identification
Emergency Telephone Training
Koalas
Native Birds – Baby Birds
Native Birds – (Basic and Advanced Courses)
Possums
Gliders
Bandicoots, Small Carnivorous Marsupials and Native Rodents
Echidnas
Macropods (kangaroos and wallabies) – (Basic and Advanced Courses)
Reptiles
Our general training workshops are free to current financial members of WILDCARE. Non-members are welcome to attend our training workshops at a cost of $10 per person (half day course) or $20 per person (full day course) per workshop (payable on registration).
We also periodically offer specialised training workshops from experienced trainers at a nominal cost for wildlife rehabilitators which are outlined in our Education Calendar.
At each of our training workshops, you will receive comprehensive training material on that topic which is available to download afterwards. Printed copies of training manuals are usually available at additional cost.
The content of most Wildcare workshops are not suitable for children. Children under 14 years of age are not permitted to attend. We have compiled a list of recommended educational opportunities for younger members […]
For all wildlife emergencies in Gold Coast, Logan, Scenic Rim and Brisbane please call our Volunteer Hotline on 07 5527 2444 (available 24/7).
If our Hotline is unmanned, please select the appropriate extension to be transferred to someone that can assist with your enquiry.
Please do not email reports of sick and injured wildlife as our emails are not monitored continually.
LOCAL VET CLINICS will accept sick and injured general wildlife free of charge.
Basic information on how to safely contain most small animals can be found HERE.
Please do not attempt to handle snakes, bats, koalas or adult kangaroos/wallabies as they can cause serious injury. Seek advice from Wildcare or your local wildlife rescue group (below).
Please refer to the list below for alternative wildlife rescue networks in South-east Queensland:
GOLD COAST/LOGAN/SCENIC RIM
Bats (Flying Foxes & microbats) – Bats Qld 0447 222 889
Reptiles – Reptile Rehabilitation Qld – 1300 878 903
All wildlife – RSPCA Qld – 1300ANIMAL or 07 3426 9999
NORTHERN NSW
All wildlife – Tweed Valley Wildlife Carers – 02 6672 4789
All wildlife – Northern Rivers Wildlife Carers – 02 6628 1866
Koalas – Friends of the Koala – 02 6622 1233
REDLANDS
All wildlife – Redlands Wildlife Carer Network – 07 3833 4031
All wildlife on North Stradbroke Island – Straddie Wildlife – 0407 766 052
BRISBANE/IPSWICH/LOGAN
Bats (Flying foxes & microbats) – Bat Conservation & Rescue Inc (BCRQ) – 0488 228 134
Birds – B.I.RO. – 0432 507 705
All wildlife – Brisbane Area Rescue Network (BARN) – 0405 056 066
All wildlife – Wildlife SEQ – 0468 484 994
All wildlife – RSPCA Qld – 1300ANIMAL or 07 3426 9999
Seabirds/Waterbirds/Flighted birds – Pelican & Seabird Rescue Inc – 0404 118 301
Reptiles – Reptile Rehabilitation Qld – 1300 878 903
MORETON BAY
Koalas – Moreton Bay Koala Rescue – 0401 080 […]
Wildcare Australia Inc is a non-profit organisation situated in South-east Queensland.
The organisation was originally formed as the Australian Koala Hospital Association Incorporated in late 1993 by Dr Jonathon Hanger. It became an Incorporated Association and registered charity in 1994 and is listed on the Register of Environmental Organisations.
In June 1996 after the government strongly urged the wildlife carers in its group NAVOS (Native Animal Volunteer Service) to become independent, three wildlife carers (Eleanor Hanger, Gail Gipp and Sharon White) decided to form their own volunteer carer’s wildlife rescue operation called “WILDCARE”. They started a 24-hour wildlife emergency telephone service in South-east Queensland. The geographical area covered rapidly expanded, reaching from the NSW border, west to Boonah and north to the Logan River. A group ‘umbrella’ rescue permit was issued by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service enabling current registered Wildcare rehabilitators to be able to rescue and rehabilitate sick, injured and orphaned native animals for release back into natural habitat. Both Eleanor and Gail are still actively involved in WILDCARE.
In 2008 the members of the organisation elected to formally change its name to Wildcare Australia Inc.
The aims and objectives of Wildcare Australia Inc are to:-
rescue and care for sick, injured, orphaned and displaced native wildlife with the intention of returning them to the wild.
provide training to volunteers in all aspects of wildlife rehabilitation.
promote the protection of wildlife by maintaining and re-establishing habitat, and by controlling feral and domestic animals.
advise the community on solutions to wildlife problems.
raise public awareness of Australia’s unique wildlife and its diverse habitat requirements through community talks and education programmes.
operate an efficient wildlife organisation in South-east Queensland which can be contacted at any time by […]
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