Recent patients
The animals listed below only visit our hospital for a short time and are then released back into their natural environment or allocated to a wildlife carer. These animals are not available for sponsorship, however any general donations or sponsorship you make to Wildlife Warriors will go to assisting these animals and others like them.
Zeus the Topknot Pigeon
Many times at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital we receive calls regarding injured "topknot pigeons" who on admittance turn out to be the more common crested pigeon, a smaller species which feeds on a variety of native grass seeds found while walking along the ground.
Zeus however is a true topknot pigeon and he looks spectacular! He was transferred to us recently from a vet surgery in Brisbane after being dropped off by a member of the public. The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital is operational twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and provides specialist veterinary treatment and care for all species of native wildlife. Increasingly our wildlife vets answer enquiries from domestic vets around Australia regarding medication dose rates and suitable treatments for sick or injured wildlife patients. Other vets arrange transfer of patients like Zeus to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital for specialised treatment.
Dr Claude assessed Zeus and x-rays revelead a fractured bone and severe swelling in his right wing. With this type of injury surgery is not an option, so instead Dr Claude used a figure-of-eight bandage to immobilise and keep the wing in the correct position while the bone mends. Zeus has also been placed on a course of anti-inflammatories and pain relief while he rests in the Birds ICU.
What to feed Zeus presented a dilemma, as at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital we try to provide te natural diet of the species wherever possible. That is why we have so many different native plants in our hospital grounds, from grevilleas which provide nectar-rich flowers for gliders, bats, possums and birds, to eucalyptus species that can be fed to koalas and possums. Logistically there was no way we could gather all the natural food Zeus would normally eat, so the nurses improvised. What a sight it was to see Zeus gulping down small fruit balls and various berries (his particular favourite being blueberries)! Zeus is due to have his bandage removed an to be reassessed by Dr Claude in another couple of days.
Topknot pigeons are a fruit-eating species inhabiting rainforests and remnant forests that contain seasonally-fruiting trees, limiting their distribution to the eastern states of Australia where rainfall is quite high. Topknot pigeons forage for ripe fruits in the forest canopy, favouring marble-size fruit they can swallow whole. As rainforests with fruiting trees are cleared and natural feeding areas become fragmented, these pigeons now rely more heavily on fruit from introduced plant species such as camphor laurel and privet. Topknot pigeons play an important part in the dispersal of the seeds of native fruiting trees, however sadly this also means the seeds from these pest plants are also being spread.
Hoot the Southern Boobook Owl
One Friday night three weeks ago, staff at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital received a call for help regarding an injured owl that had been found in Mooloolah Valley. Anne, the lady who rescued the owl, had been driving home at dusk when she saw it sitting on the side of the road being surrounded and attacked by other birds.
As she had only recently moved to the Sunshine Coast from Brisbane, Anne had no idea who to call for help. After two hours and many phone calls with no luck, she fortunately found the number for the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. Anne's call was promptly answered, directions were given and within half an hour Hoot the southern boobook owl was receiving veterinary treatment for a painful eye injury and concussion.
Dr Claude assessed Hoot and took x-rays, which fortunately showed no fractures. Hoot's eye had a corneal ulcer with edema around it (meaning an injury to the surface of the eye surrounded by abnormal build-up of fluid) plus a mild perforation to the side of the eye. Hoot was initially prescribed pain relief, sub-cutaneous fluids and medicated eye ointment to be applied four times over a twenty-four hour period, plus plenty of food and rest in the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital's Bird Intensive Care Unit.
Since admittance Hoot has had four veterinary rechecks and so far there has been marked improvement in the eye's condition, which is positive news. As with any wild bird of prey, perfect eye sight is essential so they can hunt for food effectively; if one eye is permanently damaged, release and long-term survival prospects aren't good. Although Hoot's injury looks quite severe, Dr Claude feels over time it should heal fully.
Milla the Black-shouldered Kite
One Saturday morning two weeks ago, the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital received a call for help from a truck driver named Shane who had rescued a bird from the side of the busy Gateway Motorway near Nudgee. What a great guy to take the time to stop his truck and rescue her from such a dangerous location! There is no doubt Milla would have died if she had not been rescued. Luckily the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit was coming back from another rescue further south and were able to offer their assistance.
On arrival at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, Milla was treated by Dr Claude who carried out a full veterinary assessment. Fortunately x-rays showed no fractures, but there was bruising to Milla's right ulna (wing) suggesting she had been knocked by a vehicle. Milla was rather thin, with her body score rated as 6/10. Milla was given sub-cutaneous fluids, pain relief and anti-inflammatory and set up in an intensive care enclosure to recover.
Milla has been feeding very well and is finally starting to gain weight, consuming 60g of meat per day. Her flight is becoming stronger and Dr Claude is happy with her progress so far. Milla is due for reassessment next week.
Black-shouldered kites are found across mainland Australia, preferring areas sparsely treed with grassland and open paddocks to look for prey. They frequently hunt feral mice and can often be seen hovering above a paddock before diving down and emerging with prey grasped in their talons. Black-shouldered kites' aerial courtships is spectacular with the male offering his mate prey while both are in flight. The female will flip upside down and accept the food from her mate with her talons. Pairs breed from July to December and have an average of two youngsters.
Fran the Barn Owl
Two weeks ago an adult barn owl was found lying in a bush track in the outer Brisbane suburb of Cashmere. The owl was rescued by a wildlife volunteer and brought to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital for expert treatment and care. On arrival it was fairly evident something was wrong with the owl as she just lay quietly in a towel while the nurse transferred her out of the rescue cage.
Dr Claude began assessing Fran by taking various tests and x-rays which fortunately revealed no breaks or fractures. Fran was extremely weak, unable to even stand up without falling over, plus she was quite thin; Dr Claude also noted Fran had very smelly bad breath!
Fran was prescribed sub-cutaneous fluids, pain relief, and antibiotics; she was also wormed and given a charcoal tablet as the cause of her condition was possibly poisoning. Initial treatment included keeping Fran in a humidicrib to allow her to rest while being kept quiet and warm. Twenty-four hours later Fran's condition had improved enough that she was able to stand on her hocks, so Dr Claude asked the veterinary nurses to begin force-feeding her twice nightly, and to continue to keep her warm. Six days later Fran was starting to display normal behaviour such as perching and feeding herself, so she was transferred to a large rehabilitation enclosure in the Bird Intensive Care ward of the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital.
Nineteen days after being admitted Fran is behaving like a real barn owl: hissing, crouching and extending her wings to look menacing each time her enclosure is to be cleaned. Also today she flew from the ground up to a perch for the first time so her strength is returning. She still needs more time in care to fully recover but her release back to the wild should be in the near future.
Barn owls have a heart-shaped face which helps direct even the smallest sound straight to their ears. This allows them to locate prey at night, like a mouse in leaf litter, and fly down to catch it with their long talons. Barn owls are found in most parts of Australia and their are many different sub-species worldwide.
Minstrel the Yellow-bellied Sheathtail Bat
Minstrel, an injured adult male 
yellow-bellied sheathtail bat, was found lying on the ground by a member of the public at Deception Bay, a suburb north at Brisbane. Minstrel had suffered an injury to his right wing which prevented him from being able to fly and locate food. Minstrel was slowly starving to death and weighed only 32 grams. Insectivorous bats have a very high metabolism and can consume nearly their body weight in food each night.
On arrival at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital Dr Peter anesthetised Minstrel so he could carry out a full medical examination without stressing the already-frightened patient. The right tip of Minstrel's wing was necrotic, meaning the blood supply had stopped, and the tissue on that section of his wing had actually died. Dr Peter removed the dead tissue and cauterised the blood vessels (which involves fusing the ends together with a cauterising iron). After surgery Minstrel was prescribed a long-acting antibiotic plus daily oral pain medications, and was then placed with a bat carer for rehabilitation.
Seven days later at reassessment Dr Peter was very pleased with the healing process of the wing and he now wants Minstrel to being flight exercise to prepare him for release back to the wild.
Yellow-bellied sheathtail bats are approximately 8cm long once full grown, making them a large species of micro bat. Their body fur and wings are glossy black yet they have beautiful pale yellow fur extending from their chin to abdomen. They have long narrow wings designed to allow them to fly fast after insects above the forest canopy, and they use echolocation to locate an insect and then catch it in their jaws and consume it all whilst flying. The carer has noted Minstrel is extremely calm and quiet compared with the many other micro-bat species she has cared for over the years, and talking with other carers who have had yellow-bellied sheathtails they all seem to have a laid-back disposition.
Regina the Powerful Owl
On Wednesday morning members of a family-run wholesale plant nursery in Morayfield noticed a large owl sitting on an exposed tree branch only three metres off the ground. Throughout the day the family kept regular checks on the owl, while noisy minors and other birds harrassed it in a vain attempt to drive the predator from their territory. By late afternoon the owl had left its roost but instead of flying away it was discovered sitting huddled on the ground. Concerned, the family called a local wildlife carer for advice and assistance.
On admittance to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital the owl was identified as a juvenile female powerful owl and was christed Regina by Dr Robyn, the vet who assessed her. Powerful owls are impressive birds with huge yellow eyes enabling them to hunt at night for prey such as possums and roosting birds, which they swoop upon and seize with their massive talons. Regina was placed under anaesthetic allowing for a full medical assessment to be carried out while she slept so as not to stress her. X-rays showed no fractured bones but a physical check revealed Regina was cold, thin and her right eye was damaged. Dr Robyn placed a drip in Regina's right wing to allow her to receive fluids and electrolytes overnight and she was set up in a humidicrib to give her supportive warmth while she rested. Sadly the next morning Regina stopped breathing and although she was resuscitated she didn't continue breathing unassisted, so Dr Robyn made the decision to euthanise her.
Powerful owls are the largest of the Australian owl species reaching approximately 55cm in height. Their distribution is restricted to just along the eastern regions of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. As a species, their status listing ranges from from endangered in Victoria to vulnerable in New South Wales and Queensland, and they face increasing population pressure with the destruction of habitat containing suitable nest hollows. Powerful owls mate for life and the bonded pair will have a territory they defend year round from other owls. Nest trees are the older trees in the forest; many are eucalypt species that only develop hollows once the trees reach over 100 years of age. Hence, this is why the old trees with hollows are so important in the ecosystem, as they provide nest sites and homes for all sorts of wildlife ranging from nest sites for parrots, cockatoos and owls to homes for gliders, possums, bats and reptiles.
The breeding season for powerful owls is from April to September, with two eggs being incubated by the female over 38 days. The fledged youngsters may remain in their parents' territory for the first year but will then disperse and eventually find a mate to pair up with and establish a territory of their own.
Agnes the Brisbane River Turtle
Agnes is an adult female Brisbane River turtle who was admitted to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital suffering serious injuries to her carapace (the top of her shell). Agnes was one of fifty eight Brisbane River turtles rescued back in March from a dam and noticed a small pond at the base of the spillway wall which looked to be crowded with turtles; he also noticed dead turtles lying on the surrounding rocks. The turtles had in fact been carried over the spillway wall when excess water had been released; sadly some had been injured or killed while others were left isolated in a small pond surround by rocks.
Volunteer rescuers were able to release fifty turtles back into the dam, but this took many hours as the two rescuers had to make numerous trips climbing down into and back up out of the gully while carrying tubs containing a few turtles each time, which was an extremely difficult and heavy task. The other eight turtles had serious injuries and were transported to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, where after vet assessment five were euthanized due to the severity of their injuries. The three remaining turtles began treatment but sadly two deteriorated and were subsequently euthanized also.
Agnes, weighing a thin 1.59kg, was assessed by Dr Amber on arrival. She found that Agnes had fractured segments along the front and rear edge of her carapace and a deep 4cm wide hole in the top of her carapace. After falling such a long way on to rocks, Agnes had been very lucky that her spine hadn't been fractured or any organs ruptured. Dr Amber sedated and placed Agnes under anaesthetic to debride (remove dead tissue) and clean all of Agnes' wounds. The damaged rear edge of the carapace also needed to be trimmed and the skin sutured closed. The hole needed to be covered in medicated ointment and protected by a bandage, and Agnes was also placed on pain relief and antibiotic treatment. Bandage changes were scheduled for every second day and importantly the wound was not to get wet, so Agnes was only allowed to be in shallow water while feeding and then returned to a dry enclosure.
By the beginning of June Dr Amber was pleased with Agnes' progress, especially the healing of the hole, which although still tender had repaired sufficiently to be waterproof meaning Agnes could be housed back in water. Today's reassessment went very well - Agnes now weighs a healthy 1.91kg and she is feeding and swimming normally, so Dr Amber is sending Agnes into care with a reptile rehabilitator for the remainder of the winter period. Come spring and after a final health check Agnes should be cleared to return back home to the wild.
Edwina the Emu Chick
Edwina is an emu chick who somehow unded up on her own walking around the busy streets of Labrador, a suburb near the Gold Coast. Edwina is too young to be on her own and when she was rescued by the RSPCA Rescue Ambulance she was frightened and very hungry; she was then transferred to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital for care and treatment.
Remembering that it is illegal to take any native animal from the wild, and only trained and licensed wildlife carers are allowed to care for orphaned of sick wildlife, in all likelihood Edwina was probably found out in Western Queensland and taken home to be an illegal pet, but either escaped or wasn't wanted anymore and released.
On arrival Saturday at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital Edwina was given a full veterinary health check which found her to be quite thin, weighing only 540g, but otherwise okay. By Friday Edwina weighed a healthier 905g and was placed with an experienced emu rehabilitator. Emu chicks can easily become imprinted on humans so Edwina is sharing her outdoors enclosure with two regular chickens, who provide companionship and also teach her to forage. In another eight months Edwina should be at an age where she begins her pre-release time, allowing her to adjust to life as a wild emu while still being given support feeding if needed.
In the wild, the male emu is the parent who builds the nest and incubates the five to fifteen eggs over the fifty-five days in takes for the chicks to hatch. Dad is also the one who solely raises and cares for them. All emu chicks have a striped feather pattern which provides camouflage while they forage on seeds, insects, flowers, plant shoots and vegetation and considering they are a flightless bird this also helps them avoid the interest of predators.
Gexy the Koala
Gexy (Energex-y) the koala was hit by a vehicle on the Brisbane Valley Highway at a location approximately halfway between Esk and Toogoolawah one night two weeks ago. Sadly the driver didn't stop and another motorist found Gexy sitting dazed on the road with head and facial injuries. Another truckie also stopped to assist and together they moved Gexy off the highway away from the immediate danger posed by passing traffic. A local wildlife carer was contacted and by the time she arrived Gexy had managed to climb a tall roadside eucalypt and settle down in a high fork. Realising a rescue effort would be near impossible in the dark, the carer placed a call through to the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit for their professional assitance early the next morning.
James and Kate from AZRU responded immediately and travelled for over an hour to reach the rescue location. Using climbing equipment and well-honed techniques the tree was skilfully scaled, however just as Gexy was almost within reach he became spooked and jumped to a neighbouring tree. This tree was far too thin and unstable to be safely climbed so AZRU liaised with Energex staff and they generously sent out a cherry picker and operater. James, positioned high in the elevated cherry picker bucket, was then able to use a specialized koala catch pole to encourage Gexy to climbe back down the tree where Kate quickly and expertly secured him in a koala cage. By the time the rescue was completed and Kate and James made the return journey, they reached the Australian Wildlife Hospital with Gexy at roughly 2pm that afternoon.
Dr Amber was waiting to give emergency aid to Gexy. His assessment revealed he was between four to five years old and weighed 8kg. X-rays showed his jaw and nasal bones were fractured, he had grazes to his eyelids and nose, a lacerated tongue and crown, and major facial swelling. Gexy was placed on six different medications ranging from pain relief, antibiotics, anit-inflammatories, and treatement for a yeast infection in his gut. After treatment he was set up in a comfortable bed in the Mammals Intensive Care Unit where veterinary nurses kept a close watch on him 24 hours a day.
Two weeks later and Gexy is now doing so well he has been moved to a larger outside rehabilitation enclosure that allows him to climb around, sleep in a tree fork either in the sun or the shade, smell the fresh air and hear the birds. Together this is a huge morale boost for a wild koala and helps keep them from becoming depressed. Dr Amber is very pleased with Gexy's recovery so far and she feels he will make a full recovery in the coming weeks.
In the last twelve months there has been a noticeable increase in the number of koala road trauma patients coming from the Esk/Toogoolawah region which is a direct result of increases in both road traffic and public awareness about the plight of the koala and the organisations and individuals that can be contacted to help in a wildlife emergency.
Dale the Red-neck Wallaby
This week's patient profile features a red-neck wallaby orphan named Dale. He is fourteen months old and has been in care for the past eight months with a macropod carer living out near Tara (western Queensland). Dale was fortunatley rescued after a member of the public took the time to stop her car and check inside the pouch of a dead female wallaby lying on the side of the Moonee Highway.
Incredibly, just two hours earlier the same lady had also checked another dead wallaby and rescued her six-month-old joey later named Chip. Along with Dale the two just-furred joeys were taken to a carer to be raised. Over time, as the boys started to explore outside their pouches, they became best buddies. Even when their carer placed them in individual pouches after each hourly feed, by the next feed the two were fast asleep side-by-side in one pouch.
After recently developing diarrhoea and a bloated foregut Dale was kindly transported to the Australian Wildlife Hospital by a wildlife carer who lives out at Chinchilla, after he heard that Dale's carer mum was unable to make the road trip herself. He has been placed on IV fluids and is bottlefed 30ml of macropod milk every six hours, and also has a bucket of fresh grass, macropod pellets and a bowl of water next to his bed in the Intensive Care Nursery.
Sadly yesterday afternoon Dale's condition worsened: Dr Robyn, assisted by two nurses, prepped Dale for surgery and at approximately 6pm undertook an exploratory laparotomy (on Dale's abdominal region) which revealed inflammation to his gut. Dale came through surgery but in the early hours of this morning his condition deteriorated rapidly and Dr Robyn made the heart-wrenching decision to euthanise him.
For Dale's carer and his best mate Chip, the weeks ahead will be emotionally challenging and our hearts go out to them both.
Java the Jabiru
Java, a juvenile jabiru, was initially admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital just over two weeks ago, after being seen sitting alone on the Wynnum foreshore for two days before local seabird rescuers were notified and he was recovered.
Weighing only 3.7kg he was extremely weak and could not even sit upright. To make matters worse his eyes were half closed and he was "open mouth" breathing, which is never a good sign in any species. Java's fragile state was considered so serious Dr Amber decided not to use anaesthetic; instead Java was gently held and supported while Dr Amber completed an examination which included taking blood and x-rays.
The blood tests showed no abnormalities and the x-rays were clear so Dr Amber prescribed a long-acting antibiotic, plus a dose of wormer for intestinal worms and parasites.
Overnight Java was placed on I.V. fluids and he was also tube-fed a mixture of blended fish, meat, protein mix and water. Incredibly Java was sitting upright on his hocks the next morning and his breathing was back to normal. After a re-check Dr Amber decided to transfer Java into the care of seabird rehabilitators. Four days later on his next re-check with Dr Amber, Java's weight had increased to 4.2kg, he was able to sit up on his own, and was subsequently taken off the I.V. fluids.
This week Java is standing, his is bright, alert and feeding on his own, and his outlook is very promising for release back to the wild in the coming months.
Jabiru, or Black Neck Stork, are Australia's only stork species. Inhabiting the northern regions of Australia, they favour wetlands where they hunt for fish, amphibians and crustaceans. These majestic birds stand up to 1.35 metres tall, their body plumage is black and white with a shiny green/purple next, and they have contrasting red bare legs.
Sam the Carpet Python
Two weeks ago, Sam the carpet python was taken to the Samford Valley Vet Clinic after being badly mauled by a dog. The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit was subsequently contacted so Sam could be transferred up to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for specialist veterinary treatment and care.
Sam had in fact suffered deep punctures over her head and along the entire length of her 4.7kg body, and as she lay writhing in pain on the ground her mouth and wounds became plastered in dirt.
On assessment Dr Claude had to first sedate Sam so she could remove all the dirt from her mouth and place an anaesthetic breathing tube down her trachea. The deep puncture wounds were then cleaned and sutured. Sam's head was badly swollen and she had substantial deep muscle damage, so Dr Claude prescribed strong pain relief, anti-inflammatories and antibiotics to ward off any infection that could be caused by transferred bacteria off the dog's teeth.
Sam will have her stitches removed in approximately four weeks at which time she will go to a reptile carer for monitoring until she has her next skin shed. If Dr Claude is happy with her recovery she will be sent out for release, however depending on how well her injuries have healed she many need to stay for a second shed.
The main point to remember with reptiles is even though they are cold-blooded, they feel pain just like we do. However, because they don't have vocal cords there is no way for them to cry or scream out, and therefore they suffer in silence. Most wild animals won't make a fuss when sick or injured as it will draw the attention of a predator; instead they just sit quietly. The rule of thumb to remember is that if they injury would be painful for a human, it is also painful for an animal, so seek medical attention.
Millie the Echidna
Millie the echidna comes from the Caboolture area where she was found badly mauled by a pet dog. The dog's owner discovered Millie at about 8pm and called the Moreton Bay Koala Rescue volunteer group for help. One of the dedicated members responded to the call and upon arrival realised Millie needed urgent medical attention.. She transported Millie to the Australian Wildlife Hospital, which fortunately operates 24 hours.
Millie was placed under anaesthetic so Dr Robyn could check her injuries. The assessment revealed an open bite wound, roughly the size of a fifty cent piece, on Millie's lower back, plus many grazes and broken quills. X-rays also revealed that Millie had suffered a fractured pelvis, which accounted for her reluctance to walk or climb.
Dr Robyn cleaned and flushed the open wound before suturing the muscle and skin back together. Millie has been prescribed pain relief, antibiotics and anti-inflammatories along with lots of cage rest while she recovers.
While in care at the Australian Wildlife Hospital, Millie is being served a special echidna diet of high protein mix, which is certainly easier than digging for ants and termites. Millie is expected to be in care for a minimum of six weeks while she recovers from her injuries.
Echidnas are found throughout Australia and are covered with strong pointed spines, which are its only form of protection. When in danger, the echidna pulls its head in and curls up in a ball to protect its stomach.
Bobby the Australasian Grebe
This week the Australian Wildlife Hospital received a very interesting patient identified as a juvenile Australasian Grebe. This is a waterbird we don't often see at the Australian Wildlife Hospital, but they can be found across Australia in ponds, lakes, swamps and dams.
Bobby was found in the Morayfield area by a member of the public who took him to a wildlife carer. Bobby was then transferred to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for treatment of an injury to his face.
Once Bobby was under anaesthetic, his vet was able to closely examine his injury, but found it to be only a superficial wound. This was great news as these birds are by nature highly susceptible to stress in captivity. Bobby's wound was cleaned and he was given a long-acting antibiotic and subcutaneous fluids. Bobby was released later that same afternoon back to his wetlands home.
Australasian Grebe, as their name suggests, are found right across Australia and the Pacific region. They inhabit areas of fresh water and dive underwater to catch fish and insects to eat. When feeling threatened by a predator, Australasian Grebe dive underwater and resurface well away from the danger. Grebe are also often seen eating their own feathers and feeding them to their young, which is though to be a behaviour to prevent injury when swallowing fish bones.
UDL the Pink-tongued Skink
This week a member of the public delivered a lizard to the Australian Wildlife Hospital with its upper body trapped in an aluminium drink can. The pink-tongued skink was probably looking for moisture to drink and pushed his head and front legs in to the can, but unfortunately found he was then trapped. UDL could not get himself out of the can and as he struggled to get free, the sharp edges of the can’s opening cut into his body.
UDL was sedated so one of the vets at the Australian Wildlife Hospital, Dr Amber, could use tin snips to cut him free from the can and clean and treat his wounds. Dr Amber gave UDL subcutaneous fluids, pain relief and sent him to the reptile intensive care ward at the hospital to recover. Vets are confident that UDL will be OK for release in one week’s time – the outcome however could have been much worse.
It is so easy for all of us to make a difference every day of our lives with the environment and wildlife. Something as simple as placing rubbish in bins (like plastic bags, fishing line, nylon netting) and recycling (plastics, paper, glass and cans) can make a HUGE difference.
All too often at the Australian Wildlife Hospital, we see the trauma and misery thoughtless littering causes. From marine turtles that have ingested plastic bags (which in turn causes submerging problems so the turtles slowly starve to death) to birds that are often found entangled in discarded fishing line, hooks or netting, affecting their ability to walk, fly and ultimately survive. UDL isn’t the first case we have seen and he probably won’t be the last until we as a society take more responsibility for our actions.
Saidy the Brush Turkey
Saidy the Brush Turkey was admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital suffering a fractured left leg. It is unclear how Saidy’s injury occurred but fortunately someone saw her in distress and called for assistance. Upon arrival to the Australian Wildlife Hospital, Dr Amber placed Saidy under anaesthetic so she could conduct a thorough medical assessment including x-rays of the injured leg to determine the severity of the fracture.
Fortunately for Saidy her fracture was a ‘clean break’ meaning the bone wasn’t shattered or fragmented and luckily, is relatively ‘easy’ to repair. Dr Amber used a product called Vet Light soaked in warm water and then moulded around the limb. This mixture dries hard and forms a protective layer to stabilise the bone ends while they fuse back together. Saidy’s cast should be able to be removed later this week, and all going well she should be able to return back to the wild to breed come spring time.
In the wild, male Brush Turkeys play a large part in caring for eggs. The males rake up plant material and dirt to form a mound for a nest, which can be over one metre high and three metres wide. The males endeavour to keep the nest’s egg chamber at a constant 33 degrees Celsius, regularly checking the temperature by inserting his beak (which has a heat sensor in it) in the mound. He then adds more plant material if the temperature inside this chamber is too cold or scratches some material off the mound if it is too hot. Many females will visit the mound to lay their eggs and fifty days later the eggs will hatch. Brush Turkey chicks are completely independent from the time they hatch.
Tim the Gould’s Long-eared Microbat
This week a Gould’s Long-eared Microbat found himself in a very sticky situation. A member of the public placed sticky fly paper around his home to catch flies and other insects, but unfortunately, caught more than he bargained for.
An adult Microbat that had been attracted to the prospect of an easy meal of juicy flapping insects became stuck to the paper. The male Gould’s Long-eared Microbat, weighing a mere seven grams, was no match for the highly sticky glue on the fly paper and the more he struggled the more he became stuck.
The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit responded to the call for help and travelled to Woodford to free Tim and take him to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for veterinary treatment. After being removed from the paper Tim still had glue stuck over his tiny furred body and delicate wing membrane, which was carefully cleaned off. Canola oil was applied directly to the areas affected by the glue and then rinsed clean with warm soapy water. Tim was dried with paper towel and placed in a humidicrib to help maintain his warmth while he recovered from the anaesthetic. Dr Claude also injected Tim with 0.5mls of subcutaneous fluids to help with his hydration and prescribed oral glucose water every two hours plus regular offerings of mealworms.
The following day Tim was placed with a qualified bat carer to assess his flight ability and to give him time to recover from his exhausting ordeal. Tim was then released back to Woodford.
As with all sick, injured or orphaned wildlife, extreme care should be taken when they are encountered as they can scratch, peck or bite no matter how small or cute they seem, especially when dealing with any species of bat as they can carry disease.
Abe the Flesh-footed Shearwater
Abe, a juvenile Flesh-footed Shearwater is one lucky seabird! The exhausted youngster was rescued from a busy car park in Maroochydore by the dedicated team from the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit.
Upon arrival, Abe was found to be in a weakened state and certainly would not have survived another day without food. Abe still has down feathers over much of his body and his vet, Dr Amber, feels he will need to be in care for a few weeks while his body condition improves and his strength returns. Abe is currently resting comfortably in the bird Intensive Care Unit at the Australian Wildlife Hospital after receiving fluids and much-needed nourishment.
Flesh-footed Shearwater migrate south from the waters off Japan and Siberia each year to breed along the eastern coastline of Australia, particularly favouring Lord Howe Island. Each year pairs of Flesh-footed Shearwater return to the same nest site using a burow or rock ledge to lay a single egg, which they both incubate and raise once hatched.
The Shearwaters' diet consists mainly of fish, squid and crustaceans which they catch while at sea. They have the ability to either dive whilst in flight or from a sitting position on the water surface to catch their prey. These birds can also use their wings to "fly" under water - with their wings half open and using a flapping motion, Flesh-footed Shearwater are able to swim after prey! The name "shearwater" comes from their ability to cut or shear the water with their wings.
Grant the Kreft's Freshwater Turtle
Grant is a 68g juvenile Kreft's freshwater turtle that has sustained a severe injury to the back of his carapace and rear end.
He was found by a member of the public at Eudlo on the Sunshine Coast and brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for veterinary treatment. One of the vets, Dr Claude, has prescribed pain relief, anti-inflammatories and antibiotics for his injuries, and has also placed Grant in a "dry dock". This means Grant is not allowed to be submerged in water as his wound must remain dry.
Every three days Grant is placed under anaesthetic so the wound can be flushed clean and checked by Dr Claude before a new bandage is applied. Dr Claude is positive about Grant's progress and estimates he will be in care at the Australian Wildlife Hospital for at least two months.
Kreft's freshwater turtles are a type of freshwater short-necked turtle, with webbed, clawed feet and the ability to fold their neck sideways if threatened by a predator.
Topaz the Tawny Frogmouth
Topaz the tawny frogmouth arrived at the Australian Wildlife Hospital after he was rescued one night from the middle of a busy road near Woodford on the Sunshine Coast.
Upon arrival to the hospital, Dr Peter found that Topaz had a fractured leg and also some of his tail feathers had ben damaged and knocked out. Following treatment, Topaz was placed in rehabilitation with a registered bird carer while his leg healed. Topaz was then scheduled for an appointment to be fitted with new tail feathers.
Imping, or the grafting of new tail feathers, is a common practice that enables birds that are being rehabilitated to return to return to the wild in a shorter space of time. If they had to wait until their feathers grew back, it could take six months to a year for that to hapen, prolonging their stay in captivity and enabling their territory to be taken over by another bird. Getting birds like Topaz back to the wild as quickly as possible is very important.
Dr Peter used tawny frogmouth tail feathers from our feather library. While under anaesthetic the new feather shaft is cut down to fit inside the shaft of the original feather and is then anchored in with surgical tissue glue. Having tail feathers for a bird is very important as they need to be able to manoeuvre to catch prey and avoid predators. Over the course of an hour, Topaz received a full set of new tail feathers and Dr Peter thinks he will be ready for release in a couple of days' time. The imped feathers will last until the new ones grow and will basically moult the same as his natural feathers would have.
Tawny frogmouths are not owls, rather they are a member of the Nightjar family. They are nocturnal birds and throughout the day rely on their feather colouring and their ability to remain very still to provide camouflage. Because of this, they often look like a stick or small branch of a tree.
Zac the Koala Joey
Little Zac, a seven month old koala joey, is currently a patient in the Intensive Care Nursery at the Australian Wildlife Hospital. Zac was found sitting alone on the ground beneath a tree by a caring member of the public. As Zac sadly looked up, it was obvious he was very sick - his right eyelid was swollen and half closed and he was also having trouble breathing. As Zac is only a young koala, the surrounding area was checked to see if his mum could be located. Unfortunately she couldn't be found.
Zac was rushed from Murrumba downs where he was found to the Australian Wildlife Hospital at Beerwah by dedicated volunteers from the Moreton Bay Koala Rescue group based in Moreton Bay Regional Shire.
Upon arrival at the Australian Wildlife Hospital, Dr Claude placed Zac under anaesthetic with a mixture of Isoflurane and oxygen so he would be sleeping while she carried out his assessment. Zac was found to be suffering from severe pneumonia, dehydration and also had a Chlamydia infection affecting his right eye.
After ten days of intensive treatment a