Support Australian wildlife rescue to release

Thank you so much for supporting our urgent work for wildlife.

Just one of the little lives you helped save last month was the tiny Ringtail possum (featured), found huddled by a fence near a busy road.

A concerned member of the public called WIRES and we dispatched our Emergency Responder Kyana, who rescued the possum and checked her for injuries. Whilst she had wounds on her tail, they were largely superficial, and her tail was functioning normally.

Kyana transferred her in our Wildlife Ambulance to WIRES volunteer Julie, who has now buddied the infant with another orphaned joey in her care. When ready they'll be released together, for their second chance of life in the wild. Thank you for making it so!

Also last month, WIRES volunteer Emma was delighted to spot Macklin out in the wild, an orphaned koala she'd hand-reared and released two years ago, after her mother was killed by a car.

Macklin now has her own joey! The joey looks to be around three kilograms and will soon be making its own way in the world.

This positive sighting was all the more important for Emma following the death of Gage, a male koala who was released with Macklin two years ago. Devastatingly, Gage became the fifty-second koala killed on the deadly Appin Road in Sydney's southwest since 2022.

We can only hope with all our hearts, that Gage sired some joeys of his own during his two years of freedom - and that the urgent safety measures we've all been calling for, are finally being heard.

Thank you again for being such a vital source of protection and help for Australian wildlife.

Thank you so much for supporting our urgent work for wildlife.   

As Australia's native animals become ever more vulnerable to extreme weather, busy roads and the loss of their habitat, your support is helping provide the vital lifeline they urgently need.  

On behalf of the many thousands of native animals you’re helping us rescue, protect and release, thank you.  

Maya the Roo – safe thanks to you!  

In May, our volunteer Amara received a call from her local vet clinic in Wagga, Central New South Wales. They’d received a tiny kangaroo joey who'd been rescued from the side of the road after her mother was struck and killed by a car.  

Originally, the person who'd found her had taken her home and fed her cow's milk. This resulted in the joey having very bad stomach issues; and so they’d taken her into their local vets. The vet explained that orphaned kangaroos require specialist formula and care from a trained wildlife carer, and had called WIRES. 

Thankfully, she is now thriving in the care of WIRES carer Maya, and has now overcome her stomach issues and initial weight loss.  

Urgent rescue for quoll trapped in oil

Moving on to Tasmania, our Emergency Responder Ned was recently called when an Eastern quoll was discovered trapped in a container of aromatic oil in a factory.  

Quolls are very inquisitive and have an exceptional sense of smell – it is likely he made his way in through a small opening at the top of the container and was then unable to get free.  

On arrival, Ned found the quoll was actually in a good physical condition and had no signs of trauma. Quolls are incredibly resilient! His coat was however caked in oil, and Ned was concerned he’d develop skin and eye irritations and possibly lung and stomach issues if he’d inhaled or ingested the aromatic oil. 

The tub was opened and Ned carefully removed the quoll, cleaned off the excess oil and transported him in our Wildlife Ambulance to Bonorong Wildlife Hospital for medical care. As feared, he did develop a respiratory issue from inhaling the oil, but after several weeks of rehabilitation made a full recovery and has since been successfully released.

Do you remember tiny koala joey Ajooni?

She was rescued in September last year, after her mother was struck by a car.  

Ajooni was rescued from the side of the road and placed in the care of our volunteer Emma, who provided her with the dedicated care her mother wasn’t able to give her.  

A few months ago Ajooni was buddied up with Maz – a male koala joey who’d been found lost and alone last December, and who’d spent his infancy with WIRES koala carer Tracy.   

Being buddied is an important step in the social development of young koalas in care, and the two completed their rehabilitation together. A few weeks ago, Ajooni and Maz were successfully released and are now continuing their journeys – safe, healthy, wild and free. Thank you for making it so! 

Thank you so much for helping us grow, almost year on year for the past 40 years. You are part of a very special group of people dedicated to providing distressed native animals with the rescue and protection they need and deserve.