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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.

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 and care, Zac had improved enough to be placed with a registered koala carer. Unfortunately however after a further two weeks of improvement, Zac had a relapse and was re-admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital.

To date Zac's list of treatment has included x-rays, various tests, antibiotics, fluids, oral meds, use of a nubuliser to help administer lung medication, and oxygen delivered via nasal tubes to help him breathe. Weighing only 1.29kg, Zac's little body has been through an exhausting few weeks, so at this stage Dr Claude is guarded in her assessment of Zac's long term prospects.

 

Spot the Bandy Bandy

Spot is a Bandy Bandy that was admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital after a member of the public found him lying on her driveway in Maleny.

The Bandy Bandy is a snake that lives predominately under the soil. They like to hunt and feast on blind snakes; however they will occasionally hunt above ground, usually after heavy rain.

Upon assessment Dr Stacey found Spot had a large laceration to the right side of his face and blood welling in his mouth. Once sedated, the wounds were cleaned and sutured and Spot was given pain relief, anti-inflammatories, anti-biotics and fluids.

Spot had the sutures removed after four weeks in care, and during that time also shed his skin without any problems. Snakes that suffer wounds that penetrate the scales can often have problems shedding their skin if there is a lot of scar tissue. It is important to allow them time to shed when they have had severe wounds to ensure they are able to survive in the wild upon release.

After a further week in care, Dr Stacey has now given Spot the all clear to be released back to his home after dark.

Bandy Bandy’s are nocturnal animals that are found in all habitats from rainforests to the desert. The unique pattern and colouring of the Bandy Bandy is beautiful and also acts as a defence mechanism. When agitated the Bandy Bandy contorts its body into one or more upright loops and thrashes about. This either is meant to scare off the attacker or confuse them enough to allow the Bandy Bandy to escape.

The Bandy Bandy is a venomous snake and like all snakes, should never be handled.

 

Ninja the Green Tree Frog

Ninja the Green Tree frog was admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital towards the end of February. One of the vets at the Australian Wildlife Hospital, Dr Peter, gave Ninja a thorough medical examination including an x-ray to determine the extent of damage. Ninja’s left hind leg had been injured so severely that his tibia was fractured; however, Dr Peter felt Ninja was a good candidate for surgery.

Weighing in at only 96 grams, Ninja was placed under anaesthetic and a breathing tube was inserted down his trachea so the anaesthesia nurse could control his breathing during surgery. A doppler was also placed under Ninja’s chest so the sound of his heart could be heard and monitored. Amazingly, Dr Peter used a one and a half inch, 25 gauge needle as the ‘pin’ for Ninja’s fractured leg so it could heal.

Surgery went very well and after waking up from anaesthetic, Ninja was placed in the hospital’s reptile Intensive Care Ward whilst he recovered from surgery. Within two days Ninja was eating and eagerly gulping down crickets and Dr Peter was extremely pleased with Ninja’s recovery and the healing progress of his hind leg.

Today, after a re-check, Dr Peter removed the tiny pin. X-rays showed Ninja’s tibia had healed and the fracture site was stable. Ninja has been energetically hopping around his enclosure chasing dinner and behaving like a healthy frog, so well in fact that Dr Peter has scheduled Ninja to be rechecked in three days. If all goes well, Ninja will be given a clean bill of health and he will be able to be released that same evening back home to the wild.

 

Archi the Koala

This weeks’ patient story is a heart breaking one.

Volunteer koala rescuers from the Moreton Bay Regional Shire responded to a call from a member of the public on Friday afternoon. The caller reported a koala was seen caught on a wire fence in the Morayfield area. The two rescuers were mortified with the scene that confronted them on arrival - a young and healthy male koala that had caught his right arm between two wire strands. Rescuers believe he got caught while he was trying to climb over the fence the night before and had fallen, dislocating and fracturing his shoulder, wrist and fingers. The poor boy, named Archi, had struggled to get free and damaged his arm further as a result of his body weight blocking the blood supply to his arm. Over the following hours flies laid eggs on his injured arm and ants were also swarming all over it.

The rescuers quickly cut Archi free and made an emergency dash to the Australian Wildlife Hospital where veterinary staff were waiting to help. Archi was sedated and lifted from the koala transport cage and placed under anaesthetic. Dr Amber untangled Archi’s arm from the wire and removed the ants so she could assess his injuries.

Sadly, Archi’s arm was cold and there was no blood supply moving through. Amputation wasn’t an option for Archi as a wild koala and wouldn’t be able to climb, in addition to the toxins that would have been released into Archi’s system when the pressure was removed from his arm. Dr Amber made the heart wrenching decision to euthanize Archi, which was the most compassionate and humane decision possible under the circumstances.

Many tears were shed for Archi that afternoon.

 

Batty the Little Red Flying Fox

Wednesday night a male Little Red Flying Fox was hit by a car and seriously injured in the Kawana area. The juvenile Flying Fox was named Batty by the person who found and transported him to the Australian Wildlife Hospital.

After being assessed and x-rayed by Dr Stacey, surgery was scheduled to repair Batty’s fractured left wing. The fracture site was mid-way along both the radius and ulna (bones in the wing) and there was also an open wound in that area. Dr Stacey stabilised the fractures by inserting a surgical pin in one of the bones, thus also stabilising the other close lying bone. The wound was then closed and Batty was prescribed pain relief, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and given sub-cutaneous fluids to help him recover.

In the 24 hours following surgery, Batty’s condition has stabilised and he has even been showing a healthy appetite for fruit, juice and nectar. When hungry he uses his long tongue to lap up the juice; his favourite being freshly squeezed watermelon.

Following reassessment, Dr Stacey sent Batty to a bat carer so he can be nursed back to full health. Generally Little Red Flying Fox cope better in captivity if they are grouped with other Little Red Flying Foxes in care.

Remember if you do discover an injured or orphaned bat, it is best to call a vaccinated bat rescuer as bats can carry disease that can be transferred to humans.

 

Godwin the Green Turtle

Last night a wildlife carer received a call for assistance regarding a very large Green Turtle stranded on rocks between Sandstone Point and Godwin Beach. A local man was taking a walk along the beach with his sons when he came across the injured turtle and realised it needed help. The Green Turtle had endured a possible boat propeller strike or shark attack, suffering injuries to the lower back section of its carapace with the tail and cloacal opening missing completely.

For the rescuers to access the beach with their vehicle, a Moreton Bay Regional Council worker was required to unlock gates and to assist. The ingenious carer used a pair of her husband’s old overalls to create a makeshift sling and together with her husband, a local man and the man from the Council, they lifted the turtle (later named Godwin) on top of the sling to carry the turtle to the waiting vehicle. With nightfall fast approaching and the tide coming in the rescuers carried Godwin 200m over slippery rocks back to their vehicle and to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for treatment.

Due to the nature of the injuries we don’t know if Godwin is a male or female turtle as the tail is normally the key to telling the sexes apart (females have a shorter tail than males). One of the vets, Dr Peter has prescribed pain relief and antibiotics and blood tests have shown Godwin is anaemic and weak. Dr Peter has treated and waterproofed the wound to the carapace and he plans to set Godwin up in a pool later today. In 24hours Godwin will hopefully be stronger, able to submerge and to swim before a reassessment for Dr Peter to decide if treatment should be continued.

One week later and it’s good news so far for Godwin – Godwin is able to submerge and is due for reassessment tomorrow. This turtle has beautiful big dark eyes, a gentle spirit and if there is hope of rehabilitation Godwin will be tenderly nursed back to health by the Australian Wildlife Hospital’s dedicated and passionate veterinary staff.

 

Miranda the Green Tree Snake Hatchling

Three weeks ago a member of the public arrived at the Australian Wildlife Hospital animal admittance area holding a container of reptile eggs. The eggs had been dug up by some workmen during earthworks on a rural property. After opening one egg to see what was inside and finding a baby snake, the property owner considered squashing the eggs. Fortunately one of the workers said he would take the eggs to the Australian Wildlife Hospital so the unhatched snakes could be saved.

An Ecologist from the Ecological Services Unit (ESU) of Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors identified the deceased snake from the opened egg as a Green Tree snake.

Green Tree snakes, as the name suggests, spend a lot of time off the ground travelling and hunting in trees (amazingly they are incredible climbers from the moment they hatch) and they are completely harmless.

This week the eggs started hatching and we had ten babies emerge over a two day period, of which they were taken and released in bushland at Cooroy Mountain. Three days later and a further five eggs had hatched, followed lastly one day later by little Miranda, the final Green Tree snake baby to emerge. All hatchlings have now been released back to life in the wild.

All snakes should be left alone, for our own safety and also their welfare. Remember all reptile species are protected and it is against the law to hurt or kill them.

 

Shirley and Timba the Bush Stone Curlews

Shirley is a Curlew that was admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital after being found lying on the side of a busy road near Caboolture. She was dehydrated, weak and had suffered bruising to her back, most likely the result of being hit by a vehicle. As Shirley is only a juvenile still unable to fly, she has been placed with bird carers who will care for her until she can be released in the coming months as a self sufficient adult back into the wild.

Timba was admitted a few days later and he comes from the northern suburbs of Brisbane. Timba was rescued from a storm water drain after a member of the public made the discovery after hearing Timba’s constant calling for his parents. A vet check showed Timba had sustained no injuries, but was cold and hungry. Unfortunately for Timba, having been separated from his parents for a prolonged period, there is no chance of reuniting them. Timba has therefore been placed with the same bird carers as Shirley and will be raised for release in the future.

Shirley and Timba are now adjusting to their new ‘parents’ and surroundings and are reportedly feeding well and eating loads of insects. They also sleep snuggled up side by side.

Bush Stone Curlews are listed as endangered or vulnerable in many states of Australia. Their numbers have been declining mainly due to habitat loss and predation. Curlews nest on the ground, relying on fallen timber to give their nest site protection and privacy. Their eggs and the flightless chicks are vulnerable to being trampled on by cattle or horses, slashers/motor mowers and being eaten by foxes, cats and dogs.

Camouflage is their best defence - they stay very still when approached and their feather colouring helps hide their appearance, so many times people walk right past them without even noticing. A nocturnal species, their eerie calls can be heard echoing across open paddocks and grasslands and that can sometimes be the only indication they are in an area.

 

Diva the Gould's Long-eared Bat

A licensed bat carer and rescuer admitted a gorgeous micro bat to the Australian Wildlife Hospital this week. The micro bat was identified as a Gould’s Long-eared bat and even though she is a fully grown female, she weighed only nine grams.

The micro bat, named Diva, was dehydrated and suffering an injury to her left wing, which was preventing her from flying. Fortunately x-rays taken showed the wing wasn’t fractured, just badly bruised, which is lucky for Diva. One of our vets Dr Stacey prescribed pain relief, anti inflammatory, ointment and subcutaneous fluids so Diva’s wing could heal. Diva has been placed in care with the licensed carer who rescued her and is expected to make a full recovery over the coming weeks.

It is important to remember that bats should only be handled by vaccinated bat rescuers as some bat species can carry disease, which can infect humans.

Micro bats are nocturnal mammals sleeping through the day in tree hollows, under loose bark and sometimes buildings. These roost sites are also used to rear young and sleep when inactive over the colder months, sometimes housing up to twenty-five bats in a single colony.

Gould’s Long-eared bats typically fly close to the ground when hunting to catch airborne insects or insects on the ground or on vegetation, then eating the insect while continuing to fly. All micro bats are natural pest controllers, consuming half their body weight per night in insects. Without the many micro bat species in the environment we would be plagued by insects.

 

Stumpy the Burton’s Snake Lizard

Last week, a wildlife carer arrived at the Australian Wildlife Hospital with a small unidentified “snake” that a neighbour had accidentally injured. The “snake” was in fact a Burton’s Snake Lizard and the lower third of its body was almost totally severed.

Named Stumpy, Dr Robyn gave her a full examination while under anethestic, and found the point where the injury had occurred was below Stumpy’s cloaca (bottom). A couple of centimetres further up and Stumpy would not have survived the injury at all. Dr Robyn surgically removed the tail and closed the open wound with stitches and was prescribed pain relief, anti-biotic and anti inflammatory.

The next day Stumpy laid two beautiful eggs, which are now being incubated and will hopefully hatch in the coming weeks. After giving birth, Dr Robyn decided Stumpy should be fed, which in itself proved to be a challenge. Burton’ Snake Lizards feed almost exclusively on small skinks, which they swallow whole. Feeding skinks to a patient was not possible, so Stumpy was instead tube fed a protein mix straight into her stomach.

This week Stumpy finished her medication and Dr Robyn feels the stitches will be able to be removed in another week’s time, after which she can be returned home to the wild.

Burton’s Snake Lizards are often mistaken as snakes as they only have tiny scaly flaps where there would normally be legs. They are in fact harmless and are quite beautifully marked lizards with a uniquely shaped snout design to tightly hold prey. Interestingly, like geckos, Burton’s Snake Lizards don’t have eye lids, instead using their wide tongue to moisten and clean their eyes. Burton’s Snake Lizards are commonly found across mainland Australia.

 

Annabelle the Platypus

The Australian Wildlife Hospital admits and treats patients 24 hours a day, 365 days a year including Christmas day. This is important as wild animals have no concept of 9am to 5pm or Monday to Friday and so many native species are nocturnal.

On Christmas day we had a rather uncommon patient admitted, a 345gr juvenile platypus from the Woodford area. Annabelle as she was named by her rescuer was found having difficulties swimming and submerging and seemed to be exhausted. On closer examination she was found to have paralysis ticks all over her body and was also thin and dehydrated. Annabelle was admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital where she had over thirty ticks removed and she was given subcutaneous fluids to help rehydrate her. She was identified as a juvenile and still dependant on her Mother for milk. The rescuer had noticed a larger platypus in the same water body so Annabelle was taken back so she could re-unite with the larger platypus who would hopefully be her Mother.

Sadly the larger platypus shunned her, so Annabelle was returned to the Australian Wildlife Hospital to be fed special milk formula while a platypus carer was contacted. Platypus carers aren’t as common because they need to complete separate extensive training relating to that species and the Government will only then issue a special license allowing them to rehabilitate platypus.

Annabelle will stay in care until she is weaned and learns to forage for herself. Platypuses have a very sensitive bill which they use to locate food in the gravel along creek beds, which includes mostly yabbies and insect larvae. Platypuses and echidnas are the only worldwide species classified as monotremes (egg laying mammals); making them quite unique species.

 

Harry the Bearded Dragon

Harry, the Bearded Dragon, was found by a member of the public and taken to a local Veterinary practise for treatment. The attending vet found a fracture to Harry’s hind right leg and damage to his tail, so Harry was subsequently transferred to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for specialised treatment.

Harry was given a thorough medical examination and an x-ray. He was found to be quite thin and his tail injury was actually an old injury that had already healed. The fracture to Harry’s leg was very serious and the vet decided surgery was the only option available to repair it. Harry was prepared for surgery and while he was under general anaesthesia, a surgical pin was inserted next to the fractured bone to help stabilise the leg.

As with all reptiles, fractures heal slower than in mammals. This meant that Harry had to be kept relatively quiet while the bone was healing, which isn’t that easy for a wild lizard! After eight weeks, Harry’s surgical pin was removed and he was allowed to start climbing to strengthen his leg. He was also kept on high calcium diet.

One month later, x-rays showed the bone had healed and Harry had regained his fitness. Harry’s vet was very pleased and this week gave Harry the all clear for release back to his bushland home.

 

Mercy, Hope and Courage, Ringtail Possums

Tragically last week, bushfires claimed the lives of many native animals, from koalas, wallabies, possums to bandicoots, carpet pythons, antechinus and many other native species. After seeing such devastation first hand, it was heart-warming to find animals that had survived and know that the dedicated vets and nurses at the Australian Wildlife Hospital were there to help them.

Thursday night after one of the bushfires had died down, wildlife rescuers searched for over three hours. However with the increasing limited visibility due to nightfall and smoke haze, a decision was made to resume the search at first light.

The next morning, against the blackened earth, ginger fur stood out like a beacon guiding one rescuer to an injured female Ringtail possum. The traumatised possum allowed the rescuer to gently wrap her in a towel and check her burnt body. Mercy, as she was then named, lifted her burnt face and looked up with big sad brown eyes, the rescuer told her in between sobs that she was safe now and help was coming for her and her babies. The rescuer could not even begin to imagine the terror this beautiful girl had experienced.

While Mercy was under aesthetic having her burns treated by Dr Amber, there was much excitement as a pouch check revealed both male joeys were uninjured. The twins named Hope and Courage were found to be OK with no burns or smoke inhalation. Somehow Mercy had managed to flee the flames and not drop either of her joeys from her bulging pouch. Mercy has burns to all feet and her face, but Dr Amber is confident long-term she will make a full recovery and return to the wild along with her boys.

 

Kreft Turtles

Just over three weeks ago, a member of the public was carrying out some landscaping and unearthed eighteen white cylindrical eggs. Not wanting to harm the unhatched youngsters, but realising the nest site was now disturbed and there was no other area suitable for relocation, she phoned the Australian Wildlife Hospital for advice.

The eggs were subsequently brought in to be incubated and although they were thought to be from a fresh water turtle, they were housed in a secure container and labelled for staff safety.

Out of the eighteen eggs, sixteen hatched and the other two were found to be infertile. All of the Kreft turtle hatchlings were healthy, readily catching and eating mosquito larvae and other small insects. The turtles were released in a waterway near where the eggs were initially laid with plenty of waterlilies and aquatic plants present to provide the hatchlings safety from predators, their main threat in the wild.

If you do ever see turtle hatchlings remember it is illegal to take them from the wild. Turtles can be kept as pets, but you must obtain a license and purchase a captive bred one from a registered breeder or pet shop.The decision to have a turtle as a pet should be given a lot of consideration as the cute 20-cent-sized hatchling will grow to the size of a small dinner plate within the first five years. Turtles can also live to over twenty-five years of age, so they are a long term commitment with specific requirements and needs.

 

Bowie the Koala

Our patient this week is a gorgeous koala named Bowie. He was found sitting on the road in Deception Bay by a member of the public, which is unusual behaviour for a koala.

Bowie was in quite poor condition and so was admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital and given a thorough assessment. Although there were no physical signs of trauma, it is thought that Bowie’s poor and weak body condition is a result of poor habitat availability and that he is a newly dispersing sub-adult koala.

Bowie is currently receiving anti-biotics for possible secondary infections and his condition will continue to be monitored by the vets.

Unfortunately habitat destruction, along with motor-vehicle accidents, domestic pet attacks and disease are the most common reasons wildlife are admitted to the hospital. Habitat destruction can leave wildlife ‘displaced’ or in areas where they cannot find suitable habitat to call home.

It is also interesting to note that Bowie’s eye colouring is unique – he has one brown eye and one blue eye, which is a genetic characteristic. This type of colouring is occasionally seen in koalas, but can be quite rare.

 

Blue Tongue Lizards: Blue One, Blue Two, Blue Three, Blue Four, Blue Five

Last Wednesday afternoon a call came through to the Australian Wildlife Hospital regarding a seriously injured female Blue Tongue lizard. A motorist noticed the lizard moving slowly across the road and pulled her car off to the side of the road so she could run back and “shoo” the lizard away from danger.

Unfortunately the driver of the car following was not as vigilant and the female Blue Tongue lizard was actually run over and her babies were scattered on the road where she lay. All babies were about two weeks off being born naturally, so they were all premature and many were also badly injured. The first motorist placed all the injured lizards in a t-shirt and rushed home to phone the Australian Wildlife Hospital for help.

However, when the rescuer arrived to collect the patients, the mother lizard had already died, but there was hope for some of her babies.

On assessment Dr Claude pronounced eight babies to be deceased, two needed to be euthanized as their injuries were too severe and the remaining five were set up in intensive care. I am pleased to report this week the baby blue tongues are now quite active, all are feeding and drinking well and all should be ok for release in a couple of weeks.

 

Wilbur the Mudlark

Wilbur the Mudlark was left with an injured wing on Sunday after being struck by a car. The incident happened at Golden Beach, Caloundra, and luckily for Wilbur a wildlife carer lived close by and was called to assist. Wilbur’s left wing was badly bruised making immediate flight impossible and far too painful.

Injuries that render birds flightless leave them susceptible to dog and cat attacks, wild bird predation or starvation as they are unable to move from food source to food source.

It is important that injured limbs are x-rayed to check for fractures which will need appropriate veterinary treatment. If a fracture is left to heal on its own, the bones can become misplaced causing them to heal crooked which makes flight and movement very difficult, impeding the birds’ long term ability to survive in the wild.

Luckily Wilbur’s x-rays were clear, showing no fractures, so Dr Stacey prescribed anti-inflammatories, pain relief and cage rest while the swelling and bruising subsides.

Wilbur will be due for reassessment in a week, at which time he will either be sent to the bird carer for further rehabilitation or released back home to the wild. He is certainly a lucky little bird considering he weighs only 80grams and a car weighs over a tonne, but most importantly someone took the time to stop and call for help.

Mudlarks are very common and widespread throughout Australia. They are more commonly known as the Peewee in New South Wales and Queensland.

 

Hooty the Southern Boobook Owl

Hooty is a Southern Boobook Owl that was found unable to fly properly due to an injured wing. Hooty was given sub-cutaneous fluids at a local vet surgery and then sent to a wildlife carer. The carer brought Hooty to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for x-rays, which showed a fractured right wing.

Due to the nature of the type of fracture and where it was located along the wing, surgery was not an option. Instead, one of our vets, Dr Stacey, wrapped the right wing with a figure-of-eight bandage to immobilise the wing while the bones healed. Dr Stacey also prescribed pain relief, anti-inflammatories and two weeks of rest and plenty of nutritional food for Hooty.

Hooty is now due to be reassessed in a couple of days and all going well, he will enter into flight rehabilitation stage of his recovery. This will help Hooty to regain his wing mobility and flight strength, which is so important for raptors, as they are predators.

Boobook owls are nocturnal hunters, feeding on small mammals and insects which they detect with their excellent vision and then immobilise with their long talons. Boobook owls are found right across Australia with habitats ranging from open to dense forests.

 

Dilution the Green Tree Snake

This week our featured patient is a juvenile Green Tree Snake named Dilution, who was admitted to the hospital suffering puncture wounds from a cat attack. On many occasions, patients that are admitted with injuries made by dog or cat bites will be prescribed a course of anti-biotics so infection doesn’t set in. The actual bite might not be life threatening, but if it is left untreated, the infection certainly may.

This little Green Tree Snake was given the name Dilution based on the tiny doses of medicine he has been prescribed by Dr Arana. When calculating how much medication to give to a patient, the vet bases this on the patient’s individual weight and as Dilution only weighs 16 grams, this makes his doses very small! Some of Dilution’s medication includes receiving a 0.0003mls injection of sub-cut anti-biotic.

Green Tree Snakes are common in suburban areas and are frequently encountered in backyards. These snakes are non-venomous and, as the name suggests, spend a considerable amount of time in trees and shrubs. When annoyed, they flatten their body showing their blue skin colouring, which is normally hidden under the green scales and they will also sometimes produce a foul odour.

Dilution is due for a re-check in seven days and if all is well he should be taken for release back to the Shorncliffe area. The Green Tree Snakes’ diet includes frogs and skinks; fully grown they can reach around 1.5 metres in length and be thicker than a ten cent piece.

 

Jacinta the koala

Early Saturday morning, a koala arrived from Arundel on the Gold Coast suffering horrendous burns sustained in a bush fire Friday night. The fire was thought to have been caused by a thoughtless person throwing a cigarette butt from a car travelling along the highway.

The fire destroyed an area of bushland roughly four to five football fields in size, and a known koala and wildlife habitat. Wildcare wildlife carer volunteers were unable to access the area Friday night as the bush was still burning fiercely and the danger from falling trees was ever present, making the scene very dangerous. At first light Saturday morning, the rescuers were able to search the burnt out area and this is when the koala was rescued and transferred to the Australian Wildlife under the expert care of a veterinary nurse. The seven-year-old female koala was named Jacinta and Dr Amber placed the critical patient under anaesthetic so she could assess the full extent of her injuries.

Jacinta’s fur was completely singed and left smelling strongly of smoke. Her nose was raw and swollen and her ears were blistered inside. All four paws were severely burnt and the top layer of skin was peeling off to reveal the raw swollen skin underneath.

Dr Amber treated and bandaged all of Jacinta’s paws and applied burn cream to her nose. Long term the burns should heal well but there is the risk of infection, so the bandages are carefully changed and the wounds checked every day. The most worrying aspect at present is the threat of Jacinta developing pneumonia due to her lungs being damaged by smoke inhalation. Currently Jacinta is on strong pain relief, antibiotics and fluids and the vets hope to see her well on the way to recovery in four to six weeks.

 

Cutter the baby Grey-headed Flying Fox

This week’s patient is Cutter, a nine day old orphan Grey-headed Flying Fox, who was found clinging to the body of his dead Mum. His Mum had been shot and she had died a couple of days earlier leaving a helpless Cutter unable to fend for himself. Fortunately Cutter was found and taken to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for emergency care and treatment.

The Vet examining Cutter found he was severely dehydrated as he had not had milk in those days since his Mum had died. He also was suffering from pneumonia which he developed over the cold nights struggling with no extra body warmth from his Mum. He was also covered in fly eggs and the maggots had eaten a ten cent piece size hole in his wing membrane. Cutter’s prognosis was bleak.

But being a courageous little fighter, Cutter has now stabilised to the point where he has been placed with a bat carer. He is currently fed 6mls of soy baby formula every four hours (around the clock) and he has even gained weight. Cutter will be with his carer for about four months and then he will be placed in a bat crèche with other orphans to begin preparation for life as a wild flying fox.

The Grey-headed Flying Fox is listed as vulnerable in the wild and as a species they are widely misunderstood. The role of Grey-headed Flying Fox is to pollinate native trees and disperse their seeds keeping the native forests healthy. This is accomplished as they feed on a tree’s flower pollen and nectar. Travelling from tree to tree, they transfer pollen as they go. They also feed on native fruits; as the seeds travel through their digestive system and leave the body in faeces, the seeds germinate many kilometres away from the parent tree. Keep in mind when a flying fox eats orchard fruit it is doing so because the natural food has been cleared and to survive it must eat every day, just like us.

 

Squirmy the Welcome Swallow

This week’s patient is a timely reminder that baby bird season is here in full swing. At this time of the year, the Australian Wildlife Hospital will have many baby birds admitted to the hospital as orphans. Many of these patients are merely fledgling birds learning to fly under the watchful eye of the parent bird.

Squirmy is a fledgling Welcome Swallow and the lady who found him did all she could to re-unite him with his parents, but as can sometimes happen the parent birds didn’t continue to feed him. Without help Squirmy would not have survived, so he was admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital and now he will go out to a qualified bird rehabilitator to be raised until he is able to be released successfully back to the wild.

So remember, on finding a young bird on the ground:

1. Check to see if the youngster is injured; if so take the patient to the Australian Wildlife Hospital (if you are unsure a vet can assess the youngster).

2. Look to see if there is a nest/siblings/parents close by.

3. If the youngster is uninjured, the best thing to do is simply place the youngster up in the original nest, (if needed, a make-shift nest made from an old ice-cream basin with drainage holes in the base will suffice, as long as you tie it securely to a branch in the nest tree and place a stick down into the basin so the youngster can climb out when ready).

4. And finally, make sure the youngster is out of reach of any passing dogs or cats, and stand well back and watch to see if the parents come down to feed. Most times the parents will continue to feed and the youngster’s attempts at flight will improve as the days pass. Some youngsters may need a helping hand more than once.

 

Odette the Black Swan cygnet

Odette is a Black Swan cygnet that was found badly injured in the backyard of a residence at Pelican Waters. This backyard borders a freshwater lake where a resident pair of Black Swans raises their cygnets each year; it was thought that Odette was one of their little youngsters. The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit responded to the call for help, collecting the injured patient and transferring her to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for treatment.

Dr Claude assessed Odette’s injury, which was found to be quite severe and requiring surgery. Odette was suffering a large open wound under her left wing which was thought to be the result of an eel attack. The deep wound was cleaned, sutured closed and finally bandaged to keep the area sterile.

Odette was prescribed pain relief, anti-inflammatories and anti-biotics and was placed in a warm humid crib whilst she recovered from surgery.

Two days later, Odette’s condition had stabilised so she was placed with an experienced bird carer while her injuries healed.

Odette’s bandages have now been removed, revealing only a scar where the deep wound had been. Dr Claude is very happy with Odette’s recovery so far and has given permission for her carer to allow Odette intermittent time in water. Dr Claude has scheduled Odette for another re-check in 7 days time.

Black Swans are found throughout Australia, but are more common in the south.

 

Sharpie the Carpet Python

Our patient this week is a carpet python that was accidentally hit by a whipper snipper as a person was cutting grass in their backyard. The python suffered two large lacerations running horizontally across his body, rendering him in desperate need of veterinary attention. The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit responded to the call for help and recovered the injured python from the Noosaville property to transport him to the Australian Wildlife Hospital at Beerwah where he was named Sharpie.

One of our vets, Dr Arana gave Sharpie a sedative injection to make him groggy, thus allowing her to place an anaesthetic breathing tube down his trachea. While under anaesthetic Sharpie’s wounds were cleaned and Dr Arana also delicately sutured the torn muscle tissue back together and finally closed the wounds. Sharpie was given pain relief, antibiotics and his stitches are due to be taken out in four to six weeks. In the long term, Dr Arana expects he will make a full recovery from his injuries and return to life in the wild.

 

Klondike the Lace Monitor Egg

During heavy rain on a day late January 2009, a member of the public noticed a sizeable egg washed out from under the edge of her in-ground swimming pool. Unsure of the type of creature that had laid the egg; she was less than enthusiastic about having it hatch in her back yard, so the egg arrived at the Australian Wildlife Hospital.

The egg was set up in a clear sealed container with damp vermiculite, placed in an incubator and clearly marked ‘Do Not Open’, due to the fact it was unidentified and could potentially be venomous. Each day staff eager to learn what species our little patient might be, viewed the egg to see if there was any evidence of hatching. Months went by with no change and there were thoughts that maybe the egg was infertile and would never hatch.

This week on a routine daily check (seven and a half months later), our patience was rewarded. There was evidence of slits in the egg casing! Finally our egg was hatching and it took a full 24 hours for the baby lace monitor to fully emerge. Our gorgeous youngster was named Klondike and is an absolute perfect miniature of an adult lace monitor, which can easily reach over two metres in length once mature.

Once hatched the young are completely independent and can move with considerable speed and agility. Little Klondike has now been released back to native bushland at Buderim, very close to the yard where his egg was originally laid. His major task now is to find food whilst staying out of view from predators that might view him as food.

 

Quandamooka the White Bellied Sea Eagle

Our patient of the week is a sub-adult white bellied sea eagle named Quandamooka. Quandamooka is the Aboriginal name for Moreton Bay, the area she was rescued from.

A very cold and wet Quandamooka was pulled from the sea by a Queensland Parks and Wildlife Ranger, who arranged for her to be transferred to the mainland via ferry. The ferry was met by one of the dedicated team members from the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit, who transported Quandamooka to the Australian Wildlife Hospital that same night.

Quandamooka’s veterinary examination revealed she was thin and suffering physical exhaustion, but thankfully no major injury or illness was discovered. She was set up for the night in an intensive care enclosure with a heat lamp, allowing her feathers to dry while she rested.

Her condition has greatly improved and she is now able to stand and perch and is feeding herself. Quandamooka has entered rehabilitation for a few weeks to allow her strength to increase and from there she will be released back to the freedom of Moreton Bay.

 

Majestic the Wedged-tailed Eagle

This week’s stunning patient comes from Goombungee, a farming district near Toowoomba. A local farmer found this wedge-tailed eagle entangled in a fence, thrashing about to free himself. Fortunately for the eagle, a wildlife carer was called to assist and the wedge-tailed eagle, later named Majestic, was freed from the wire.

Upon examination, Majestic’s wing was hanging low and the carer feared the wing might be fractured. A call was placed to the Australian Wildlife Hospital and a rescuer set out to collect Majestic. A very large cardboard box housed Majestic for the two hour trip back to the Australia Wildlife Hospital and thankfully he remained quite calm.

Dr Claude, one of the vets at the Australian Wildlife Hospital, assessed Majestic on arrival and found him to be mildly dehydrated and a little thin. Fortunately, x-rays showed no fractures and apart from two small wounds, Majestic was relatively ok.

After plenty of fluids and a good feed, Majestic had become a much feistier eagle. Experienced staff used extreme caution whenever handling Majestic due to the strength and the sheer size of his talons.

Dr Claude has now given permission for Majestic to move into rehabilitation, so his body condition can improve and he can build up his flight strength. He will then be released back out to the wild.

The wedge-tailed eagle is the largest bird of prey in Australia with a wing span of up to 2.5 metres.

 

Tonka the Squirrel Glider Joey

All marsupial females have pouches. The most likely species encountered in South-East Queensland are kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, possums, bandicoots and gliders. If you see a body, a simple pouch check can potentially save the life of a precious youngster, just like our Patient of the Week.

Tonka the Squirrel Glider joey was discovered along with his sister Ginny in the pouch of their dead mother. Her body was found early one morning by a member of the public in the front yard of their Glenview property.

Being pinkie joeys Tonka and Ginny’s eyes were still shut and they had not yet grown fur so they were completely reliant on their mother for warmth, milk and safety.

As Tonka and Ginny’s mum wasn’t discovered until daylight, both joeys were very cold and hungry, as is often the case when a nocturnal marsupial dies overnight.

Fortunately the Australian Wildlife Hospital has a special nursery with humidicribs for orphans like Tonka and Ginny and after being assessed they were placed in soft fabric pouches and tucked away in a warm humidicrib to allow their condition to stabilise. Two hours later; 14 gram Tonka and 12 gram Ginny were able to be given oral and subcutaneous fluids.

Sadly Ginny passed away later that afternoon, her little body unable to cope with her prolonged exposure to the cold night.

Tonka has been placed with a wildlife carer who feeds him milk formula every three hours throughout the day and night. The carer says Tonka is doing very well and now weighs 19 grams, his eyes are almost open and he is starting to grow fine fur.

 

Wombat the Koala

Members of the public at Toogoolawah found a koala on their veranda last weekend, which appeared to be blind in one eye. They were able to contain the koala in an upside-down laundry basket, while they called the Australian Wildlife Hospital for advice. The vets at the Australian Wildlife Hospital felt it was best that the koala was brought to the hospital to be assessed as she was very quiet.

The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit was sent out to meet the rescuers at a half-way point so they could bring the koala, later to be named Wombat, to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for assessment. The vets found that she was lactating – but was without her joey, which must have become separated from her. The people who found Wombat were able to locate the small koala joey and kept a watch over him 20 meters high in a eucalyptus tree through the night! As there were no medical concerns for Wombat, and she was coping well with her injured eye, the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit travelled out to Toogoolawah to reunite Wombat with her joey the next morning. It took the rescue team two hours of tree climbing to retrieve the little joey and reunite him with his mum! It was well worth the effort though, to bring back together these two very special koala patients!

It is coming up to the breeding season, which means wildlife is on the move. The Australia Wildlife Hospital sees a dramatic increase in patients at this time of year, so please be aware of wildlife on our roads.

 

Pinky-Pie the Koala Joey

This week our featured patient is a 555 gram female koala joey named Pinky-Pie. Pinky-Pie is an orphan and believed to be approximately six months of age.

Pinky-Pie was found by a family travelling along a road near Somerset Dam, after they stopped the car for a rest break. They heard high pitched squeaks coming from some bushes and on investigation found a distressed koala joey calling for her Mum. Unfortunately, Mum was nowhere to be found, so the family contacted the Australia Zoo Recue Unit for help.

Pinky-Pie was transferred to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for a check-up, she had minor injuries to her left front and hind paws, which Dr Arana treated, but otherwise she was in good health.

Pinky-Pie has been placed in care with an experienced koala rehabilitator who is also caring for Bluey, a six-month-old male koala joey orphan, who was found alone along a road in Obi Valley the very same day.

Both koala joeys are doing well and will be with their rehabilitator until they are weaned off milk formula at approximately 12 months of age. At that stage they will enter the Australian Wildlife Hospital ‘Koala Kindy’ where they will have minimal human interaction and learn to become totally independent. Somewhere between 16 and 18 months of age, both Pinky-Pie and Bluey will be released back to life in the wild. Pinky-Pie will return to the Somerset area, and Bluey back to the Obi Valley.

 

Ozzie the Osprey

This week an exhausted female osprey named “Ozzie” was rescued from a mud hole near Lake Cooroibah in the Noosa area. Ozzie was found desperately struggling to free herself but to no avail as her feathers were caked in a burden of heavy mud.

After arriving at the Australian Wildlife Hospital, Ozzie was given a full medical assessment and her feathers were cleaned to reveal her beautiful white and brown plumage. Following a vet check by Dr Arana, Ozzie was found to be in poor body condition (meaning she was very thin); otherwise there was nothing seriously wrong with her.

Ozzie is now strong enough to be able to stand upright and perch, she is also showing a good appetite for gar fish. In another two days Ozzie is due for a reassessment and at that point Dr Arana will make a decision on her future care.

In South East Queensland, wild pairs of osprey breed from June to August and will continue to use the same nest year after year by adding extra nesting material each season. Females lay between two to three eggs and incubate them for 40 days whilst the male brings her food. Once hatched, the chicks spend 42 days in the nest being fed by both parents and in the months after fledging, chicks may travel well over 20kms to find a mate and territory of their own.

 

Possum Magic the Brushtail Possum

Possum Magic arrived at the Australian Wildlife Hospital on 27 July, after she had been found quietly sitting on the ground (which is not usual behaviour for a possum), and especially considering it was during the day.

Tests results showed Possum Magic had rodenticide poisoning (she had eaten rat poison) and she was suffering internal bleeding. Such a life threatening condition in any patient, Possum Magic needed a blood transfusion to save her life. Thankfully all went well and she is currently regaining strength and has a healthy appetite, the nurses say – pink Lilly Pilly leaf is her favourite food at the moment. Possum Magic certainly needs her strength as she has a five month old joey in her pouch that is constantly suckling milk.

In coming weeks as Possum Magic makes a full recovery she will be able to return home with joey to her territory in Beerwah.

Everyone should be aware rodent poison can harm any animal, including pets, so careful consideration and thought is needed.

 

Cory the Tawny Frogmouth

The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit was called to a domestic practice Vet Surgery to collect an injured Tawny Frogmouth this week. The Tawny had been found by the side of a road by members of the public, and thought to be injured, was taken to their local vet.

Many Tawnys are injured by vehicles as they swoop down to eat moths that are attracted to the shiny headlights. Named Cory, he was found to have a broken wing as a result of colliding with a car. Fortunately for Cory, the break was mid-shaft of his ulna (a bone in the wings of birds) and was a stable fracture. The vet that was treating Cory was able to operate and insert a pin into his broken wing to hold the bones together whilst they heal. Cory will remain with us at the Australian Wildlife Hospital for a few more days before going to a wildlife carer who specializes in caring for Tawny Frogmouths.

While in the care of a rehabilitator, Cory will be placed with other Tawny Frogmouths so that he does not become ‘humanized’. Cory has also been prescribed with a treatment of anti-inflammatory medication and cage-rest until his wing is healed, and will then he will be placed in an aviary for ‘physio’ and flying practice. When Cory is strong and well, he will be released back to Burpengary.

Despite their owl-like appearance, Tawny Frogmouths are not closely related to owls. They get their name from their colour and the fact that they have a wide frog like mouth. They are most active at night, mainly in the few hours after dusk and just before dawn.

Be aware of wildlife that may be more active at night and keep an eye out for them while driving.

 

Elisa the Green Sea Turtle

Elisa is a Green Sea Turtle that was found by members of the public in April 2009. Elisa was stranded on a beach at the waters-edge of Gatakers Bay, Hervey Bay. She was rescued by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Officials and transported to the Australian Wildlife Hospital.

It is very difficult to correctly age marine turtles until a necropsy can be done, but we have estimated that Elisa is more than 40 years old. When Elisa was admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital, she weighed 65kg and was in poor condition with a sunken plastron and wasting of her shell. Initial blood tests showed that she was chronically anaemic, and had a fluke infection.

Elisa’s treatment included anti-inflammatory medication, vitamin supplements and anti-parasitic medication. Over the last two months, Elisa has almost eaten us out of squid! She would usually eat about 3kg of squid per day. In her first month of treatment she gained 10kg in weight! She was a pleasure for the nurses to feed, whilst many turtles need to be force-fed!

Elisa regained her strength and was doing all things that turtles should! Her blood results improved, and she was tagged and micro-chipped before being released this week.

 

Maverick the Northern Giant Petrel

Maverick is a male juvenile Northern Giant Petrel who was found by National Parks Rangers on Fraser Island two weeks ago. The Rangers found him in a weakened state - unable to stand or fly and weighing only 1.6kg. Maverick was transported by ferry across to Rainbow Beach where he was met by Seabird Rehabilitators and then transferred into their care. To help rebuild Maverick’s strength he was fed loads of nutritious food including up to 19 pilchards in one meal, also squid and salmon. He was also allowed lots of rest on special support foam to protect his feet from any pressure sores – a crippling condition known as “Bumble Foot”.

On Tuesday this week Maverick started showing signs of nasal discharge and slightly laboured breathing, so he was brought to see Dr Stacey. A test showed a mild respiratory infection and Maverick was prescribed antibiotics and antifungal medication. Maverick was also weighed during his check-up and he tipped the scales at a much healthier 4.1kg, all going well he will need to be re-checked by Dr Stacey in one week’s time.

Northern Giant Petrels are aggressive predators and scavengers, with females feeding mostly at sea, while males feed equally at sea and on land. These petrels have a maximum wing span of 210cm and the biggest threat to the species is drowning caused by long-line fishing gear.

 

Charlie the Magpie Goose

This weeks’ patient is a male juvenile magpie goose named “Charlie”. Un-characteristically for a wild bird, Charlie was reported to be approaching members of the public in a very tame fashion. Concerns were raised over his strange behaviour and also his welfare, so a local Wildlife Rehabilitator went out to investigate.

On arrival at the Australian Wildlife Hospital, Charlie was found to be quite thin; he exhibited no fear of humans and he readily ate food from a bowl. It is thought that Charlie has been raised by a member of the public and consequently he is showing imprinted behaviour. In this state Charlie is not considered releasable back into the wild; where he could starve, be attacked by a dog or worse? Charlie’s case has been submitted to the Species Management Program and he should find a suitable safe home in a Zoo or Wildlife Park.

If you find an uninjured orphaned native animal, it is vital to take it to a trained Wildlife Rehabilitator for care. All Queensland Wildlife Rehabilitators must hold a current license issued by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), and also be trained in all aspects of caring for the particular species of native wildlife their license covers.

 

Blair the Koala

Our Patient of the Week is a 4 year old male koala named Blair.  Blair has a rather traumatic past, as this is the third time he has been admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for lifesaving treatment.

We first came to know Blair in June 2008 after he had been mauled by a dog.  He was admitted to the Hospital in a critical condition suffering shock, fractured ribs, a fractured clavicle and other trauma.  Two months later, after around-the-clock veterinary care, Blair had made a full recovery and he was released back to his own territory in the Cleveland area.

Nearly three months later, tragically Blair was struck by a vehicle while trying to cross a busy road.  Once again he arrived at the Hospital in a critical condition suffering shock, a fractured left elbow and other trauma.  This time Blair spent two and a half months in care and was lovingly nursed back to full health.  Again he was released back to his own territory in the Cleveland area (as the State Government legislation requires us to do).

This week, not six months after he returned home, he was again hit by a vehicle while trying to get across another busy road.  Watching the veterinary staff working to stabilise him, trying to save his life was heart-breaking.  This time he has a dislocated hip and possible spinal trauma; he is in a critical condition, and we don't know if he will survive this third trauma.

How much can one brave little koala endure?  Thankfully Blair is receiving the best 24 hour care available - but what is his future, even if he does pull through?

 

Stinky Lar-Roo the Eastern Long-necked Turtle

Stinky Lar-Roo is an Eastern Long-necked Turtle (freshwater) who unfortunately was hit by a car as she was crossing a road.  Many people are surprised by how far freshwater turtles will travel from creeks and dams, and they can often be seen crossing roads, particularly in wet weather.

Stinky Lar-Roo got her name from the unfortunate pungent odour that is released from Eastern Long-necked Turtles when they feel threatened.  She is one of the lucky turtles we have admitted to the Hospital as her shell was fractured on the under-side (plastron) but the fracture was stable and not displaced, and so we were able to repair it.

It takes a number of months for fractured shells to heal, and care must be taken that no fungal infections develop at the fracture site.  Stinky Lar-Roo is very shy, but is coping with her treatment and rehabilitation very well. The fracture is already starting to heal and she has been allowed in water again for a swim which she really enjoyed!

 

Forest the Eastern Brown Snake

Forest is a large Eastern Brown Snake that was brought into the Australian Wildlife Hospital in April by a member of the public in his backpack (not recommended) after noticing his skin was not normal.

Upon arrival at the Australian Wildlife Hospital he was examined by Dr Claude who determined he was suffering from severely infected dermatitis. His skin was sloughing off and he was almost dead and in a very depressed state.

He was started on a course of antibiotics and over the last couple months has shed his skin 4 times. With each shedding his skin improved dramatically and he became more alert and feisty each day.

After his fourth skin shed Dr Claude decided he was ready for release. Two members of the Australia Zoo rescue unit collected him and today (11/6/09) successfully released him back into the wild.

 

Whitlam the Koala

Whitlam is a 6 year old koala that came to the Hospital from Helensvale on the Gold Coast.  It appeared that Whitlam lost his grip in a large eucalypt and fell from the tree and landed on a concrete driveway.

Thankfully, the residents at the property were home and heard the thud and went outside to investigate.  They kept a close eye on him until a volunteer wildlife rescuer arrived.

Whitlam suffered a fractured jaw which was surgically repaired by inserting a plate and screws.   The Australian Wildlife Hospital has been at the forefront of this type of life-saving surgery for koalas.   In years gone by, old-school veterinarians argued that this couldn’t be done however, like many other koalas treated at the Hospital before him, Whitlam’s jaw has healed very well and this week      Dr Arana removed the plate. 

Whitlam will be in care for another few weeks and then will be released back to his original rescue site on the Gold Coast.

 

Skewer the Eastern Water Dragon

Our Patient of the Week was found within the grounds of Australia Zoo. If you have ever been to the Zoo you would have noticed the many Eastern Water Dragons that scoot all around the park. One of the Zoo Keepers found an adult Eastern Water Dragon with a very large thorn sticking out of her side.  

 

On close examination our vet found that the thorn, from a palm frond, had gone through the one side of the abdomen and was sticking out the opposite side!  She was aptly named ‘Skewer’ and underwent surgery to remove the frond.

In surgery our Vet found that the frond had pierced the stomach twice!  She was able to carefully remove the foreign body and repair the internal damage.  Skewer has received antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatment and is recovering well.   

 

We expect Skewer to be released back at Australia Zoo in the next two weeks.

 

Spitfire the Green Sea Turtle

Even the tiniest patients receive intensive care and attention at the Australian Wildlife Hospital.  Spitfire is a Green Sea Turtle hatchling.  He was found struggling in very shallow water, on the beach near Cape Moreton. He weighs only 25g!  His left front flipper had sustained an injury which prevented him from using it correctly and he was unable to swim out through the breakers to the open ocean.

Spitfire was contained and transported very quickly to the Hospital for medical attention.  Due to his injury and the struggle to survive, Spitfire needed to be given two antibiotics and two types of pain medication.  He also received fluids to assist in his rehydration.  While his injuries heal Spitfire will remain in the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital.

Green Sea Turtles are one of Australia’s ocean reptiles that require everyone’s care and attention as their numbers are declining rapidly due to urbanisation of their nesting beaches and injuries from boats, discarded netting and pollution of the ocean. 

If Spitfire grows to his full size he could weigh more than 150kgs and live to over 100 years old.

 

Wattle the Grey-headed Flying Fox

On the evening of Wednesday 6th May an experienced and vaccinated bat carer received a call regarding a flying fox entangled on a barbed wire fence at Palmwoods.  Equipped with a head torch, gloves, a towel and wire cutters, the carer was able to cut free the piece of wire fencing along with the entangled bat.

Realising the extent of injuries to the bat’s wing and her mouth, the carer then drove the patient down to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for specialised help to remove the barb wire. The carer christened the flying fox “Wattle” as she was found caught under a flowering wattle tree. Wattle was anaesthetised and then began the delicate work of freeing her left wing and mouth from the wire barbs.  After forty-five arduous minutes Wattle was freed and the staff could start treating her injuries.

Wattle had suffered tears to the membrane on her left wing, and also damage to her mouth as she tried to bite her way free.  The corner of her mouth was torn open 1 ½ cms across her cheek and this needed to be delicately sutured back together.  Wattle had also broken two of her upper incisors, but fortunately her canines were all intact.  Her wing was then covered with a specialised bandage to help with the healing and she was given pain relief, anti-inflammatory, anti-biotic and rehydrating fluids.

Wattle has now been placed in the care of her rescuer, who reports Wattle has been a very sweet natured and brave little girl. She especially loves to lap the nectar collected from fresh eucalypt blossom and other native flowers, but at present her mouth is still too sore to allow her to chew the flowers.

Grey-headed flying foxes are a nocturnal species and may travel up to fifty kilometres in one night searching for food, which is made up of nectar and fruit from native trees and shrubs. In the past ten years the total population has dramatically declined due to land clearing which has resulted in loss of habitat and food sources.

 

Desrae the Tawny Frogmouth

On 5 May 2009 a Buderim resident noticed a Tawny Frogmouth sitting in her front yard.  The Tawny appeared to have suffered an injury to her shoulder and was unable to fly to the safety of a tree.

The resident realised the Tawny needed help, so she phoned the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit on the Rescue Hotline 1300 369 652. Cory and Kate were on the scene in minutes and safely delivered the injured Tawny down to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for treatment.

Avian Specialist Dr Stacey masked down the patient, which is done by placing a breathing mask over the patient’s face and letting them breathe in a mixture of oxygen and anaesthetic gas.  The patient, who had now been named Desrae, was sleeping peacefully while Dr Stacey examined her and took X-rays.

X-rays showed a fractured left clavicle, so Dr Stacey gave Desrae some pain relief, anti-inflammatories and some fluids. He then recommended cage rest for the next couple of weeks while the injury heals.

Desrae will be able to leave the Australian Wildlife Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit for Birds in the next couple of days and go to a bird carer for the rest of her rehabilitation.

Desrae will need to come back in for a check-up in two weeks and, all going well, will be released back to her Buderim home.

 

Patch the Green Tree Snake

The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit went on a call-out for a Green Tree Snake that was unfortunately caught in a shed door - ouch!   The Rescue Unit brought him to the Australian Wildlife Hospital where our vet put him under anaesthetic so that she could properly assess his injuries.

It was found that Patch had two large open wounds, but was moving well.  He has subsequently undergone treatment to allow for healing of the wounds and is progressing very nicely.  We expect him to be released in the next few weeks - hopefully he will steer clear of doors and hinges!

 

Cotton Bud the Echidna

Cotton Bud was walking across a road at Mount Cotton when he was hit by a car last week.  A driver stopped to pick him up and took him to a local vet who then called the Australian Wildlife Hospital for advice.  One of our nurses picked him up from the surgery and brought him to the Hospital where our vet found that he had a fractured beak, which is a very common injury for echidnas hit by cars.

Fortunately for Cotton Bud his break is stable and able to be treated.  He is currently in the care of an experienced echidna carer for rehabilitation whilst the break heals.  Already the bones are granulating well  and hopefully he will start eating again soon.

Echidnas are not often seen but are fairly common residents of South East Queensland. They have a particularly strong sense of smell which they use for finding their food, which includes termites and other ants and also worms, beetles and larvae.  They have no teeth but use their sticky tongue to draw food into their mouths and they ‘chew’ it between their tongue and the bottom of their mouth. Echidnas are greatly threatened by loss of their habitat.

 

Gavin the Keelback Snake

Keelback Snake is a name we should all try to remember.  Gavin is a juvenile Keelback Snake that was injured when he was run over by a motor mower.  He was very lucky as he was seen immediately by the resident who was mowing and Gavin was brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital straight away. 

Dr Peter examined Gavin and found he had wounds to his tail that would require him to be kept in the hospital for a short stay.  Antibiotics were prescribed to kill any germs that may have infected the wounds, and a medicated paste to be placed over the wounds to seal them.  Gavin was then placed in a specially heated enclosure to assist him to get well.

Why should we remember Keelback Snakes?  Because they are one of the few animals that can eat TOADS.  This is a very special ability as toads are poisonous to most animals.  Keelback Snakes can be found in many urban back yards, and particularly like living near creeks or in low lying areas.  They are non-venemous and their main source of food is lizards, frogs, small fish and even tadpoles.

Gavin’s wounds have healed really well and he has been released this week to chase more of those pesky toads!

 

Shazza the Kookaburra

Shazza the Kookaburra was found on the ground at a busy intersection in Landsborough on Monday.   She appeared to be dazed and her rescuer had been loath to leave her unattended as dogs were roaming in the area.

On arrival at the Australian Wildlife Hospital Shazza was assessed by Dr Arana and found to be suffering from shock – possibly as a result of colliding with a car.  Whilst Shazza was reluctant to fly, she was able to stand and support herself comfortably on a perch.  Dr Arana confirmed that there were no broken bones but prescribed Shazza some anti-inflammatory medication to ease soreness suffered from the impact.  Later in the day Shazza was offered a tasty meal of chunky beef pieces which she consumed with relish.

The next day Shazza was again given the opportunity to fly – this time she enjoyed her flight practice and didn’t demonstrate any discomfort at all.

Dr Arana has now given Shazza the green light to be released back to Landsborough when weather conditions improve.

 

Squirt the Squirrel Glider

Squirt is an adult female Squirrel Glider that was found in a peg bag on a washing line!  She was missing a finger on her left forearm and had an open wound.  She was brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital by the member of the public who found her and was given immediate treatment for the wound.  It is not known what caused the injury. 

Squirt convalesced in the Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit for the duration of her treatment and was released last Thursday evening.

The Hospital admits many gliders that have been victims of attacks by cats or caught on barbed wire.  Squirrel gliders can be seen in suburban gardens and dry forest and woodlands.  They are nocturnal and eat insects and nectar of local native flora.  You can have great fun spotlighting in your garden looking for gliders and possums.

 

Stripe-faced Dunnarts

Our seven tiny Patients of the Week are Stripe-Faced Dunnarts which are part of the Dasyurid group of animals. A miner found them when there was digging at a mine at McKinlay.  He waited for the mother to come back for them but, after a few hours, he realized that she was not going to return so he made arrangements to transfer the animals to the Australian Wildlife Hospital.

Our vet found that they were quiet and dehydrated, so fluids were administered and they were fed with marsupial milk.  The tiny Dunnarts weight just 3g each!  They will soon start to forage for spiders, insects and small reptiles. In times of plenty, fat is stored in the tail of the Dunnart. They are under threat from cultivation, fires and predation by foxes and cats in their habitat of grassland and shrubland.

 

Booma the Woma Python

Booma, a 2.1 metre adult Woma Python, came into the care of the Australian Wildlife Hospital recently after he was found on a dirt road on a property at St George with a stick protruding from the side of his body. He was taken to St George veterinary clinic who then called the Australian Wildlife Hospital for specialist advice to keep his condition stable and to arrange an emergency transfer.  The Australia Zoo rescue team met Booma’s rescuers at Dalby, completing the 6 hour road trip to the Hospital where he was immediately assessed by Dr Amber.

Booma subsequently underwent 4 hours of surgery to remove the forked stick which was believed to have been ingested along with some prey. The stick had travelled down his intestinal tract to within 6 cm of the end where it turned and punctured the intestinal wall, protruding outside of his body.

Woma pythons are an endangered species due to habitat loss. They hunt for prey in burrows and are a form of python that don’t have the heat sensoring pits found in other pythons.

Booma has recovered well from surgery, has a healthy appetite and, importantly, his digestive system is working well, which is a positive sign that the surgery was successful. He is expected to make a full recovery and be released back into the wild at St George in approximately two month’s time.

 

Black Beard the Frill-necked Lizard

Black Beard is the first Frill-necked Lizard ever to be admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital.  We get many calls about ‘frill-necks’ but, until now, they have all turned out to be Bearded Dragons!  Black Beard was found by a motorist on Murdering Creek Road, near Noosa - he had been hit by a car and suffered a broken leg and trauma to his tail.  He has been with us in care for over three weeks now and is recovering slowly but surely from his injuries.

The Frill-necked Lizard is probably one of Australia’s most famous lizards because of their impressive display of a widely distended throat when they are threatened.  They are commonly found in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and across northern Australia and rarely seen in south-east Queensland.

 

Agent M the Ringtail Possum

Agent M is a ringtail possum that was found on the ground at Maleny.  Wildlife carers were called and they immediately brought the sub-adult possum down to the Australian Wildlife Hospital at Beerwah. 

An x-ray showed that he had a broken hind leg and the bones were displaced, which would have been very painful for him.  Agent M was given pain relief and anti-inflammatory medication and kept stable overnight before having surgery to repair the fracture the next morning. 

Our vet placed a pin to join the broken bone together whilst it heals and Agent M is recovering well from surgery.  He will now be placed with an experienced possum carer who will take care of him whilst he recovers.  Once the bone has fully healed the pin will be removed and Agent M Will be able to be released back to the wild.

 

Carpet Pythons

Our reptile room at the Australian Wildlife Hospital is full of our cold-blooded friends that have different injuries and illnesses.  One of our current patients is Humpty - a cranky carpet python who, unfortunately, ate a porcelain dummy egg that was in a chook shed!  Luckily the home-owner found the snake resting in the coop as he was trying to digest the egg and was able to put him in a bag and bring him down to the Hospital.  Humpty underwent surgery to remove the egg and we are happy to report that he is recovering well and should be released soon. Hopefully he won’t make the same mistake again!

We have also been able to release two clutches of carpet python eggs recently.  Both sets of eggs were displaced when earth-works were being conducted and were brought to the Hospital for incubation.  Interestingly, some of the eggs hatched two snakes - not the usual one!  If you find any eggs in your garden that become displaced as you are digging etc, please call the Hospital and we will incubate them and then release the young when they hatch.

 

Ozzie the Koala Joey

Ozzie came to the Australian Wildlife Hospital on Australia Day, after having been rescued from the Cleveland area in Brisbane.  Curiously, he had been struck by a wheelie bin and the incident was reported to a local wildlife rescue group.  The rescuers could not locate Ozzie’s mother.

Dr Amber examined Ozzie on his arrival at the Hospital and assessed his age to be just 9 months.  He presented with some tenderness to his hind quarters, but fortunately he had not suffered any serious injury.  An x-ray revealed some inflammation to the lungs so he was prescribed a course of injections to address this.  He was also found to be anaemic, so was also prescribed a daily dose of vitamins.  

A couple of weeks on and Ozzie is doing well.  He has been placed in the care of one of our staff members who is also caring for a female joey of a similar age.  They enjoy each other’s company and playing together.  Follow-up blood tests and another x-ray this week revealed a pleasing improvement in Ozzie’s condition and he is adapting well to the experience of being in care. 

Ozzie will return to the Hospital’s Rainforest (pre-release enclosure) in about 3 month’s time, before being released back to the wild.  

 

Twinkle the Gould’s Wattled Micro-bat

Twinkle is a 9g juvenile Gould’s Wattled Micro-bat- and, like most juvenile Hospital patients, she got herself into the wrong place at the wrong time, and managed to get caught by a household cat!  The cat’s teeth tore through her wing membranes and made about 5 holes in her left wing.  Luckily the teeth missed her body- usually when micro-bats have puncture wounds in their body they die of infection. Twinkle had to be prized out of the cat’s mouth and was brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital where antibiotics, anti-infammatory medication and pain killers were administered. Twinkle has made a terrific recovery in the care of an experienced bat carer and is ready to be released.

Gould’s Wattled Micro-bats have the uncanny ability to fold their ears like a piece of origami so that they can move around in their roosts. They roost mostly in tree-hollows and are insectivorous bats that catch their prey by scooping it in their tails, and eating it ‘on the wing’- that is, as they are flying. They can be found across Australia bar the Cape York peninsular.

 

Chicky-Babe the Yellow-billed Spoonbill

This very cute Patient of the Week was brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital by a wildlife carer from Bribie Island.  He was found on the ground having fallen from the nest.   Chicky-Babe is a Yellow-billed Spoonbill - an uncommon species to be admitted to the Hospital. Fortunately, Chicky-Babe was found to be healthy and had escaped injury from the fall.  He was subsequently sent to specialist bird carers who have reported back to the Hospital that he is doing very well and enjoying his diet of whitebait and pilchards!

Yellow-billed Spoonbills are common residents of wetland areas and can be found in shallow swamps, fresh and brackish waters, dams and small pools. They feed by sweeping their bills from side to side in the water and any prey in the water that touches the bill triggers it to shut immediately. Yellow-billed Spoonbills grow quite large - up to 80-90 cm tall. Chicky-Babe will be released back to the wild when he is old enough to survive on his own.

 

Bazza the Pacific Baza

Bazza was found on the ground at the Woorim Golf Club on Bribie Island. He was bleeding from two puncture wounds to his back and unable to fly. He was rescued by an experienced bird carer and brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for assessment. He has now been admitted and has begun a course of antibiotic and anti-inflammatory medications.

Bazza is eating on his own which is a great sign that he is on the road to recovery.  He should go to a raptor rehabilitator soon for flight practice before being released back to the wild.

The Pacific Baza is a medium-sized, long-tailed hawk with a prominent crest - the  crest and their boldly barred abdomen make this bird of prey very distinctive.

 

Gigantor the Lace Monitor

Gigantor is a Lace Monitor that was rescued by a Reptile carer when he was found dragging his body across a road. When he first presented to the Australian Wildlife Hospital Gigantor was quiet but was able to move all his limbs. X-rays showed no obvious fractures, but as it was obvious he was in a great deal of pain the vet started him on pain relief. Over the following few days he showed a slight head tilt which suggests he had suffered some neurological damage. Gigantor is now climbing well and eating on his own, however he will remain in Hospital until he has fully recovered.

Lace Monitors, also known as Goannas are found over most of the southern hemisphere, from Africa to southern Asia and Australia. Different species of monitors have evolved to a semi-aquatic mode of life; others are tree-dwelling whilst others have adapted to live in the harshest deserts.

It is not unusual to find Lace Monitors in suburban areas of South East Queensland. We have two others in care at the Hospital currently - one of which was also hit by a car, and the other was attacked by dogs. One should be cautious when approaching Lace Monitors as they can bite and may do some serious damage as they whip their tails in defense.  You will quite often see Lace Monitors in picnic and BBQ areas but please enjoy observing them from a distance and do not feed them as they will start relating people to food which can cause Lace Monitors to act in an aggressive manner if people then don’t share their lunch with them.

 

Brisbane River Turtles

You may remember our Patient of the Week, Salada the beautiful Brisbane River Turtle who was admitted after she had swallowed a fishing hook. Whilst she was under anesthetic she laid six eggs which staff at the Australian Wildlife Hospital incubated.

Salada recovered well after her surgery to remove the hook and she was released to the wild where she would have laid the remaining eggs (Brisbane River Turtles lay approximately 15 eggs). After about six weeks the little eggs hatched in the incubator and the cutest little turtles came out! Staff kept them contained for a few days before releasing them back to Sandgate, where their mum had come from.

The eggs had to be kept at a constant temperature of 29 degrees with high humidity, and they all hatched within a 24 hour period. Turtle hatchlings are independent from when they hatch. Of the 15 eggs that are usually laid, sadly only one to two of those are expected to reach adulthood.

 

Mr Andy the Pelican

On New Year’s Day a pelican became entangled with fishing line and lures for the second time in his life. He was found at the Powerboat Club with a hook embedded in his leg. He was rescued by seabird carers and brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for treatment. ‘Mr Andy’ had a mass of granulation at the hook site and the wound was flushed and bandaged with a special dressing. He will have a course of antibiotics and, all going well, will be ready for release in a few weeks.

The rescuers believe that he is the same pelican they rescued and cared for in August 2008. He was found at Bulcock Beach at that time with a few fishing hooks embedded in his tissue and  he was successfully released after treatment. The rescuers were able to identify him by the scar tissue from the previous injuries and also by his cheeky character!

We urge all fishermen to dispose of their used line and tackle in rubbish bins so that our beautiful wildlife does not get entangled in it.

 

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