Home > In the Media 2008
Koalas need your help - fund research to
prevent extinction
News source: Sunshine Coast Daily
23 September 2008
By Amy Remeikis
Can you imagine a Queensland without koalas?
With the rate the marsupials are disappearing, without help, it’s a Queensland we could discover all too soon.
With koala populations in other states not faring any better, those in the know knew it was beyond time for action.
Yesterday, the Australian Wildlife Hospital at Australia Zoo, Beerwah, announced it would establish a koala disease research fund with the aim of raising $1.2 million to help research into koala diseases over the next three years.
An alarming number of koalas are falling victim to diseases, resulting in a dramatic population decline.
Koala chlamydiosis is probably the most well recognised disease of Australian wildlife.
It causes blindness, infertility, urinary tract infection and kidney failure, and sometimes pneumonia and flu-like syndromes.
However leukaemia, bone marrow failure, cancers and immuno-deficiency syndrome are showing up more and more in koalas presented to the AWH and other wildlife treatment facilities.
All these diseases are suspected to be associated with a koala retrovirus infection which has been detected in all koala populations tested to date, both captive and wild, in Queensland.
It has been detected in several koala populations sampled in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
Dr Jon Hanger, from the AWH, said the fund had been kick-started by a single donor who pledge $230,000 to the cause.
“Research into diseases in wildlife is notoriously under funded by the Australian Research Council and other funding bodies,” he said.
“We are now realising how urgently we need to understand these devastating diseases in koalas as we witness their rapid decline towards extinction,” the doctor said.
To donate to the research fund, or for more information, visit www.wildlifewarriors.org.
Youths attack koalas
News source: Sunshine Coast Daily
11 August 2008
By Hayley Nissen
A koala and her joey are recovering at the Australian Wildlife Hospital at Beerwah after a gang of youths attacked them with rocks and sticks.
The attack happened on Friday at the Jim Akers Park in Kallangur. However, they are the lucky ones.
Residents said the youths had previously killed a male joey, dumping it in a bin where it was later found by volunteer rescuer Anika Lehmann.
Staff at the hospital yesterday revealed the joey had sustained injuries consistent with being bashed or clubbed, including a broken right arm, crushed skull and damaged eye.
"We've been rescuing animals for eight years now and I thought I'd seen it all," Mrs Lehmann said. "It was pretty devastating."
Mrs Lehmann was alerted to the attack on the mother koala, Mary, by local resident Glenn, who was walking his dog in the park, saw what was happening and intervened.
"We got a call on Friday from Glenn about stones and sticks being thrown at a koala and we went out there.
"We got the cherry picker in and got her out and took them to the hospital."
In the meantime, Mrs Lehmann said Glenn was speaking with another local resident about the attack who said she had previously seen the same gang kill a young koala and put in in a bin, but was too scared to approach them.
Sadly it appears this is not an isolated incident after a canvas of the neighbourhood by Mrs Lehmann turned up many more sad stories of animal cruelty, seemingly by the same gang of men aged between 20 and 25 years.
One resident claimed to have seen a row of cane toads nailed to a tree, while another spoke of finding a string of dead magpies tied around one of the big gum trees and other who said his cat had been gutted and placed in his car, where he later found it.
"While we were talking to a few of the residents it turns out they are all terrified," Mrs Lehmann said.
"What we're trying to do now is get in contact with as many people as we can who saw the attacks so we can give it to the police."
Mrs Lehmann and her husband Henk went back to the park yesterday after another call from Glenn, who said he was afraid the gang would come back for two other koalas. Anyone who has witnessed wildlife attacks in the area can contact Mrs Lehmann at the Caboolture Koala Care and Rescue on 3425 3820.
Petrie police Sergeant Greg Hurst said anyone found responsible could be charged with unlawfully killing protected wildlife.
Disease, loss of habitat results in
a koala crisis
News source: Sunshine Coast Daily
27 July 2008
By Amy Remeikis
The Australian Wildlife Hospital's Dr Jon Hanger tells of the koala's desperate plight in our region ...
There is a group of Aussie battlers out there who need your help.
For years they have been chased from their homes.
Ravaged by diseases.
Starved.
Attacked.
And all this time they have suffered in silence.
With the situation having reached crisis point, those in the know have warned us it is time to act or we will lose the koala forever.
The news that koala populations in the wild are under threat is nothing new.
But their plight has slipped from the national consciousness.
Urbanisation continues to be one of the biggest dangers to the dwindling population, with development bringing a loss of habitat, dogs and other predators, and motor vehicles.
Across south-east Queensland, more than 2000 sick and injured koalas are presented to wildlife organisations each year.
The Australian Wildlife Hospital at Beerwah treats 600 of those animals and only one third can be released back into their natural environment.
Releasing those which can be saved, rehabilitated or have been hand-reared is a common enough practice, but up until now, not much has been done to track the success of those animals after they are reintroduced, or as the case may have it, introduced into the wild.
With financial support from Zarraffas Coffee, the AWH and University of Queensland have spent the past year following the progress of 10 koalas which, up until their release, had never lived independently.
The six females and four males ranged in age from 15 months to two years and eight had been hand-reared, while the remaining two had been raised by their parents in care.
The Australian Wildlife Hospital completed a progress report into the koala research project last month.
The results were both heartening and disappointing.
Heartening because within the first year, the koalas took to their new environment in the Australia Zoo-owned conservation property in the north-east of the Darling Downs without major problems.
A rural conservation site was chosen to limit the impact from urbanisation - three of the most common reasons for koala deaths being domestic dog attack, motor vehicle incidents and disease.
Because of its setting, the 1396 hectare Ironbark Station reduced two of those likelihoods.
The koalas exhibited normal behaviours. They selected a tree preference, established home ranges and utilised their habitat in a way which is normal for a koala in the wild.
The females created home range patterns closest to the release site, while the males took their exploring a little further - one travelled 14 kilometres from the release site.
All except one of the six females produced offspring.
Three of the koalas needed medical attention.
One of the males had contracted chlamydiosis, a potentially fatal disease which can lead to blindness, infertility, urinary tract infections and pneumonia. It is at epidemic level in koala populations. He required a two-week hospitalisation period, while one of the females developed reproductive cysts resulting in infertility and needed surgery.
The biggest blow to the team was when one of the females was diagnosed with lymphoma and had to be euthanised.
These results have told researchers that while there are no real problems with releasing hand-reared koalas into their natural habitat, they are still susceptible to the diseases which have ravaged their population.
"It shows that, even in a secure habitat, the koala population is suffering from disease," Dr Jon Hanger said.
"The koala population is in huge trouble. We have grave concerns for the future and sustainability for the koala, particularly in south-east Queensland.
"We recently inspected a koala population which was living in a proposed development site. Of the 13 koalas in that population, two needed to be euthanised and another five had to be hospitalised. More than half that little population was sick.
"That tells us we are not dealing with a tough species which can handle development and encroachment.
"We are dealing with a species not able to withstand the impacts of urbanisation. If we don't do something, we are going to lose them in this area."
In south-east Queensland, the koala is listed as vulnerable.
Dr Hanger said the only way to change this was if people started paying attention to conserving their habitat.
"Koalas, even in remote regions, are showing signs of disease," he said.
"There needs to be more value placed on conserving these animals at all levels of government. Government should invest in the resources necessary to protect habitat, and monitor and prevent the koala population from further decline.
"We have seen a massive decline in the last 20 years.
"We may not be able to do much about the major issue of disease just yet. But there is a lot we can do about their loss of habitat.
"People just need to start acting again - start pressuring the government to do something.
"This is a situation we can do something about."
Ely barely survives grilling
News source: The Courier-Mail
15 July 2008
By Glenis Green
BELTED by a car and hauled 12 km, but this lucky koala dodges death.
He's got to be the luckiest koala in Queensland - not only surviving being hit by a car travelling at 100 km/h, but also a harrowing, fur-raising 12 km ride with his head stuck through the vehicles front grille.
So it's no wonder the staff at the Australian Wildlife Hospital at Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast have dubbed the 8-year-old marsupial Ely "Lucky" Grills, after the late TV Australian actor with the same name.
Astonishingly, little Lucky suffered no serious injuries in the unusual car versus koala clash.
This was even though initial rescuers who saw him stuck to the car and alerted the unsuspecting driver believed he had been decapitated.
It turned out the koala's body was dangling from the front of the car, but his head and left arm had been forced through the grille with the force of the 100 km/h impact.
Zoo staff yesterday said the accident had happened on Dayboro Road near the Petrie Quarry on twilight last week - with the driver unaware of her unusual hitchhiker until she stopped 12 km later at Petrie Train Station.
An urgent call was made to the Caboolture Koala Care and Rescue group, with member Rhonda Hay undertaking the delicate job of using a pair of scissors as "jaws of life" to cut around the car's grille mesh to release the animal.
While in shock for a while, Lucky was able to sit up and start eating after two hours in the hospital's intensive care ward.
Hospital manager Gail Gipp said the koala's story underlined the need for drivers to always be alert for wildlife on roads and be prepared to stop and seek help in the case of an accident.
"Koalas are more likely to be on the move over the course of the next few weeks coinciding with the onset of the koala breeding season," she said.
"We ask drivers to exercise particular caution when travelling in koala habitat areas."
Ms Gipp said that because koalas were bumper-bar height, they were vulnerable to suffering severe injuries from even the slightest car hit, highlighting how fortunate Lucky was to survive unscathed.
In keeping with his new name, the hospital's veterinary team discovered Lucky was also suffering an underlying chlamydial infection, for which he is now receiving full treatment. He should be released back into the wild in 45 days.
Ms Gipp said last year nearly a quarter of the hospital's 5000-plus admissions were animals that had been hit by cars.
Koalas catastrophe
News source: The Courier-Mail
5 July 2008
By Glenis Green
Furry friends ravaged by disease
peril ...
It has always been an iconic Queensland image - a grinning tourist cuddling that most endearing of living fluffy toys, a koala.
But will images and photographs be all that's left of the state's koala population in less than 15 years?
After years of conservationists sounding warnings about the threats from urban pressures, a leading researcher has now said bluntly that koalas could soon be just a memory in the southeast and even throughout Queensland without serious government management.
Director of veterinary services at Australia Zoo's Australian Wildlife Hospital on the Sunshine Coast, Dr Jon Hanger, said new ground-breaking research had shown that koalas were not only being killed off by declining habitat, dogs and traffic but also an insidious virus causing widespread cancers and AIDS.
"It's a very real epidemic and the Government has not recognised that," Dr Hanger said this week.
"This is not a robust species. It's a species on the edge and we're already looking at extinction along the coastal strips and still the Government is pushing ahead with plans for tens of thousands more houses."
Dr Hanger said he did not think the Environmental Protection Agency had either the will or the power to stand up to the Government.
It needed better resources and wider powers to better protect habitat and wildlife.
"We're either serious about conservation or we're not ... we need to get realistic about management options to conserve koalas, such as translocation to safer areas after rehabilitation (which at the moment breaches EPA policy)," he said.
But an EPA spokesman said a 10-year koala conservation and management program implemented in late 2006, to which $2.145 million had been allocated over four years, was already under way to balance rapid urbanisation with the needs of the koala.
"The Koala Plan has been in operation for less than two years and it will take time to show positive results," he said.
Dr Hanger said while there was good news that 12 months of research showed hand-raised koalas could survive in the wild, the bad news was that diseases were now killing at least 50 per cent and up to 80 per cent of wild koalas prematurely.
The main killer was koala retrovirus (KoRv), which caused AIDS-like immune deficiency diseases and a range of cancers.
There was also chlamydiosis, which caused conjunctivitis, urinary and reproductive tract problems which could lead to blindness and infertility.
"We did a survey and the average age of death for koalas is six years while they should be living to 12-14 years," Dr Hanger said. "Just imagine if this happened in the human population and you had all these people dying at 40 - there'd be a huge outcry."
Dr Hanger said the Australian Wildlife Hospital research project done with the University of Queensland and sponsored by Zarraffa's Coffee company, had demonstrated that the practice of hand-raising koalas was successful - with seven of the 10 koalas in the subject group surviving in the wild without human intervention and another two surviving with medical treatment.
But health checks confirmed suspicions the group was not immune to diseases prevalent among wild koalas - with one of the males contracting chlamydiosis and associated prostatitis, one female developing reproductive cysts and another fatal lymphoma.
AIDS-like virus threatens Qld koalas
News source: The Canberra Times
4 July 2008
By Rosslyn Beeby
KOALAS across Queensland are dying from the spread of an AIDS-like virus which weakens their immune system, and could become extinct within 15 years, a leading researcher says.
"We're seeing a 100 per cent infection rate in the populations we're studying. On those figures, it should be considered a disease epidemic," Australian Wildlife Hospital research director Jon Hanger said.
The disease, known as koala retrovirus, was genetically sequenced by Dr Hanger in 1999 and has been linked to 80 per cent of deaths in captive koalas in Queensland from leukaemia, lymphoma, malignant tumours and immune deficiency disorders.
The spread of the virus, combined with loss of habitat caused by urban development, has already made "localised extinctions of koalas commonplace in some areas of Queensland," Dr Hanger said.
"We are losing the battle, and koala populations in smaller fragmented habitats are doomed to extinction.
"We have hammered our biodiversity like you wouldn't believe. If you look at a map of Australia on Google Earth you'll see how few fragments of native vegetation are left across the continent. We have gone way beyond the tipping point for many of our ecosystems."
State and federal governments failed to understand the severity and impact of the fatal retrovirus and were relying on "antiquated legislation" to conserve Australia's koalas, he said.
Current laws protecting Queensland's koalas did not address new demands to conserve the species, such as hand-rearing of orphaned joeys, translocation to new habitat, rehabilitation of injured wildlife or the need to protect food trees and habitat.
"They were written at a time when the main aim was to make it illegal to kill or collect koalas. They need to be urgently revised to factor in threats posed by climate change, the rapid spread of disease and urban development."
The Australian Wildlife Hospital and University of Queensland issued yesterday a progress report on a study tracking movements of hand-reared young koalas released on to a rural conservation property on the Darling Downs.
Dr Hanger said the greatest distance travelled was 14 km from the release site and reproductive success was high among the group. But the koalas also had to contend with the risks of feral dog attacks, "misadventure associated with interaction with cattle", clearing of trees by local property owners, and worsening drought conditions.
Dr Hanger's predictions regarding local extinctions of koalas follows new research published earlier this week in the international science journal Nature. It warns the risk of species extinctions has been grossly underestimated due to a mathematical "misdiagnosis" and is likely to be 100 times greater than current estimates.
The study, led by Brett Melbourne of the University of Colorado, claims methods used to determine species at risk of extinction have overlooked key factor random differences between individuals in a given population. These differences include physical size, sex ratios, and behavioral variations that can influence survival rates and reproductive success.
"When we apply our new mathematical model to species extinction rates, it shows things are worse than we thought," Dr Melbourne said.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature currently estimates more than 16,000 species worldwide are threatened with extinction - one in four mammals, one in three amphibians and 10 per cent of the world's birds.
Dr Melbourne said these figures should be "revised upward by a large amount".
Steve's wildlife wish
News source: Sunday Herald Sun
29 June 2008
By Jane E. Fraser
THERE is a well-rehearsed dance going on in the Australian Wildlife Hospital
on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
Khaki-clad vets, nurses and volunteers two-step and tango around one another, treating sick and injured wildlife in a space no bigger than the average lounge room.
Every now and then someone calls "X-ray" and the khaki crew makes last checks of patients before quick-stepping outside to avoid the radiation.
In the former avocado packing shed, next to Australia Zoo at Beerwah, there is no such luxury as an X-ray room, or even an operating theatre.
A red line on the floor marks the sterile zone around the operating table and the intensive care unit doubles as a staff tea room, not that anyone ever seems to sit down.
Yet, the tango will soon be over, with builders putting the finishing touches on a spectacular new $5 million wildlife hospital next door to the old shed.
In a few weeks, the hospital staff will be gliding across 1300 sqm of purpose-built operating rooms, X-ray and CAT-scan rooms, ambulance bays, quarantine areas, general treatment areas and other facilities that will raise the level of care to a new level.
Importantly for visitors, the hospital has been designed to accommodate spectators, with huge glass panels around operating theatres and animal treatment areas.
Whatever is happening on the day is what visitors will share.
It may be an emergency operation on a koala that has been hit by a car, the examination of an endangered turtle with a torn flipper, a final check on an animal that is ready to be released in the wild or the hand feeding of orphaned animals.
The Australian Wildlife Hospital, which is run by the late Steve Irwin's conservation charity Wildlife Warriors Worldwide and is set to be the world's biggest wildlife hospital, promises to be a memorable addition to a visit to the adjacent Australia Zoo. A big part of Irwin's vision for the hospital, which he intended to dedicate to the memory of his mother, was to encourage people to come to see the work being done.
"It is all about education. People don't care about what they don't come into contact with," says hospital manager, Gail Gipp. "Having the glass walls gives us the opportunity to operate in a much more clinical way, without cutting off access for people. And it means people can come and see where their money (charitable donation) has gone."
For the staff of the hospital, the move out of the avocado shed will be a time of excitement and nostalgia.
"There are so many good memories in this building, also a lot of sad memories," Gipp says. "There's a lot of Steve (Irwin) in here as well. He never saw the new building, so that's sad."
What's happened to our koalas?
News source: Noosa Style Living
Winter June-Sep 08
WITH rampant urbanisation taking its toll on koala numbers and the carrying capacity of the Noosa National Park unable to support an abundant koala population, where will the cuddly icons live?
When was the last time you saw a koala chomping gum leaves near Halse Lodge, asleep in a tree at Little Cove or checking out the diners and bush turkeys at Lindoni's or Rococo?
It's not just land-clearing which leads to fragmented koala populations becoming unsustainable but also the secondary effects of road trauma incidents, attacks by domestic dogs and the challenges of disease.
After the koala hunts of the early 20th Century, Noosa's wild koala population was boosted in the 60s when Dr Arthur Harold rescued several from the Beerwah area when it was being cleared for radiata pine plantations. For a couple of decades koalas thrived there enjoying abundant food. By the 1990s however the human population and infrastructure had grown to a point where koalas were regularly getting into strife. No road sense, no idea that they should keep away from dogs and of course they wouldn't survive once the forest was cleared for development. There was also the problem of Chlamydia which causes several things including blindness and infertility.
Noosa Veterinary Surgery's Mark Powell has been the first port of call for many koalas in need and Mark and his staff, rangers and a network of volunteers have given their time unstintingly to rescue, rehabilitate and release them. Support has also increased with Australia Zoo establishing a wildlife hospital and the Australian Koala Foundation has always championed the cause.
Amongst the many touching tales is related by volunteer Wanda Grabowski: "Bart and his mother were found in extremely poor condition on the ground at Weyba Park and taken to the Australian Wildlife Hospital. Bart's mother was suffering from lymphoma and leukaemia, so put to sleep and I was lucky enough to have the privilege of raising this feisty 800 gram joey.
"At that time I was raising another female koala joey named Anna and Bart joined her in my 'koala guestroom'. Bart decided Anna would be his 'surrogate mother' and clambered or jumped onto her back at every opportunity.
"In time they both adjusted to each other's company and things settled down. At around 2.5 kilos I began weaning him off the Infasoy paste and Bart went downstairs with Anna into an outdoor enclosure. It was a pleasure to see him tearing into the fresh leaf brought to him daily by his loving foster mother.
"At 3.5 kilos Bart went into the Kindergarten Rainforest Enclosure at the Australian Wildlife Hospital. It is here that the bonds between human foster mothers and their charges are severed. Koala joeys learn to mix with other koalas and deal with the vagaries of sun, wind and rain. I then began the process of searching for an appropriate location in which to release Bart.
"Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service insist koalas be returned from whence they came. In many cases, this isn't a good idea. Bart came from the suburbs of Noosa and I felt that to put him back into that environment would guarantee his demise, sooner rather than later. Hand raised joeys do not acquire the same instincts that a joey develops growing up with its natural mother. I believe the best option for hand-raised joeys is to release them into bushland that won't be cleared for development and where there is little to no road traffic and minimal chances of coming across dogs."
Much to Wanda's chagrin, Bart was released near Noosa Springs to fend for himself, face a lot of competition for food and access to mates. He lasted six months and was found by the side of the road in Weyba Downs. "An autopsy revealed that my perfect, gentle, precious boy had received multiple dog bites to his side and thighs - his liver was ruptured and his abdomen was full of blood," says an upset Wanda. "Wild dogs or dingoes in search of food had not attacked Bart, rather well fed, unrestrained domestic pets. All the love, care and nurturing I provided came to nothing."
Mark Powell is doubtful if people living in Noosa know how dire the situation is: "Take a wander in the beautiful Noosa National Park, sniff the air, watch the ground for droppings, study the eucalypt canopy and you never know, you might see an elusive, gentle, wild koala."
Roo cull costly on pouch
News source: The Daily Telegraph
23 May 2008
By Alison Rehn
KANGAROOS that have been culled in Canberra this week could have been spared for less than $400,000 - nine times less than Defence claimed it would cost.
The Daily Telegraph has learned Wildlife Warriors - established by the late Steve Irwin - offered late last year to relocate 400 kangaroos from Defence land in Canberra's north to private land, initially at a cost of $690,000.
But after Defence claimed their offer was too expensive, it came back with an offer in the high $300,000s.
General Manager of the Australian Wildlife Hospital at Wildlife Warriors, Gail Gipp, said that in 2007 the group responded to Defence's request for applications to relocate the kangaroos from the Belconnen site.
Ms Gipp said she believed Wildlife Warriors' offer provided a "good outcome" for the kangaroos, but after submitting its revised offer, the group "never heard from Defence again."
Eight days ago, when Defence said there was "no option" but for the cull to go ahead, the department said it would cost $3.5 million to relocate the kangaroos.
Brighter prognosis, by gum
News source: The Courier-Mail
1 May 2008
By Sophie Elsworth
ONE of the world's largest animal hospitals is coming to the Sunshine Coast.
The $5 million facility at Australia Zoo is less than two months from completion, and will have more than 10,000 patients pass through its doors each year.
Dr Jon Hanger, who is director of veterinary services and research at the hospital, said the project was "exciting" and will be a dramatic improvement on the existing wildlife hospital.
"It's about six times the area of what we have now. Basically in the old hospital we just have one treatment room," he said.
"The new hospital will have dedicated operating rooms, including rooms for ultrasounds and for x-rays and a CAT scanning machine. We also have an autopsy room and a laboratory."
The old hospital facility was built in honour of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin's mother Lyn, who died in a car crash eight years ago.
It will continue working alongside the new facility, which will house state-of-the-art equipment. The CAT-scan machine, which is worth more than $1 million, was donated to the hospital by Queensland Diagnostic Imaging.
The staff, including seven vets and more than 100 volunteers, will treat a range of animals, from tiny frogs to marine turtles, birds, reptiles and kangaroos.
The new building is funded by Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors Worldwide - and the Federal Government has contributed $2.5 million to the project. The rest of the funds are being met by various other sponsors and charity fundraising.
Bringing Steve's dream to life ...
News source: Sunshine Coast Sunday
13 April 2008
By Jane Gardner
FOUR years ago, an old avocado packing shed at Beerwah was converted into a makeshift hospital for sick and injured wildlife with the blessing of passionate conservationist Steve Irwin.
Gail Gipp became the first member of staff.
Ms Gipp, who is now the general manager of the Australian Wildlife Hospital, had no idea then she was about to become the driving force behind the establishment of the world's biggest wildlife hospital.
As it is, the little old shed has to cope under the pressure of 20 full-time staff and 80 volunteers who treat 6000 animals each year in trying conditions.
There is one small operating room, which houses the tables, reception, equipment and an x-ray machine that when in use requires all staff to leave the building.
Upstairs, there are two even tinier rooms, one for the reptiles, another for the staff and intensive care patients and a bunk for the hospital manager Ms Gipp to sleep.
Before his death, the greatest Wildlife Warrior of them all - Steve Irwin - recognised the need for a "you beaut" hospital by pitching in $1 million to build his dream.
In June, Steve's dream will be realised, as the Wildlife Warriors move into a facility next door, seven times the size of their current headquarters.
The $5 million "eco-facility" will be the largest wildlife hospital in the world.
Yesterday, half-a-dozen tradesmen from Walton Constructions donated their time to help the great Steve Irwin's dream come to fruition.
They helped install a $60,000 smart lighting system, called C-Bus, donated by Eaton Electrical Group and Clipsal.
The system automatically switches off the light when someone leaves the room.
It's just one of the fantastic environmentally friendly initiatives used in the construction of the facility.
Architect Andrew Webb took on the project 20 months ago, with a mission to use building materials that would cause the least harm to the environment and smart design concepts that minimise power use.
"We considered where materials have come from, how they are best used in building and where they will end up ultimately when the building is demolished or changed," he said.
"It's probably six or seven times the size of the old building. They're not going to know themselves. It's really going to change Wildlife Warriors operations. It's really exciting for them and a wonderful project to be involved in".
"When Gail first rang me she said they were currently in an avocado packing shed and I thought 'well, maybe they want a slightly bigger shed', but the scale of this being the largest wildlife hospital in the world has been a fantastic challenge. Virtually all the hospital facilities, they do have ambulances that come in and public drop off, they cover quite a large area with these services.
"It's just amazing, we have our painters starting today so I'm very anxious to see the finishing touches come together. It has been a challenge."
The new building is built out of hay and mud brick and maximises natural lighting to save power and to make the animals feel more at home. It has two operating theatres with ceiling-to-floor glass windows for student vets to watch operations.
There are two treatment rooms, separate intensive care units for mammals, birds and reptiles, a staff room, five toilets, a CAT scan room, an ambulance bay and public drop off area, a pharmacy, a nursery and a waiting room.
It also features a conference room that will be hired out to generate funds for the hospital and made available free of charge to companies who have donated time and materials to build the hospital.
"It's overwhelming and it's so exciting to see our dream materialise and also Steve and Terri's dream," Gail said.
"I hope all of Australia can be proud of what we've achieved. We've had some absolutely amazing donations ... we're so lucky we have (medical) equipment other people only dream about."
Save the Species ...
koalas rescued around Kallangur
News source: Norths Leagues & Services Club Magazine
Issue 2 - March/April 2008
THERE'S no doubt that these cuddly looking "bears" are one of our best loved national symbols. It's devastating then to learn that so many of these native Australian marsupials are killed or injured on Queensland roads every year.
In 2007, the Beerwah Australian Wildlife Hospital alone treated over 600 koalas, a number which is sadly on the rise.
"At present we have 28 koalas in care," says Carolyn Beaton, Public Relations Consultant for the Hospital. "That number can easily quadruple during busy periods, particularly the koala breading season."
The Australian Wildlife Hospital is the nearest treatment facility to the Kallangur and Pine Rivers areas and caters to the wildlife corridor that runs through Pine Rivers. This area has one of the largest koala populations in Australia and is unfortunately where many of these koala injuries occur, through motor accidents and dog attacks.
"The Hospital provides emergency rescue, treatment and rehabilitation services - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week," says Carolyn. Rescued koalas (whom the Hospital refers to as "patients") are taken to the Hospital where they receive expert care and attention, including a comprehensive health assessment that involves x-rays, ultrasound examination, blood tests and swabs.
The koalas remain in care until they are fit and healthy enough to be released back into the wild. Although, it's not always easy to say goodbye.
"Each Hospital patient receives a name as soon as they are admitted," says Carolyn. "We do get to know each patient as an individual, particularly if we are caring for them for several weeks or months. They each have unique personalities just as people do."
But while letting go can sometimes be hard, the real rewards come when a patient can be taken home. "Our over-riding desire is to see every patient become fit and well so that they can be returned to the wild and to live the life that they are meant to," says Carolyn.
"The Hospital's motto is 'save one, save the species' - every patient that we can successfully treat and return to the wild makes a difference."
The carers and staff at the Australian Wildlife Hospital do a fantastic job in taking care of these beautiful creatures, but we can all do our bit too. Carolyn suggests that motorists should be particularly alert during sunrise and sunset and in wildlife "hot spots" (these are generally well sign-posted).
"If you see injured wildlife on the roadside, please do stop to lend assistance where it is safe to do so," adds Carolyn. "In particular, it is helpful to cover them with a towel or blanket and to check the pouches of females (but do not attempt to remove a joey) until assistance arrives. Call the Australian Wildlife Hospital (1300 369 652) or nearest wildlife treatment facility for emergency assistance."
The Australian Wildlife Hospital is sponsored by Australia Zoo and is also funded by public donations to Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors Worldwide, a charity founded by Steve and Terri Irwin. If you'd like to make a donation, please visit the Australian Wildlife Hospital website at http://wildlifewarriors.org.au/wildlife_hospital.
Fishing poses threat to wildlife
News source: Sunshine Coast Sunday
16 March 2008
By Alan Lander
AS wildlife across the Coast continues to suffer the effects of human population growth, including habitat clearance and attacks by domestic animals, seabirds are the latest patients in the firing line.
Carers say the increase in recreational fishing means more birds are fighting for the same food source or aiming for easy pickings.
But the price is high.
The Australian Wildlife Hospital at Beerwah is worried about the influx of pelicans, crested terns and pied cormorants needing surgery for injuries from fishing hooks.
Veterinary surgeon Amber Gillett said while fishermen were not personally to blame for bird injuries, a lot could be done to reduce hospital cases, with many birds able to be rescued on the spot.
"Avians (birds) represent 50-60% of all our 'patients' and seabirds represent around 15%," she said. "Fish shortages in the oceans are attracting birds closer to spots where there are more fish, meaning where anglers are, boats etc,"
The hospital hoped to talk to fishing groups to seek shared solutions.
"We're already involved in other groups' work, especially with koala habitats," Dr Gillett said.
"We can't cover it all, but we're open to talk. We recognise that crab pots, trawlers and general rubbish presents hazards to seabirds too - there are several levels that need to be addressed."
Dr Gillett said the hospital had seen about 170 seabirds in 18 months, including almost 80 in the past two months.
She said the birds treated at the hospital were only those brought in. Many other injured birds were either helped on site by the people who found them, or left to die.
"Twenty-one per cent of birds we see have fishing tackle injuries," she said. "The survival rate is about 50%.
One pelican called Harriet was brought in from Redcliffe.
"She had swallowed a hook, plus she had a piece of metal sticking out of her body," Dr Gillett said.
"Fortunately, she recovered well, however it was frustrating that two other pelicans, Jenny and Jake, admitted with similar injuries shortly after."
Dr Gillett said the birds were often going for the fishing line bait.
"It happens mainly when an angler is casting," she said. "We would ask that if someone catches a bird they notify someone."
"The problem is many feel they will get into trouble if they report or take in an injured bird.
"You will not be blamed."
First Person
News source: The Weekender
21 February 2008
THE Sunshine Coast is home to many great things. Most are obvious, some operate behind the scenes. The Australian Wildlife Hospital, which will become the world's largest when work is completed on the new facility in April, is in the latter camp. Offering round-the-clock care for sick and injured wildlife, the team of staff and volunteers follow founder Steve Irwin's lead and stop at nothing to save native species from injuries and disease. Now, the call has gone out for more volunteers. Manager Gail Gipp explains what it takes to be a hospital helper.
What kind of person do you need to be? You just have to love animals and get enjoyment from working with them. You also have to have the time, not mind getting dirty and be pretty able-bodied as there's a lot of work done outside.
What would you do from day to day? Everything. Our volunteers clean all of the koala shelters, they paste-feed the koalas and look after the many animals in our care.
How many volunteers do you need? We've got 82 volunteers at the moment and need another 20. Some of our volunteers have been with us from the start and tell us they love it. It's a really nice environment to be in - we all work very closely and don't segregate between staff and volunteers. We're very grateful to them. We wouldn't be able to do it without the volunteers.
Snake's dinner bell
News source: The Courier-Mail
9 February 2008
By Philip Hammond
A COLLAR with bells on will help prevent your cat eating native wildlife, but it won't prevent the wildlife eating your cat.
That was this week's message from Caboolture Shire Council bushcare officer Ed Surman, who was called to Bribie Island last month where a big carpet python was curled up under a house.
Little Hannah on way to recovery
News source: The Sunday Mail
27 January 2008
By Hannah Davies
SHE'S had a rough ride so far but this baby platypus is now on the road to recovery.
Little Hannah has touched the hearts of carers at the Australian Wildlife Hospital at Beerwah, just north of Brisbane, since she was rescued from a flooded river in New South Wales.
'Big Ted' recovering
News source: Island News
23 January 2008
By The Ferryman
BIG Ted, the elderly loggerhead turtle rescued in the Pumicestone Passage in October 2007 and featured in the Bribie Weekly on November 23, is still under care at the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
The team was working hard to source information and food to help him heal and return to the wild.
First weighing in at about 108 kilograms when found by Dave at Bribie Island Boat Hire, his weight dropped to 97 kg but it was now a fantastic 107 kg and he was now starting to swim like the angel of the ocean that he is.
The team was tube feeding Ted with a "slurpy" made of green lipped muscles carrots, de-inked squid, prawns and bait fish - all in the kitchen blender. Yum. Bid Ted was relishing both the food and the attention.
Another loggerhead found recently sparked Ted's interest - she was a female, of breeding age and was found at Godwin Beach. The outlook was good for Winnie and she gave Ted a new lease on life.
Brooke (pictured in November 23 issue) unfortunately did not make it and was found to have extreme impaction in her gut described as "the size and depth of a concrete block". There was no hope for her as her sickness was months in the making. There were numerous rescues both up the coast and within Pumicestone Passage this season with many turtles reported with boat strikes as well as floating sickness. Please do not leave rubbish around - it ends up in the sea, with turtles eating items they cannot digest, dying a slow and painful death.
Ferryman Cruises, Bribie Island is trying to source wild by-catch that may be suitable to use for the turtles' rehabilitation. Should you spot a turtle in distress, phone 1300 369 652, or if dead, report any tag/identity number, size and injuries.
