Knowledge Base

• If safe for you to approach the animal, throw a towel over it, making sure its head and claws are covered and gently place in a ventilated box. Birds are best placed in a cardboard box with a towel on the bottom so the feathers won't get damaged. Others can be placed in a pet carry cage, box or similar.

• Keep the animal in a dark, warm and quiet place to minimise stress.

• Keep children and domestic pets away.

• Never offer an injured animal food or drink

• Handle the animal as little as possible and do not pose wildlife for photos.

• A hot water bottle wrapped in a towel (hot water from the tap only) will help keep the animal warm especially if it is young.

• Phone AWARE or a nearby carer immediately - the first 24 hours are critical to the animal's survival.

Certain animals require special attention:

Marsupials (kangaroos, koalas, possums, wombats etc)

Always check the pouch of a dead animal. Young can often survive and can be rescued even if the parent is dead (remembering that wombat and koala pouches face backwards).

Please do not attempt to transport large marsupials such as kangaroos. Contact AWARE so we can organise a rescue team to attend.

Birds

A fledgling is a young bird learning to fly and is best left under the protection of it's parents. Fledglings initially achieve downward flight (to safely leave the nest) but then spend sometimes as much as two weeks on the ground practicing to fly and building up their breast/wing muscles for upward flight. It is this jumping about and learning to fly that often leads people to believe they are in trouble. Phone us to determine whether the bird is a fledgling and requires rescue.

Echidnas

Should you find and echidna crossing the road, enjoy this wonderful glimpse of nature, but remember they are doing what comes naturally, they are usually on a mission to find food. They should only be rescued if they have been injured!

• Place the echidna in a hard container, such as a large plastic tub or bin. Do not attempt to transport in a cardboard box as they will shred through it and bury themselves in the back seat of your car.

• Ensure the echidna is secure as they are able to climb very well.

• Take note of the area and road you were on and write it down before you leave, pinpointing any landmarks if you can. This will help us return it to the exact location.

Echidnas leave their young buried in leaf litter or in burrows, returning only every 5-7 days. This is why it is important to leave animals where they belong or return them as soon as possible after care.