What should you do if you find a sick, injured or orphaned native animal?
Unfortunately, dead animals are a common sight on our roadside at any time of the year. Should you come across a fresh road kill, it is always a good idea to move it as far off the road as possible. This will stop other animals endangering themselves by feeding on the carcass in the middle of the road. If it is a female marsupial, check in her pouch for a live joey. They are quite often unhurt, and can survive for a couple of days in the dead mother’s pouch under the right conditions. It is important to keep the joey warm – the best way is to place it in a thin pillowcase or the like and hold it close to yourself, using your own body heat to warm it up. Joeys should be kept at between 29° – 33° Celsius (cool to touch against your face).
Baby birds are always best off if they can be re-united with their parents – look for the nest they have come from and try to get them back there. If this is not possible, and for sick or injured birds, keep them in a quiet, warm, dark place until you can get help.
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Make a donation towards the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife in the Mission Beach area.
Remember – a wild animal allowing you to touch it is most likely in shock, and this is one of the most common causes of death. First aid for shock is to keep the animal warm (plastic bottles of hot water wrapped in a towel are a good source of warmth, but be sure it doesn’t get too hot) in a quiet, dark place (cardboard box) and leave it alone until you can get assistance.