Hungry Wildlife

This info was posted just after Cyclone Yasi, but has been left here for reference. We do not recommend feeding wildlife under normal circumstances!

We are currently working on providing a supply of bird food/feeders to be distributed through cyclone affected areas. If you are interested in obtaining these, please contact us. In the interim, the following information may be of help.

Thanks to Daryl Dickson & Wildcard Art and Far North Queensland Wildlife Rescue for this info, originally written to deal with the needs of our wildlife after Cyclone Larry in March 2006. When support feeding of wildlife is necessary due to injury or disaster:

It is essential that food is placed in a SAFE area

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Make a donation towards the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife in the Mission Beach area.

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AWAY FROM DOGS, CATS, PEOPLE & TRAFFIC

If at all possible try to feed as close to where these animals & birds would normally feed. If you live near rainforest and can set up a site in the forest area the following foods will assist some of our forest creatures.

Cassowaries:

DO NOT FEED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. There will be a feeding plan in effect. If you have any concerns about sick, injured or orphaned cassowaries please phone DERM: 1300 130372 or email:cassowary.sighting@derm.qld.gov.au

Nectar eaters:

Honey or sugar water does not provide sufficient nutrition for nectar eating birds. They must have protein as well.

Ready to mix Honey-lorikeet food is available from pet shops. Place in a shallow dish high above the ground away from cats. (All cats are hunters by nature no matter how much you feed them.)

Home made options:

  • Mix high protein baby cereal and honey into a slurry.
  • Crush a high protein cereals (NutriGrain, etc.) into a pulp and mix with water and honey.
  • Mix peanut butter, honey and water.
  • Boiled Rolled oats or rice mashed up and made into a slurry with honey and water. For fruit eaters pour any of these mixtures over chopped fresh or canned fruit anything but citrus and pineapple. Tinned vegies can be added as well.
  • Fruit eating birds (fruit doves, pigeons, figbirds, etc.) should be fed as close to their original food sources as possible (if these are still alive and will eventually fruit again). Hang dishes in fruit trees or roosting trees far from houses and cats. Chopped food – berries, pawpaw, banana, grapes, apple, mango can be sprinkled with Insectivore mix for protein.

Grain eaters:

Finch seed is good for finches, Peaceful doves and Emerald doves. Parrot mix is good for all seed eating parrots. These can be obtained found at pet stores and supermarkets. Feed supply stores are good for purchasing large quantities.

Insect eaters:

Insect eaters shouldn’t be short of food but if you have to feed them meat, do NOT feed them mince that is not coated with something like ground eggshells, peanut butter or Insectivore mix. NEVER feed fatty meat to any wildlife. Lean meat lacks sufficient nutritional value unless coated as well.

Mammals:

Wallabies, possum, bandicoots

Feed away from houses preferably near or in their native habitat

Raw rolled oats/Coarse grain/Parrot seed mix/Sweet potato/Carrots/Apples/Pawpaw/Banana/Grapes

Gliders:

Smear honey on food tree trunks [eucalypt, melaleuca, bloodwood] to lead them to a shallow hanging dish with high protein powder or high protein baby cereal and honey in a watery slurry.