Besides calls for orphaned and injured wildlife, the WILVOS Hotline 5441 6200 also receives
phone calls from people expressing concern about various native animal and environmental
issues. In the 2023-24 year there were over 5,200 calls to the Hotline.
Recently one of our lovely WILVO members sent me a photo of the broken glass she
collected on just four walks along creeks in Burnside. This is just tragic! Are people so
thoughtless or do they just not care? This is a threat to all animals whether digging, flying to
ground, feeding in the shallows or generally moving about. An exquisite young platypus was
lacerated by broken glass on a creekbank recently.
School holidays are always a time when so much rubbish causes distress, injury and death to
our native animals. There is an increase in fishing line entanglement, swallowed hooks,
ingested plastic bags, domestic animal attacks, and of course car hits
It is wonderful to see the increase in members of the public phoning for advice. The lucky
ones, if found early enough, can be caught, assessed, fishing line or twine removed, and
released. Others may need to go to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital (open 24 hours), or
the RSPCA’s Eumundi Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (open 7 days 6.30am to 5pm) for
treatment. Once treated, WILVOS are contacted for those needing further care and
medication. It is always a highlight to eventually return the wildlife to their home. The
welcome home greeting can be quite noisy from some birds.
Donna Brennan Wildlife Volunteers Assoc Inc (WILVOS) PO Box 4805 Sunshine Coast Mail
Centre Q 4560 PH 5441 6200 www.wilvos.org.au
Pick up that rubbish….
