Wildlife worries don’t just end when extreme weather conditions occur. Our WILVOS 5441 6200 Hotline has had an increase in calls even after the deluges of rain have passed. They didn’t seem to pass for long!
Animals that live in burrows may be recovering as their homes become inhabitable. Some bird species may be suffering from nutritional deficiencies due to lack of food. With continual rain our nectar eaters aren’t going to find their usual flowers. Grain may become wet and toxic to any animals eating it.
As the sun comes out we think all is well. Then another day of heavy rain arrives and our wildlife doesn’t have their normal strength to cope with all that foraging and feeding.
Birds especially lose weight very quickly. Often waterlogged, they can’t take off into flight so quickly and efficiently. This means many become victims of domestic animal attack or they are hit by cars on the road.
This week an adult noisy pitta came into care, a reminder of what spectacular birds we have in Australia. Building their nests on the forest floor does not help their survival.
It is a time when we need to be especially vigilant in keeping our pets contained. Every house should be built with a cat aviary attached! It is always so sad to see these preventable deaths and horrific injuries happening to our native animals.
On the brighter side, it is a great time to plant all those native flowering, fruiting and seeding shrubs in the garden. Our native plants grow so quickly, putting on a show all year round and feeding all our native wildlife. Check out your local native plant nurseries!
Donna Brennan Wildlife Volunteers Assoc Inc (WILVOS) PO Box 4805 Sunshine Coast Mail Centre Q 4560 PH 5441 6200 www.wilvos.org.au