2020 will have to go down as the strangest year in most of our lives. Each day is a query on what will happen next.
Through it all, WILVOS has been there to rescue, rehabilitate and release wildlife. It has not always been easy with the constraints of social distancing and inability to hold training days. Nevertheless, we have adapted, and aquired new skills. Online workshops have actually proven to be a good learning tool for new carers! As with students, it is good to be able to go back and review some sections again.
We have seen many wildlife groups pop up over the years, especially in time of disasters, but many fall by the wayside. WILVOS is just amazing in that it has remained there constantly for twenty-seven years. Our volunteers do a wonderful job, and it is not always easy. Hotliners sometimes have to cope with the stress of finding solutions for a number of different situations at one time. Carers have to deal with the sadness of losing animals as well as the joy of seeing them through to release stage. Committee members are buried in an ever increasing amount of paperwork, records and reports.
Once again it has been great to have the support of the Sunshine Coast Council, through a grant from the Environment Levy Partnership program which provides operational funding for incorporated not-for-profit community organizations. As a fully volunteer operated organization this goes towards costs such as maintaining our Hotline, and helping our carers with the expenses which arise from wildlife caring.
Our possums are overjoyed and, if they could, would thank Federal MP Ted O’Brien, Fairfax Qld, for the Federal Government’s Communities Environment Program grant. WILVOS possums are always released in a nestbox to help them in their adaption back into the wild. This is a large annual expense, so this Federal grant is most appreciated.
“River”, a beautiful but feisty brushtail possum, was released last weekend in her nestbox. She was the first possum to be rehabilitated by Keith, one of our WILVO carers. “River” went out into the world well-prepared. She was a good native foliage eater and she had an attitude that did not favour humans.
Donna Brennan Wildlife Volunteers Assoc Inc (WILVOS) PO Box 4805 Sunshine Coast Mail Centre Q 4560 PH 5441 6200 www.wilvos.org.au