Injured wildlife warning: Don’t look the other way
As the dry, cooler season takes hold in Far North Queensland, animals face additional dangers on our roads. Accidents happen, and while many people will stop to help, wildlife organisations are asking ‘can we do more?’.
“We are issuing a plea to drivers to take care. If a car hits an animal please stop and help however you can,” said Beau Peberdy, President, Far North Queensland Wildlife Rescue (FNQWR).
The dangers of the dry season
During the dry season, many reptiles will use the roads for warmth, and food. “Goannas can drop flat onto the road, so it’s almost impossible to see them.”
On the side of the road, scarce food is foraged by wallabies who can panic at the sight of a car and head straight onto the road.
The worst-case scenario for an animal is to be hit by a car, and the driver doesn’t stop.
“We know it’s traumatic to hit an animal, and most people think they can do nothing so keep going. That’s not the case; birds, wallabies and even snakes all can be treated, placed in a foster home, and finally released into the wild.”
The role of rescue organisations
In the Douglas Shire, around ten people have been trained by FNQWR to help rescue, rehabilitate, and release animals.
Some rescuers are trained to work with dangerous injured animals and can be called on to do the jobs most of us would consider a little gruesome.
It was just last month that Beau was called by a desperate driver who had come across an injured wallaby. “The animal had a broken hip. He was in pain. We had no alternative but to relieve his suffering.”
It’s a hard choice for any animal lover. Yet the alternative was to leave it in agony until it died, probably of starvation.
Rescue organisations are there to help you
Annually over 5000 calls are made to the FNQWR centre. This year volunteers have attended 2000 animal rescues.
The role of volunteers is to rescue, house and release animals that have been injured on the road, caught in wire fencing, or attacked by a dog or cat.
Would you like to be a wildlife rescuer?
For anyone who would like to volunteer visit FNQWR https://www.fnqwildliferescue.org.au/
Video of a wombat rescue: https://www.facebook.com/reel/512387240664302http