Recent patients
The animals listed below only visit our hospital for a short time and are then released back into the their natural environment or allocated to a wildlife carer. These animals are not available for sponsorship, however any general donations or sponsorship you make to Wildlife Warriors will go to assisting these animals.
Batty the Little Red Flying Fox 
Wednesday night a male Little Red Flying Fox was hit by a car and seriously injured in the Kawana area. The juvenile Flying Fox was named Batty by the person who found and transported him to the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
After being assessed and x-rayed by Dr Stacey, surgery was scheduled to repair Batty’s fractured left wing. The fracture site was mid-way along both the radius and ulna (bones in the wing) and there was also an open wound in that area. Dr Stacey stabilised the fractures by inserting a surgical pin in one of the bones, thus also stabilising the other close lying bone. The wound was then closed and Batty was prescribed pain relief, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and given sub-cutaneous fluids to help him recover.
In the 24 hours following surgery, Batty’s condition has stabilised and he has even been showing a healthy appetite for fruit, juice and nectar. When hungry he uses his long tongue to lap up the juice; his favourite being freshly squeezed watermelon.
Following reassessment, Dr Stacey sent Batty to a bat carer so he can be nursed back to full health. Generally Little Red Flying Fox cope better in captivity if they are grouped with other Little Red Flying Foxes in care.
Remember if you do discover an injured or orphaned bat, it is best to call a vaccinated bat rescuer as bats can carry disease that can be transferred to humans.
Godwin the Green Turtle
Last night a wildlife carer received a call for assistance regarding a very large Green Turtle stranded on rocks between Sandstone Point and Godwin Beach. A local man was taking a walk along the beach with his sons when he came across the injured turtle and realised it needed help. The Green Turtle had endured a possible boat propeller strike or shark attack, suffering injuries to the lower back section of its carapace with the tail and cloacal opening missing completely.
For the rescuers to access the beach with their vehicle, a Moreton Bay Regional Council worker was required to unlock gates and to assist. The ingenious carer used a pair of her husband’s old overalls to create a makeshift sling and together with her husband, a local man and the man from the Council, they lifted the turtle (later named Godwin) on top of the sling to carry the turtle to the waiting vehicle. With nightfall fast approaching and the tide coming in the rescuers carried Godwin 200m over slippery rocks back to their vehicle and to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for treatment.
Due to the nature of the injuries we don’t know if Godwin is a male or female turtle as the tail is normally the key to telling the sexes apart (females have a shorter tail than males). One of the vets, Dr Peter has prescribed pain relief and antibiotics and blood tests have shown Godwin is anaemic and weak. Dr Peter has treated and waterproofed the wound to the carapace and he plans to set Godwin up in a pool later today. In 24hours Godwin will hopefully be stronger, able to submerge and to swim before a reassessment for Dr Peter to decide if treatment should be continued.
One week later and it’s good news so far for Godwin – Godwin is able to submerge and is due for reassessment tomorrow. This turtle has beautiful big dark eyes, a gentle spirit and if there is hope of rehabilitation Godwin will be tenderly nursed back to health by the Australian Wildlife Hospital’s dedicated and passionate veterinary staff.
Miranda the Green Tree Snake Hatchling
Three weeks ago a member of the public arrived at the Australian Wildlife Hospital animal admittance area holding a container of reptile eggs. The eggs had been dug up by some workmen during earthworks on a rural property. After opening one egg to see what was inside and finding a baby snake, the property owner considered squashing the eggs. Fortunately one of the workers said he would take the eggs to the Australian Wildlife Hospital so the unhatched snakes could be saved.
An Ecologist from the Ecological Services Unit (ESU) of Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors identified the deceased snake from the opened egg as a Green Tree snake.
Green Tree snakes, as the name suggests, spend a lot of time off the ground travelling and hunting in trees (amazingly they are incredible climbers from the moment they hatch) and they are completely harmless.
This week the eggs started hatching and we had ten babies emerge over a two day period, of which they were taken and released in bushland at Cooroy Mountain. Three days later and a further five eggs had hatched, followed lastly one day later by little Miranda, the final Green Tree snake baby to emerge. All hatchlings have now been released back to life in the wild.
All snakes should be left alone, for our own safety and also their welfare. Remember all reptile species are protected and it is against the law to hurt or kill them.
Shirley and Timba the Bush Stone Curlews
Shirley is a Curlew that was admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital after being found lying on the side of a busy road near Caboolture. She was dehydrated, weak and had suffered bruising to her back, most likely the result of being hit by a vehicle. As Shirley is only a juvenile still unable to fly, she has been placed with bird carers who will care for her until she can be released in the coming months as a self sufficient adult back into the wild.
Timba was admitted a few days later and he comes from the northern suburbs of Brisbane. Timba was rescued from a storm water drain after a member of the public made the discovery after hearing Timba’s constant calling for his parents. A vet check showed Timba had sustained no injuries, but was cold and hungry. Unfortunately for Timba, having been separated from his parents for a prolonged period, there is no chance of reuniting them. Timba has therefore been placed with the same bird carers as Shirley and will be raised for release in the future.
Shirley and Timba are now adjusting to their new ‘parents’ and surroundings and are reportedly feeding well and eating loads of insects. They also sleep snuggled up side by side.
Bush Stone Curlews are listed as endangered or vulnerable in many states of Australia. Their numbers have been declining mainly due to habitat loss and predation. Curlews nest on the ground, relying on fallen timber to give their nest site protection and privacy. Their eggs and the flightless chicks are vulnerable to being trampled on by cattle or horses, slashers/motor mowers and being eaten by foxes, cats and dogs.
Camouflage is their best defence - they stay very still when approached and their feather colouring helps hide their appearance, so many times people walk right past them without even noticing. A nocturnal species, their eerie calls can be heard echoing across open paddocks and grasslands and that can sometimes be the only indication they are in an area.
Diva the Gould's Long-eared Bat
A licensed bat carer and rescuer admitted a gorgeous micro bat to the Australian Wildlife Hospital this week. The micro bat was identified as a Gould’s Long-eared bat and even though she is a fully grown female, she weighed only nine grams.
The micro bat, named Diva, was dehydrated and suffering an injury to her left wing, which was preventing her from flying. Fortunately x-rays taken showed the wing wasn’t fractured, just badly bruised, which is lucky for Diva. One of our vets Dr Stacey prescribed pain relief, anti inflammatory, ointment and subcutaneous fluids so Diva’s wing could heal. Diva has been placed in care with the licensed carer who rescued her and is expected to make a full recovery over the coming weeks.
It is important to remember that bats should only be handled by vaccinated bat rescuers as some bat species can carry disease, which can infect humans.
Micro bats are nocturnal mammals sleeping through the day in tree hollows, under loose bark and sometimes buildings. These roost sites are also used to rear young and sleep when inactive over the colder months, sometimes housing up to twenty-five bats in a single colony.
Gould’s Long-eared bats typically fly close to the ground when hunting to catch airborne insects or insects on the ground or on vegetation, then eating the insect while continuing to fly. All micro bats are natural pest controllers, consuming half their body weight per night in insects. Without the many micro bat species in the environment we would be plagued by insects.
Stumpy the Burton’s Snake Lizard
Last week, a wildlife carer arrived at the Australian Wildlife Hospital with a small unidentified “snake” that a neighbour had accidentally injured. The “snake” was in fact a Burton’s Snake Lizard and the lower third of its body was almost totally severed.
Named Stumpy, Dr Robyn gave her a full examination while under anethestic, and found the point where the injury had occurred was below Stumpy’s cloaca (bottom). A couple of centimetres further up and Stumpy would not have survived the injury at all. Dr Robyn surgically removed the tail and closed the open wound with stitches and was prescribed pain relief, anti-biotic and anti inflammatory.
The next day Stumpy laid two beautiful eggs, which are now being incubated and will hopefully hatch in the coming weeks. After giving birth, Dr Robyn decided Stumpy should be fed, which in itself proved to be a challenge. Burton’ Snake Lizards feed almost exclusively on small skinks, which they swallow whole. Feeding skinks to a patient was not possible, so Stumpy was instead tube fed a protein mix straight into her stomach.
This week Stumpy finished her medication and Dr Robyn feels the stitches will be able to be removed in another week’s time, after which she can be returned home to the wild.
Burton’s Snake Lizards are often mistaken as snakes as they only have tiny scaly flaps where there would normally be legs. They are in fact harmless and are quite beautifully marked lizards with a uniquely shaped snout design to tightly hold prey. Interestingly, like geckos, Burton’s Snake Lizards don’t have eye lids, instead using their wide tongue to moisten and clean their eyes. Burton’s Snake Lizards are commonly found across mainland Australia.
Annabelle the Platypus
The Australian Wildlife Hospital admits and treats patients 24 hours a day, 365 days a year including Christmas day. This is important as wild animals have no concept of 9am to 5pm or Monday to Friday and so many native species are nocturnal.
On Christmas day we had a rather uncommon patient admitted, a 345gr juvenile platypus from the Woodford area. Annabelle as she was named by her rescuer was found having difficulties swimming and submerging and seemed to be exhausted. On closer examination she was found to have paralysis ticks all over her body and was also thin and dehydrated. Annabelle was admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital where she had over thirty ticks removed and she was given subcutaneous fluids to help rehydrate her. She was identified as a juvenile and still dependant on her Mother for milk. The rescuer had noticed a larger platypus in the same water body so Annabelle was taken back so she could re-unite with the larger platypus who would hopefully be her Mother.
Sadly the larger platypus shunned her, so Annabelle was returned to the Australian Wildlife Hospital to be fed special milk formula while a platypus carer was contacted. Platypus carers aren’t as common because they need to complete separate extensive training relating to that species and the Government will only then issue a special license allowing them to rehabilitate platypus.
Annabelle will stay in care until she is weaned and learns to forage for herself. Platypuses have a very sensitive bill which they use to locate food in the gravel along creek beds, which includes mostly yabbies and insect larvae. Platypuses and echidnas are the only worldwide species classified as monotremes (egg laying mammals); making them quite unique species.
Harry the Bearded Dragon
Harry, the Bearded Dragon, was found by a member of the public and taken to a local Veterinary practise for treatment. The attending vet found a fracture to Harry’s hind right leg and damage to his tail, so Harry was subsequently transferred to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for specialised treatment.
Harry was given a thorough medical examination and an x-ray. He was found to be quite thin and his tail injury was actually an old injury that had already healed. The fracture to Harry’s leg was very serious and the vet decided surgery was the only option available to repair it. Harry was prepared for surgery and while he was under general anaesthesia, a surgical pin was inserted next to the fractured bone to help stabilise the leg.
As with all reptiles, fractures heal slower than in mammals. This meant that Harry had to be kept relatively quiet while the bone was healing, which isn’t that easy for a wild lizard! After eight weeks, Harry’s surgical pin was removed and he was allowed to start climbing to strengthen his leg. He was also kept on high calcium diet.
One month later, x-rays showed the bone had healed and Harry had regained his fitness. Harry’s vet was very pleased and this week gave Harry the all clear for release back to his bushland home.
Mercy, Hope and Courage, Ringtail Possums 
Tragically last week, bushfires claimed the lives of many native animals, from koalas, wallabies, possums to bandicoots, carpet pythons, antechinus and many other native species. After seeing such devastation first hand, it was heart-warming to find animals that had survived and know that the dedicated vets and nurses at the Australian Wildlife Hospital were there to help them.
Thursday night after one of the bushfires had died down, wildlife rescuers searched for over three hours. However with the increasing limited visibility due to nightfall and smoke haze, a decision was made to resume the search at first light.
The next morning, against the blackened earth, ginger fur stood out like a beacon guiding one rescuer to an injured female Ringtail possum. The traumatised possum allowed the rescuer to gently wrap her in a towel and check her burnt body. Mercy, as she was then named, lifted her burnt face and looked up with big sad brown eyes, the rescuer told her in between sobs that she was safe now and help was coming for her and her babies. The rescuer could not even begin to imagine the terror this beautiful girl had experienced.
While Mercy was under aesthetic having her burns treated by Dr Amber, there was much excitement as a pouch check revealed both male joeys were uninjured. The twins named Hope and Courage were found to be OK with no burns or smoke inhalation. Somehow Mercy had managed to flee the flames and not drop either of her joeys from her bulging pouch. Mercy has burns to all feet and her face, but Dr Amber is confident long-term she will make a full recovery and return to the wild along with her boys.
Kreft Turtles
Just over three weeks ago, a member of the public was carrying out some landscaping and unearthed eighteen white cylindrical eggs. Not wanting to harm the unhatched youngsters, but realising the nest site was now disturbed and there was no other area suitable for relocation, she phoned the Australian Wildlife Hospital for advice.
The eggs were subsequently brought in to be incubated and although they were thought to be from a fresh water turtle, they were housed in a secure container and labelled for staff safety.
Out of the eighteen eggs, sixteen hatched and the other two were found to be infertile. All of the Kreft turtle hatchlings were healthy, readily catching and eating mosquito larvae and other small insects. The turtles were released in a waterway near where the eggs were initially laid with plenty of waterlilies and aquatic plants present to provide the hatchlings safety from predators, their main threat in the wild.
If you do ever see turtle hatchlings remember it is illegal to take them from the wild. Turtles can be kept as pets, but you must obtain a license and purchase a captive bred one from a registered breeder or pet shop.The decision to have a turtle as a pet should be given a lot of consideration as the cute 20-cent-sized hatchling will grow to the size of a small dinner plate within the first five years. Turtles can also live to over twenty-five years of age, so they are a long term commitment with specific requirements and needs.
Bowie the Koala
Our patient this week is a gorgeous koala named Bowie. He was found sitting on the road in Deception Bay by a member of the public, which is unusual behaviour for a koala.
Bowie was in quite poor condition and so was admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital and given a thorough assessment. Although there were no physical signs of trauma, it is thought that Bowie’s poor and weak body condition is a result of poor habitat availability and that he is a newly dispersing sub-adult koala.
Bowie is currently receiving anti-biotics for possible secondary infections and his condition will continue to be monitored by the vets.
Unfortunately habitat destruction, along with motor-vehicle accidents, domestic pet attacks and disease are the most common reasons wildlife are admitted to the hospital. Habitat destruction can leave wildlife ‘displaced’ or in areas where they cannot find suitable habitat to call home.
It is also interesting to note that Bowie’s eye colouring is unique – he has one brown eye and one blue eye, which is a genetic characteristic. This type of colouring is occasionally seen in koalas, but can be quite rare.
Blue Tongue Lizards: Blue One, Blue Two, Blue Three, Blue Four, Blue Five
Last Wednesday afternoon a call came through to the Australian Wildlife Hospital regarding a seriously injured female Blue Tongue lizard. A motorist noticed the lizard moving slowly across the road and pulled her car off to the side of the road so she could run back and “shoo” the lizard away from danger.
Unfortunately the driver of the car following was not as vigilant and the female Blue Tongue lizard was actually run over and her babies were scattered on the road where she lay. All babies were about two weeks off being born naturally, so they were all premature and many were also badly injured. The first motorist placed all the injured lizards in a t-shirt and rushed home to phone the Australian Wildlife Hospital for help.
However, when the rescuer arrived to collect the patients, the mother lizard had already died, but there was hope for some of her babies.
On assessment Dr Claude pronounced eight babies to be deceased, two needed to be euthanized as their injuries were too severe and the remaining five were set up in intensive care. I am pleased to report this week the baby blue tongues are now quite active, all are feeding and drinking well and all should be ok for release in a couple of weeks.
Wilbur the Mudlark
Wilbur the Mudlark was left with an injured wing on Sunday after being struck by a car. The incident happened at Golden Beach, Caloundra, and luckily for Wilbur a wildlife carer lived close by and was called to assist. Wilbur’s left wing was badly bruised making immediate flight impossible and far too painful.
Injuries that render birds flightless leave them susceptible to dog and cat attacks, wild bird predation or starvation as they are unable to move from food source to food source.
It is important that injured limbs are x-rayed to check for fractures which will need appropriate veterinary treatment. If a fracture is left to heal on its own, the bones can become misplaced causing them to heal crooked which makes flight and movement very difficult, impeding the birds’ long term ability to survive in the wild.
Luckily Wilbur’s x-rays were clear, showing no fractures, so Dr Stacey prescribed anti-inflammatories, pain relief and cage rest while the swelling and bruising subsides.
Wilbur will be due for reassessment in a week, at which time he will either be sent to the bird carer for further rehabilitation or released back home to the wild. He is certainly a lucky little bird considering he weighs only 80grams and a car weighs over a tonne, but most importantly someone took the time to stop and call for help.
Mudlarks are very common and widespread throughout Australia. They are more commonly known as the Peewee in New South Wales and Queensland.
Hooty the Southern Boobook Owl
Hooty is a Southern Boobook Owl that was found unable to fly properly due to an injured wing. Hooty was given sub-cutaneous fluids at a local vet surgery and then sent to a wildlife carer. The carer brought Hooty to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for x-rays, which showed a fractured right wing.
Due to the nature of the type of fracture and where it was located along the wing, surgery was not an option. Instead, one of our vets, Dr Stacey, wrapped the right wing with a figure-of-eight bandage to immobilise the wing while the bones healed. Dr Stacey also prescribed pain relief, anti-inflammatories and two weeks of rest and plenty of nutritional food for Hooty.
Hooty is now due to be reassessed in a couple of days and all going well, he will enter into flight rehabilitation stage of his recovery. This will help Hooty to regain his wing mobility and flight strength, which is so important for raptors, as they are predators.
Boobook owls are nocturnal hunters, feeding on small mammals and insects which they detect with their excellent vision and then immobilise with their long talons. Boobook owls are found right across Australia with habitats ranging from open to dense forests.
Dilution the Green Tree Snake
This week our featured patient is a juvenile Green Tree Snake named Dilution, who was admitted to the hospital suffering puncture wounds from a cat attack. On many occasions, patients that are admitted with injuries made by dog or cat bites will be prescribed a course of anti-biotics so infection doesn’t set in. The actual bite might not be life threatening, but if it is left untreated, the infection certainly may.
This little Green Tree Snake was given the name Dilution based on the tiny doses of medicine he has been prescribed by Dr Arana. When calculating how much medication to give to a patient, the vet bases this on the patient’s individual weight and as Dilution only weighs 16 grams, this makes his doses very small! Some of Dilution’s medication includes receiving a 0.0003mls injection of sub-cut anti-biotic.
Green Tree Snakes are common in suburban areas and are frequently encountered in backyards. These snakes are non-venomous and, as the name suggests, spend a considerable amount of time in trees and shrubs. When annoyed, they flatten their body showing their blue skin colouring, which is normally hidden under the green scales and they will also sometimes produce a foul odour.
Dilution is due for a re-check in seven days and if all is well he should be taken for release back to the Shorncliffe area. The Green Tree Snakes’ diet includes frogs and skinks; fully grown they can reach around 1.5 metres in length and be thicker than a ten cent piece.
Jacinta the koala
Early Saturday morning, a koala arrived from Arundel on the Gold Coast suffering horrendous burns sustained in a bush fire Friday night. The fire was thought to have been caused by a thoughtless person throwing a cigarette butt from a car travelling along the highway.
The fire destroyed an area of bushland roughly four to five football fields in size, and a known koala and wildlife habitat. Wildcare wildlife carer volunteers were unable to access the area Friday night as the bush was still burning fiercely and the danger from falling trees was ever present, making the scene very dangerous. At first light Saturday morning, the rescuers were able to search the burnt out area and this is when the koala was rescued and transferred to the Australian Wildlife under the expert care of a veterinary nurse. The seven-year-old female koala was named Jacinta and Dr Amber placed the critical patient under anaesthetic so she could assess the full extent of her injuries.
Jacinta’s fur was completely singed and left smelling strongly of smoke. Her nose was raw and swollen and her ears were blistered inside. All four paws were severely burnt and the top layer of skin was peeling off to reveal the raw swollen skin underneath.
Dr Amber treated and bandaged all of Jacinta’s paws and applied burn cream to her nose. Long term the burns should heal well but there is the risk of infection, so the bandages are carefully changed and the wounds checked every day. The most worrying aspect at present is the threat of Jacinta developing pneumonia due to her lungs being damaged by smoke inhalation. Currently Jacinta is on strong pain relief, antibiotics and fluids and the vets hope to see her well on the way to recovery in four to six weeks.
Cutter the baby Grey-headed Flying Fox
This week’s patient is Cutter, a nine day old orphan Grey-headed Flying Fox, who was found clinging to the body of his dead Mum. His Mum had been shot and she had died a couple of days earlier leaving a helpless Cutter unable to fend for himself. Fortunately Cutter was found and taken to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for emergency care and treatment.
The Vet examining Cutter found he was severely dehydrated as he had not had milk in those days since his Mum had died. He also was suffering from pneumonia which he developed over the cold nights struggling with no extra body warmth from his Mum. He was also covered in fly eggs and the maggots had eaten a ten cent piece size hole in his wing membrane. Cutter’s prognosis was bleak.
But being a courageous little fighter, Cutter has now stabilised to the point where he has been placed with a bat carer. He is currently fed 6mls of soy baby formula every four hours (around the clock) and he has even gained weight. Cutter will be with his carer for about four months and then he will be placed in a bat crèche with other orphans to begin preparation for life as a wild flying fox.
The Grey-headed Flying Fox is listed as vulnerable in the wild and as a species they are widely misunderstood. The role of Grey-headed Flying Fox is to pollinate native trees and disperse their seeds keeping the native forests healthy. This is accomplished as they feed on a tree’s flower pollen and nectar. Travelling from tree to tree, they transfer pollen as they go. They also feed on native fruits; as the seeds travel through their digestive system and leave the body in faeces, the seeds germinate many kilometres away from the parent tree. Keep in mind when a flying fox eats orchard fruit it is doing so because the natural food has been cleared and to survive it must eat every day, just like us.
Squirmy the Welcome Swallow
This week’s patient is a timely reminder that baby bird season is here in full swing. At this time of the year, the Australian Wildlife Hospital will have many baby birds admitted to the hospital as orphans. Many of these patients are merely fledgling birds learning to fly under the watchful eye of the parent bird.
Squirmy is a fledgling Welcome Swallow and the lady who found him did all she could to re-unite him with his parents, but as can sometimes happen the parent birds didn’t continue to feed him. Without help Squirmy would not have survived, so he was admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital and now he will go out to a qualified bird rehabilitator to be raised until he is able to be released successfully back to the wild.
So remember, on finding a young bird on the ground:
1. Check to see if the youngster is injured; if so take the patient to the Australian Wildlife Hospital (if you are unsure a vet can assess the youngster).
2. Look to see if there is a nest/siblings/parents close by.
3. If the youngster is uninjured, the best thing to do is simply place the youngster up in the original nest, (if needed, a make-shift nest made from an old ice-cream basin with drainage holes in the base will suffice, as long as you tie it securely to a branch in the nest tree and place a stick down into the basin so the youngster can climb out when ready).
4. And finally, make sure the youngster is out of reach of any passing dogs or cats, and stand well back and watch to see if the parents come down to feed. Most times the parents will continue to feed and the youngster’s attempts at flight will improve as the days pass. Some youngsters may need a helping hand more than once.
Odette the Black Swan cygnet
Odette is a Black Swan cygnet that was found badly injured in the backyard of a residence at Pelican Waters. This backyard borders a freshwater lake where a resident pair of Black Swans raises their cygnets each year; it was thought that Odette was one of their little youngsters. The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit responded to the call for help, collecting the injured patient and transferring her to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for treatment.
Dr Claude assessed Odette’s injury, which was found to be quite severe and requiring surgery. Odette was suffering a large open wound under her left wing which was thought to be the result of an eel attack. The deep wound was cleaned, sutured closed and finally bandaged to keep the area sterile.
Odette was prescribed pain relief, anti-inflammatories and anti-biotics and was placed in a warm humid crib whilst she recovered from surgery.
Two days later, Odette’s condition had stabilised so she was placed with an experienced bird carer while her injuries healed.
Odette’s bandages have now been removed, revealing only a scar where the deep wound had been. Dr Claude is very happy with Odette’s recovery so far and has given permission for her carer to allow Odette intermittent time in water. Dr Claude has scheduled Odette for another re-check in 7 days time.
Black Swans are found throughout Australia, but are more common in the south.
Sharpie the Carpet Python
Our patient this week is a carpet python that was accidentally hit by a whipper snipper as a person was cutting grass in their backyard. The python suffered two large lacerations running horizontally across his body, rendering him in desperate need of veterinary attention. The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit responded to the call for help and recovered the injured python from the Noosaville property to transport him to the Australian Wildlife Hospital at Beerwah where he was named Sharpie.
One of our vets, Dr Arana gave Sharpie a sedative injection to make him groggy, thus allowing her to place an anaesthetic breathing tube down his trachea. While under anaesthetic Sharpie’s wounds were cleaned and Dr Arana also delicately sutured the torn muscle tissue back together and finally closed the wounds. Sharpie was given pain relief, antibiotics and his stitches are due to be taken out in four to six weeks. In the long term, Dr Arana expects he will make a full recovery from his injuries and return to life in the wild.
Klondike the Lace Monitor Egg
During heavy rain on a day late January 2009, a member of the public noticed a sizeable egg washed out from under the edge of her in-ground swimming pool. Unsure of the type of creature that had laid the egg; she was less than enthusiastic about having it hatch in her back yard, so the egg arrived at the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
The egg was set up in a clear sealed container with damp vermiculite, placed in an incubator and clearly marked ‘Do Not Open’, due to the fact it was unidentified and could potentially be venomous. Each day staff eager to learn what species our little patient might be, viewed the egg to see if there was any evidence of hatching. Months went by with no change and there were thoughts that maybe the egg was infertile and would never hatch.
This week on a routine daily check (seven and a half months later), our patience was rewarded. There was evidence of slits in the egg casing! Finally our egg was hatching and it took a full 24 hours for the baby lace monitor to fully emerge. Our gorgeous youngster was named Klondike and is an absolute perfect miniature of an adult lace monitor, which can easily reach over two metres in length once mature.
Once hatched the young are completely independent and can move with considerable speed and agility. Little Klondike has now been released back to native bushland at Buderim, very close to the yard where his egg was originally laid. His major task now is to find food whilst staying out of view from predators that might view him as food.
Quandamooka the White Bellied Sea Eagle
Our patient of the week is a sub-adult white bellied sea eagle named Quandamooka. Quandamooka is the Aboriginal name for Moreton Bay, the area she was rescued from.
A very cold and wet Quandamooka was pulled from the sea by a Queensland Parks and Wildlife Ranger, who arranged for her to be transferred to the mainland via ferry. The ferry was met by one of the dedicated team members from the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit, who transported Quandamooka to the Australian Wildlife Hospital that same night.
Quandamooka’s veterinary examination revealed she was thin and suffering physical exhaustion, but thankfully no major injury or illness was discovered. She was set up for the night in an intensive care enclosure with a heat lamp, allowing her feathers to dry while she rested.
Her condition has greatly improved and she is now able to stand and perch and is feeding herself. Quandamooka has entered rehabilitation for a few weeks to allow her strength to increase and from there she will be released back to the freedom of Moreton Bay.
Majestic the Wedged-tailed Eagle
This week’s stunning patient comes from Goombungee, a farming district near Toowoomba. A local farmer found this wedge-tailed eagle entangled in a fence, thrashing about to free himself. Fortunately for the eagle, a wildlife carer was called to assist and the wedge-tailed eagle, later named Majestic, was freed from the wire.
Upon examination, Majestic’s wing was hanging low and the carer feared the wing might be fractured. A call was placed to the Australian Wildlife Hospital and a rescuer set out to collect Majestic. A very large cardboard box housed Majestic for the two hour trip back to the Australia Wildlife Hospital and thankfully he remained quite calm.
Dr Claude, one of the vets at the Australian Wildlife Hospital, assessed Majestic on arrival and found him to be mildly dehydrated and a little thin. Fortunately, x-rays showed no fractures and apart from two small wounds, Majestic was relatively ok.
After plenty of fluids and a good feed, Majestic had become a much feistier eagle. Experienced staff used extreme caution whenever handling Majestic due to the strength and the sheer size of his talons.
Dr Claude has now given permission for Majestic to move into rehabilitation, so his body condition can improve and he can build up his flight strength. He will then be released back out to the wild.
The wedge-tailed eagle is the largest bird of prey in Australia with a wing span of up to 2.5 metres.
Tonka the Squirrel Glider Joey
All marsupial females have pouches. The most likely species encountered in South-East Queensland are kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, possums, bandicoots and gliders. If you see a body, a simple pouch check can potentially save the life of a precious youngster, just like our Patient of the Week.
Tonka the Squirrel Glider joey was discovered along with his sister Ginny in the pouch of their dead mother. Her body was found early one morning by a member of the public in the front yard of their Glenview property.
Being pinkie joeys Tonka and Ginny’s eyes were still shut and they had not yet grown fur so they were completely reliant on their mother for warmth, milk and safety.
As Tonka and Ginny’s mum wasn’t discovered until daylight, both joeys were very cold and hungry, as is often the case when a nocturnal marsupial dies overnight.
Fortunately the Australian Wildlife Hospital has a special nursery with humidicribs for orphans like Tonka and Ginny and after being assessed they were placed in soft fabric pouches and tucked away in a warm humidicrib to allow their condition to stabilise. Two hours later; 14 gram Tonka and 12 gram Ginny were able to be given oral and subcutaneous fluids.
Sadly Ginny passed away later that afternoon, her little body unable to cope with her prolonged exposure to the cold night.
Tonka has been placed with a wildlife carer who feeds him milk formula every three hours throughout the day and night. The carer says Tonka is doing very well and now weighs 19 grams, his eyes are almost open and he is starting to grow fine fur.
Wombat the Koala
Members of the public at Toogoolawah found a koala on their veranda last weekend, which appeared to be blind in one eye. They were able to contain the koala in an upside-down laundry basket, while they called the Australian Wildlife Hospital for advice. The vets at the Australian Wildlife Hospital felt it was best that the koala was brought to the hospital to be assessed as she was very quiet.
The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit was sent out to meet the rescuers at a half-way point so they could bring the koala, later to be named Wombat, to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for assessment. The vets found that she was lactating – but was without her joey, which must have become separated from her. The people who found Wombat were able to locate the small koala joey and kept a watch over him 20 meters high in a eucalyptus tree through the night! As there were no medical concerns for Wombat, and she was coping well with her injured eye, the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit travelled out to Toogoolawah to reunite Wombat with her joey the next morning. It took the rescue team two hours of tree climbing to retrieve the little joey and reunite him with his mum! It was well worth the effort though, to bring back together these two very special koala patients!
It is coming up to the breeding season, which means wildlife is on the move. The Australia Wildlife Hospital sees a dramatic increase in patients at this time of year, so please be aware of wildlife on our roads.
Pinky-Pie the Koala Joey
This week our featured patient is a 555 gram female koala joey named Pinky-Pie. Pinky-Pie is an orphan and believed to be approximately six months of age.
Pinky-Pie was found by a family travelling along a road near Somerset Dam, after they stopped the car for a rest break. They heard high pitched squeaks coming from some bushes and on investigation found a distressed koala joey calling for her Mum. Unfortunately, Mum was nowhere to be found, so the family contacted the Australia Zoo Recue Unit for help.
Pinky-Pie was transferred to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for a check-up, she had minor injuries to her left front and hind paws, which Dr Arana treated, but otherwise she was in good health.
Pinky-Pie has been placed in care with an experienced koala rehabilitator who is also caring for Bluey, a six-month-old male koala joey orphan, who was found alone along a road in Obi Valley the very same day.
Both koala joeys are doing well and will be with their rehabilitator until they are weaned off milk formula at approximately 12 months of age. At that stage they will enter the Australian Wildlife Hospital ‘Koala Kindy’ where they will have minimal human interaction and learn to become totally independent. Somewhere between 16 and 18 months of age, both Pinky-Pie and Bluey will be released back to life in the wild. Pinky-Pie will return to the Somerset area, and Bluey back to the Obi Valley.
Ozzie the Osprey
This week an exhausted female osprey named “Ozzie” was rescued from a mud hole near Lake Cooroibah in the Noosa area. Ozzie was found desperately struggling to free herself but to no avail as her feathers were caked in a burden of heavy mud.
After arriving at the Australian Wildlife Hospital, Ozzie was given a full medical assessment and her feathers were cleaned to reveal her beautiful white and brown plumage. Following a vet check by Dr Arana, Ozzie was found to be in poor body condition (meaning she was very thin); otherwise there was nothing seriously wrong with her.
Ozzie is now strong enough to be able to stand upright and perch, she is also showing a good appetite for gar fish. In another two days Ozzie is due for a reassessment and at that point Dr Arana will make a decision on her future care.
In South East Queensland, wild pairs of osprey breed from June to August and will continue to use the same nest year after year by adding extra nesting material each season. Females lay between two to three eggs and incubate them for 40 days whilst the male brings her food. Once hatched, the chicks spend 42 days in the nest being fed by both parents and in the months after fledging, chicks may travel well over 20kms to find a mate and territory of their own.
Possum Magic the Brushtail Possum 
Possum Magic arrived at the Australian Wildlife Hospital on 27 July, after she had been found quietly sitting on the ground (which is not usual behaviour for a possum), and especially considering it was during the day.
Tests results showed Possum Magic had rodenticide poisoning (she had eaten rat poison) and she was suffering internal bleeding. Such a life threatening condition in any patient, Possum Magic needed a blood transfusion to save her life. Thankfully all went well and she is currently regaining strength and has a healthy appetite, the nurses say – pink Lilly Pilly leaf is her favourite food at the moment. Possum Magic certainly needs her strength as she has a five month old joey in her pouch that is constantly suckling milk.
In coming weeks as Possum Magic makes a full recovery she will be able to return home with joey to her territory in Beerwah.
Everyone should be aware rodent poison can harm any animal, including pets, so careful consideration and thought is needed.
Cory the Tawny Frogmouth
The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit was called to a domestic practice Vet Surgery to collect an injured Tawny Frogmouth this week. The Tawny had been found by the side of a road by members of the public, and thought to be injured, was taken to their local vet.
Many Tawnys are injured by vehicles as they swoop down to eat moths that are attracted to the shiny headlights. Named Cory, he was found to have a broken wing as a result of colliding with a car. Fortunately for Cory, the break was mid-shaft of his ulna (a bone in the wings of birds) and was a stable fracture. The vet that was treating Cory was able to operate and insert a pin into his broken wing to hold the bones together whilst they heal. Cory will remain with us at the Australian Wildlife Hospital for a few more days before going to a wildlife carer who specializes in caring for Tawny Frogmouths.
While in the care of a rehabilitator, Cory will be placed with other Tawny Frogmouths so that he does not become ‘humanized’. Cory has also been prescribed with a treatment of anti-inflammatory medication and cage-rest until his wing is healed, and will then he will be placed in an aviary for ‘physio’ and flying practice. When Cory is strong and well, he will be released back to Burpengary.
Despite their owl-like appearance, Tawny Frogmouths are not closely related to owls. They get their name from their colour and the fact that they have a wide frog like mouth. They are most active at night, mainly in the few hours after dusk and just before dawn.
Be aware of wildlife that may be more active at night and keep an eye out for them while driving.
Elisa the Green Sea Turtle
Elisa is a Green Sea Turtle that was found by members of the public in April 2009. Elisa was stranded on a beach at the waters-edge of Gatakers Bay, Hervey Bay. She was rescued by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Officials and transported to the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
It is very difficult to correctly age marine turtles until a necropsy can be done, but we have estimated that Elisa is more than 40 years old. When Elisa was admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital, she weighed 65kg and was in poor condition with a sunken plastron and wasting of her shell. Initial blood tests showed that she was chronically anaemic, and had a fluke infection.
Elisa’s treatment included anti-inflammatory medication, vitamin supplements and anti-parasitic medication. Over the last two months, Elisa has almost eaten us out of squid! She would usually eat about 3kg of squid per day. In her first month of treatment she gained 10kg in weight! She was a pleasure for the nurses to feed, whilst many turtles need to be force-fed!
Elisa regained her strength and was doing all things that turtles should! Her blood results improved, and she was tagged and micro-chipped before being released this week.
Maverick the Northern Giant Petrel
Maverick is a male juvenile Northern Giant Petrel who was found by National Parks Rangers on Fraser Island two weeks ago. The Rangers found him in a weakened state - unable to stand or fly and weighing only 1.6kg. Maverick was transported by ferry across to Rainbow Beach where he was met by Seabird Rehabilitators and then transferred into their care. To help rebuild Maverick’s strength he was fed loads of nutritious food including up to 19 pilchards in one meal, also squid and salmon. He was also allowed lots of rest on special support foam to protect his feet from any pressure sores – a crippling condition known as “Bumble Foot”.
On Tuesday this week Maverick started showing signs of nasal discharge and slightly laboured breathing, so he was brought to see Dr Stacey. A test showed a mild respiratory infection and Maverick was prescribed antibiotics and antifungal medication. Maverick was also weighed during his check-up and he tipped the scales at a much healthier 4.1kg, all going well he will need to be re-checked by Dr Stacey in one week’s time.
Northern Giant Petrels are aggressive predators and scavengers, with females feeding mostly at sea, while males feed equally at sea and on land. These petrels have a maximum wing span of 210cm and the biggest threat to the species is drowning caused by long-line fishing gear.
Charlie the Magpie Goose
This weeks’ patient is a male juvenile magpie goose named “Charlie”. Un-characteristically for a wild bird, Charlie was reported to be approaching members of the public in a very tame fashion. Concerns were raised over his strange behaviour and also his welfare, so a local Wildlife Rehabilitator went out to investigate.
On arrival at the Australian Wildlife Hospital, Charlie was found to be quite thin; he exhibited no fear of humans and he readily ate food from a bowl. It is thought that Charlie has been raised by a member of the public and consequently he is showing imprinted behaviour. In this state Charlie is not considered releasable back into the wild; where he could starve, be attacked by a dog or worse? Charlie’s case has been submitted to the Species Management Program and he should find a suitable safe home in a Zoo or Wildlife Park.
If you find an uninjured orphaned native animal, it is vital to take it to a trained Wildlife Rehabilitator for care. All Queensland Wildlife Rehabilitators must hold a current license issued by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), and also be trained in all aspects of caring for the particular species of native wildlife their license covers.
Blair the Koala
Our Patient of the Week is a 4 year old male koala named Blair. Blair has a rather traumatic past, as this is the third time he has been admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for lifesaving treatment.
We first came to know Blair in June 2008 after he had been mauled by a dog. He was admitted to the Hospital in a critical condition suffering shock, fractured ribs, a fractured clavicle and other trauma. Two months later, after around-the-clock veterinary care, Blair had made a full recovery and he was released back to his own territory in the Cleveland area.
Nearly three months later, tragically Blair was struck by a vehicle while trying to cross a busy road. Once again he arrived at the Hospital in a critical condition suffering shock, a fractured left elbow and other trauma. This time Blair spent two and a half months in care and was lovingly nursed back to full health. Again he was released back to his own territory in the Cleveland area (as the State Government legislation requires us to do).
This week, not six months after he returned home, he was again hit by a vehicle while trying to get across another busy road. Watching the veterinary staff working to stabilise him, trying to save his life was heart-breaking. This time he has a dislocated hip and possible spinal trauma; he is in a critical condition, and we don't know if he will survive this third trauma.
How much can one brave little koala endure? Thankfully Blair is receiving the best 24 hour care available - but what is his future, even if he does pull through?
Stinky Lar-Roo the Eastern Long-necked Turtle
Stinky Lar-Roo is an Eastern Long-necked Turtle (freshwater) who unfortunately was hit by a car as she was crossing a road. Many people are surprised by how far freshwater turtles will travel from creeks and dams, and they can often be seen crossing roads, particularly in wet weather.
Stinky Lar-Roo got her name from the unfortunate pungent odour that is released from Eastern Long-necked Turtles when they feel threatened. She is one of the lucky turtles we have admitted to the Hospital as her shell was fractured on the under-side (plastron) but the fracture was stable and not displaced, and so we were able to repair it.
It takes a number of months for fractured shells to heal, and care must be taken that no fungal infections develop at the fracture site. Stinky Lar-Roo is very shy, but is coping with her treatment and rehabilitation very well. The fracture is already starting to heal and she has been allowed in water again for a swim which she really enjoyed!
Forest the Eastern Brown Snake
Forest is a large Eastern Brown Snake that was brought into the Australian Wildlife Hospital in April by a member of the public in his backpack (not recommended) after noticing his skin was not normal.
Upon arrival at the Australian Wildlife Hospital he was examined by Dr Claude who determined he was suffering from severely infected dermatitis. His skin was sloughing off and he was almost dead and in a very depressed state.
He was started on a course of antibiotics and over the last couple months has shed his skin 4 times. With each shedding his skin improved dramatically and he became more alert and feisty each day.
After his fourth skin shed Dr Claude decided he was ready for release. Two members of the Australia Zoo rescue unit collected him and today (11/6/09) successfully released him back into the wild.
Whitlam the Koala
Whitlam is a 6 year old koala that came to the Hospital from Helensvale on the Gold Coast. It appeared that Whitlam lost his grip in a large eucalypt and fell from the tree and landed on a concrete driveway.
Thankfully, the residents at the property were home and heard the thud and went outside to investigate. They kept a close eye on him until a volunteer wildlife rescuer arrived.
Whitlam suffered a fractured jaw which was surgically repaired by inserting a plate and screws. The Australian Wildlife Hospital has been at the forefront of this type of life-saving surgery for koalas. In years gone by, old-school veterinarians argued that this couldn’t be done however, like many other koalas treated at the Hospital before him, Whitlam’s jaw has healed very well and this week Dr Arana removed the plate.
Whitlam will be in care for another few weeks and then will be released back to his original rescue site on the Gold Coast.
Skewer the Eastern Water Dragon
Our Patient of the Week was found within the grounds of Australia Zoo. If you have ever been to the Zoo you would have noticed the many Eastern Water Dragons that scoot all around the park. One of the Zoo Keepers found an adult Eastern Water Dragon with a very large thorn sticking out of her side.
On close examination our vet found that the thorn, from a palm frond, had gone through the one side of the abdomen and was sticking out the opposite side! She was aptly named ‘Skewer’ and underwent surgery to remove the frond.
In surgery our Vet found that the frond had pierced the stomach twice! She was able to carefully remove the foreign body and repair the internal damage. Skewer has received antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatment and is recovering well.
We expect Skewer to be released back at Australia Zoo in the next two weeks.
Spitfire the Green Sea Turtle
Even the tiniest patients receive intensive care and attention at the Australian Wildlife Hospital. Spitfire is a Green Sea Turtle hatchling. He was found struggling in very shallow water, on the beach near Cape Moreton. He weighs only 25g! His left front flipper had sustained an injury which prevented him from using it correctly and he was unable to swim out through the breakers to the open ocean.
Spitfire was contained and transported very quickly to the Hospital for medical attention. Due to his injury and the struggle to survive, Spitfire needed to be given two antibiotics and two types of pain medication. He also received fluids to assist in his rehydration. While his injuries heal Spitfire will remain in the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital.
Green Sea Turtles are one of Australia’s ocean reptiles that require everyone’s care and attention as their numbers are declining rapidly due to urbanisation of their nesting beaches and injuries from boats, discarded netting and pollution of the ocean.
If Spitfire grows to his full size he could weigh more than 150kgs and live to over 100 years old.
Wattle the Grey-headed Flying Fox
On the evening of Wednesday 6th May an experienced and vaccinated bat carer received a call regarding a flying fox entangled on a barbed wire fence at Palmwoods. Equipped with a head torch, gloves, a towel and wire cutters, the carer was able to cut free the piece of wire fencing along with the entangled bat.
Realising the extent of injuries to the bat’s wing and her mouth, the carer then drove the patient down to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for specialised help to remove the barb wire. The carer christened the flying fox “Wattle” as she was found caught under a flowering wattle tree. Wattle was anaesthetised and then began the delicate work of freeing her left wing and mouth from the wire barbs. After forty-five arduous minutes Wattle was freed and the staff could start treating her injuries.
Wattle had suffered tears to the membrane on her left wing, and also damage to her mouth as she tried to bite her way free. The corner of her mouth was torn open 1 ½ cms across her cheek and this needed to be delicately sutured back together. Wattle had also broken two of her upper incisors, but fortunately her canines were all intact. Her wing was then covered with a specialised bandage to help with the healing and she was given pain relief, anti-inflammatory, anti-biotic and rehydrating fluids.
Wattle has now been placed in the care of her rescuer, who reports Wattle has been a very sweet natured and brave little girl. She especially loves to lap the nectar collected from fresh eucalypt blossom and other native flowers, but at present her mouth is still too sore to allow her to chew the flowers.
Grey-headed flying foxes are a nocturnal species and may travel up to fifty kilometres in one night searching for food, which is made up of nectar and fruit from native trees and shrubs. In the past ten years the total population has dramatically declined due to land clearing which has resulted in loss of habitat and food sources.
Desrae the Tawny Frogmouth
On 5 May 2009 a Buderim resident noticed a Tawny Frogmouth sitting in her front yard. The Tawny appeared to have suffered an injury to her shoulder and was unable to fly to the safety of a tree.
The resident realised the Tawny needed help, so she phoned the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit on the Rescue Hotline 1300 369 652. Cory and Kate were on the scene in minutes and safely delivered the injured Tawny down to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for treatment.
Avian Specialist Dr Stacey masked down the patient, which is done by placing a breathing mask over the patient’s face and letting them breathe in a mixture of oxygen and anaesthetic gas. The patient, who had now been named Desrae, was sleeping peacefully while Dr Stacey examined her and took X-rays.
X-rays showed a fractured left clavicle, so Dr Stacey gave Desrae some pain relief, anti-inflammatories and some fluids. He then recommended cage rest for the next couple of weeks while the injury heals.
Desrae will be able to leave the Australian Wildlife Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit for Birds in the next couple of days and go to a bird carer for the rest of her rehabilitation.
Desrae will need to come back in for a check-up in two weeks and, all going well, will be released back to her Buderim home.
Patch the Green Tree Snake
The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit went on a call-out for a Green Tree Snake that was unfortunately caught in a shed door - ouch! The Rescue Unit brought him to the Australian Wildlife Hospital where our vet put him under anaesthetic so that she could properly assess his injuries.
It was found that Patch had two large open wounds, but was moving well. He has subsequently undergone treatment to allow for healing of the wounds and is progressing very nicely. We expect him to be released in the next few weeks - hopefully he will steer clear of doors and hinges!
Cotton Bud the Echidna
Cotton Bud was walking across a road at Mount Cotton when he was hit by a car last week. A driver stopped to pick him up and took him to a local vet who then called the Australian Wildlife Hospital for advice. One of our nurses picked him up from the surgery and brought him to the Hospital where our vet found that he had a fractured beak, which is a very common injury for echidnas hit by cars.
Fortunately for Cotton Bud his break is stable and able to be treated. He is currently in the care of an experienced echidna carer for rehabilitation whilst the break heals. Already the bones are granulating well and hopefully he will start eating again soon.
Echidnas are not often seen but are fairly common residents of South East Queensland. They have a particularly strong sense of smell which they use for finding their food, which includes termites and other ants and also worms, beetles and larvae. They have no teeth but use their sticky tongue to draw food into their mouths and they ‘chew’ it between their tongue and the bottom of their mouth. Echidnas are greatly threatened by loss of their habitat.
Gavin the Keelback Snake
Keelback Snake is a name we should all try to remember. Gavin is a juvenile Keelback Snake that was injured when he was run over by a motor mower. He was very lucky as he was seen immediately by the resident who was mowing and Gavin was brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital straight away.
Dr Peter examined Gavin and found he had wounds to his tail that would require him to be kept in the hospital for a short stay. Antibiotics were prescribed to kill any germs that may have infected the wounds, and a medicated paste to be placed over the wounds to seal them. Gavin was then placed in a specially heated enclosure to assist him to get well.
Why should we remember Keelback Snakes? Because they are one of the few animals that can eat TOADS. This is a very special ability as toads are poisonous to most animals. Keelback Snakes can be found in many urban back yards, and particularly like living near creeks or in low lying areas. They are non-venemous and their main source of food is lizards, frogs, small fish and even tadpoles.
Gavin’s wounds have healed really well and he has been released this week to chase more of those pesky toads!
Shazza the Kookaburra
Shazza the Kookaburra was found on the ground at a busy intersection in Landsborough on Monday. She appeared to be dazed and her rescuer had been loath to leave her unattended as dogs were roaming in the area.
On arrival at the Australian Wildlife Hospital Shazza was assessed by Dr Arana and found to be suffering from shock – possibly as a result of colliding with a car. Whilst Shazza was reluctant to fly, she was able to stand and support herself comfortably on a perch. Dr Arana confirmed that there were no broken bones but prescribed Shazza some anti-inflammatory medication to ease soreness suffered from the impact. Later in the day Shazza was offered a tasty meal of chunky beef pieces which she consumed with relish.
The next day Shazza was again given the opportunity to fly – this time she enjoyed her flight practice and didn’t demonstrate any discomfort at all.
Dr Arana has now given Shazza the green light to be released back to Landsborough when weather conditions improve.
Squirt the Squirrel Glider
Squirt is an adult female Squirrel Glider that was found in a peg bag on a washing line! She was missing a finger on her left forearm and had an open wound. She was brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital by the member of the public who found her and was given immediate treatment for the wound. It is not known what caused the injury.
Squirt convalesced in the Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit for the duration of her treatment and was released last Thursday evening.
The Hospital admits many gliders that have been victims of attacks by cats or caught on barbed wire. Squirrel gliders can be seen in suburban gardens and dry forest and woodlands. They are nocturnal and eat insects and nectar of local native flora. You can have great fun spotlighting in your garden looking for gliders and possums.
Stripe-faced Dunnarts
Our seven tiny Patients of the Week are Stripe-Faced Dunnarts which are part of the Dasyurid group of animals. A miner found them when there was digging at a mine at McKinlay. He waited for the mother to come back for them but, after a few hours, he realized that she was not going to return so he made arrangements to transfer the animals to the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
Our vet found that they were quiet and dehydrated, so fluids were administered and they were fed with marsupial milk. The tiny Dunnarts weight just 3g each! They will soon start to forage for spiders, insects and small reptiles. In times of plenty, fat is stored in the tail of the Dunnart. They are under threat from cultivation, fires and predation by foxes and cats in their habitat of grassland and shrubland.
Booma the Woma Python
Booma, a 2.1 metre adult Woma Python, came into the care of the Australian Wildlife Hospital recently after he was found on a dirt road on a property at St George with a stick protruding from the side of his body. He was taken to St George veterinary clinic who then called the Australian Wildlife Hospital for specialist advice to keep his condition stable and to arrange an emergency transfer. The Australia Zoo rescue team met Booma’s rescuers at Dalby, completing the 6 hour road trip to the Hospital where he was immediately assessed by Dr Amber.
Booma subsequently underwent 4 hours of surgery to remove the forked stick which was believed to have been ingested along with some prey. The stick had travelled down his intestinal tract to within 6 cm of the end where it turned and punctured the intestinal wall, protruding outside of his body.
Woma pythons are an endangered species due to habitat loss. They hunt for prey in burrows and are a form of python that don’t have the heat sensoring pits found in other pythons.
Booma has recovered well from surgery, has a healthy appetite and, importantly, his digestive system is working well, which is a positive sign that the surgery was successful. He is expected to make a full recovery and be released back into the wild at St George in approximately two month’s time.
Black Beard the Frill-necked Lizard
Black Beard is the first Frill-necked Lizard ever to be admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital. We get many calls about ‘frill-necks’ but, until now, they have all turned out to be Bearded Dragons! Black Beard was found by a motorist on Murdering Creek Road, near Noosa - he had been hit by a car and suffered a broken leg and trauma to his tail. He has been with us in care for over three weeks now and is recovering slowly but surely from his injuries.
The Frill-necked Lizard is probably one of Australia’s most famous lizards because of their impressive display of a widely distended throat when they are threatened. They are commonly found in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and across northern Australia and rarely seen in south-east Queensland.
Agent M the Ringtail Possum
Agent M is a ringtail possum that was found on the ground at Maleny. Wildlife carers were called and they immediately brought the sub-adult possum down to the Australian Wildlife Hospital at Beerwah.
An x-ray showed that he had a broken hind leg and the bones were displaced, which would have been very painful for him. Agent M was given pain relief and anti-inflammatory medication and kept stable overnight before having surgery to repair the fracture the next morning.
Our vet placed a pin to join the broken bone together whilst it heals and Agent M is recovering well from surgery. He will now be placed with an experienced possum carer who will take care of him whilst he recovers. Once the bone has fully healed the pin will be removed and Agent M Will be able to be released back to the wild.
Carpet Pythons
Our reptile room at the Australian Wildlife Hospital is full of our cold-blooded friends that have different injuries and illnesses. One of our current patients is Humpty - a cranky carpet python who, unfortunately, ate a porcelain dummy egg that was in a chook shed! Luckily the home-owner found the snake resting in the coop as he was trying to digest the egg and was able to put him in a bag and bring him down to the Hospital. Humpty underwent surgery to remove the egg and we are happy to report that he is recovering well and should be released soon. Hopefully he won’t make the same mistake again!
We have also been able to release two clutches of carpet python eggs recently. Both sets of eggs were displaced when earth-works were being conducted and were brought to the Hospital for incubation. Interestingly, some of the eggs hatched two snakes - not the usual one! If you find any eggs in your garden that become displaced as you are digging etc, please call the Hospital and we will incubate them and then release the young when they hatch.
Ozzie the Koala Joey
Ozzie came to the Australian Wildlife Hospital on Australia Day, after having been rescued from the Cleveland area in Brisbane. Curiously, he had been struck by a wheelie bin and the incident was reported to a local wildlife rescue group. The rescuers could not locate Ozzie’s mother.
Dr Amber examined Ozzie on his arrival at the Hospital and assessed his age to be just 9 months. He presented with some tenderness to his hind quarters, but fortunately he had not suffered any serious injury. An x-ray revealed some inflammation to the lungs so he was prescribed a course of injections to address this. He was also found to be anaemic, so was also prescribed a daily dose of vitamins.
A couple of weeks on and Ozzie is doing well. He has been placed in the care of one of our staff members who is also caring for a female joey of a similar age. They enjoy each other’s company and playing together. Follow-up blood tests and another x-ray this week revealed a pleasing improvement in Ozzie’s condition and he is adapting well to the experience of being in care.
Ozzie will return to the Hospital’s Rainforest (pre-release enclosure) in about 3 month’s time, before being released back to the wild.
Twinkle the Gould’s Wattled Micro-bat
Twinkle is a 9g juvenile Gould’s Wattled Micro-bat- and, like most juvenile Hospital patients, she got herself into the wrong place at the wrong time, and managed to get caught by a household cat! The cat’s teeth tore through her wing membranes and made about 5 holes in her left wing. Luckily the teeth missed her body- usually when micro-bats have puncture wounds in their body they die of infection. Twinkle had to be prized out of the cat’s mouth and was brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital where antibiotics, anti-infammatory medication and pain killers were administered. Twinkle has made a terrific recovery in the care of an experienced bat carer and is ready to be released.
Gould’s Wattled Micro-bats have the uncanny ability to fold their ears like a piece of origami so that they can move around in their roosts. They roost mostly in tree-hollows and are insectivorous bats that catch their prey by scooping it in their tails, and eating it ‘on the wing’- that is, as they are flying. They can be found across Australia bar the Cape York peninsular.
Chicky-Babe the Yellow-billed Spoonbill
This very cute Patient of the Week was brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital by a wildlife carer from Bribie Island. He was found on the ground having fallen from the nest. Chicky-Babe is a Yellow-billed Spoonbill - an uncommon species to be admitted to the Hospital. Fortunately, Chicky-Babe was found to be healthy and had escaped injury from the fall. He was subsequently sent to specialist bird carers who have reported back to the Hospital that he is doing very well and enjoying his diet of whitebait and pilchards!
Yellow-billed Spoonbills are common residents of wetland areas and can be found in shallow swamps, fresh and brackish waters, dams and small pools. They feed by sweeping their bills from side to side in the water and any prey in the water that touches the bill triggers it to shut immediately. Yellow-billed Spoonbills grow quite large - up to 80-90 cm tall. Chicky-Babe will be released back to the wild when he is old enough to survive on his own.
Bazza the Pacific Baza
Bazza was found on the ground at the Woorim Golf Club on Bribie Island. He was bleeding from two puncture wounds to his back and unable to fly. He was rescued by an experienced bird carer and brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for assessment. He has now been admitted and has begun a course of antibiotic and anti-inflammatory medications.
Bazza is eating on his own which is a great sign that he is on the road to recovery. He should go to a raptor rehabilitator soon for flight practice before being released back to the wild.
The Pacific Baza is a medium-sized, long-tailed hawk with a prominent crest - the crest and their boldly barred abdomen make this bird of prey very distinctive.
Gigantor the Lace Monitor
Gigantor is a Lace Monitor that was rescued by a Reptile carer when he was found dragging his body across a road. When he first presented to the Australian Wildlife Hospital Gigantor was quiet but was able to move all his limbs. X-rays showed no obvious fractures, but as it was obvious he was in a great deal of pain the vet started him on pain relief. Over the following few days he showed a slight head tilt which suggests he had suffered some neurological damage. Gigantor is now climbing well and eating on his own, however he will remain in Hospital until he has fully recovered.
Lace Monitors, also known as Goannas are found over most of the southern hemisphere, from Africa to southern Asia and Australia. Different species of monitors have evolved to a semi-aquatic mode of life; others are tree-dwelling whilst others have adapted to live in the harshest deserts.
It is not unusual to find Lace Monitors in suburban areas of South East Queensland. We have two others in care at the Hospital currently - one of which was also hit by a car, and the other was attacked by dogs. One should be cautious when approaching Lace Monitors as they can bite and may do some serious damage as they whip their tails in defense. You will quite often see Lace Monitors in picnic and BBQ areas but please enjoy observing them from a distance and do not feed them as they will start relating people to food which can cause Lace Monitors to act in an aggressive manner if people then don’t share their lunch with them.
Brisbane River Turtles
You may remember our Patient of the Week, Salada the beautiful Brisbane River Turtle who was admitted after she had swallowed a fishing hook. Whilst she was under anesthetic she laid six eggs which staff at the Australian Wildlife Hospital incubated.
Salada recovered well after her surgery to remove the hook and she was released to the wild where she would have laid the remaining eggs (Brisbane River Turtles lay approximately 15 eggs). After about six weeks the little eggs hatched in the incubator and the cutest little turtles came out! Staff kept them contained for a few days before releasing them back to Sandgate, where their mum had come from.
The eggs had to be kept at a constant temperature of 29 degrees with high humidity, and they all hatched within a 24 hour period. Turtle hatchlings are independent from when they hatch. Of the 15 eggs that are usually laid, sadly only one to two of those are expected to reach adulthood.
Mr Andy the Pelican
On New Year’s Day a pelican became entangled with fishing line and lures for the second time in his life. He was found at the Powerboat Club with a hook embedded in his leg. He was rescued by seabird carers and brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital for treatment. ‘Mr Andy’ had a mass of granulation at the hook site and the wound was flushed and bandaged with a special dressing. He will have a course of antibiotics and, all going well, will be ready for release in a few weeks.
The rescuers believe that he is the same pelican they rescued and cared for in August 2008. He was found at Bulcock Beach at that time with a few fishing hooks embedded in his tissue and he was successfully released after treatment. The rescuers were able to identify him by the scar tissue from the previous injuries and also by his cheeky character!
We urge all fishermen to dispose of their used line and tackle in rubbish bins so that our beautiful wildlife does not get entangled in it.
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