Some of the fires have flared up this morning with the winds. So some places are still not safe for us to go into. I am just on my way to pick up my first casualty from the fires. A small ringtail possum, I don't know if its and adult or a baby yet, apparantly their is more Wildlife still alive than they initially thought. We are just waiting for permission to go into some of the areas. I have just had two messages for call out for wildlife rescue in the fire areas will probably be searching this afternoon as soon as we get the go ahead.
The bushfire appeal response with Wildlife Victoria has been good. If anyone wants to donate please note the donation form on their website is in AU dollars, for instance if you wanted to donate approx. $10US, choose approx $16 AU. Some US members have been surprised when only $6 has been taken out of their account when they donated what they thought was $10!
The website is www.wildlifevictoria.org.au
This money will directly benefit the care, treatment and rehabilitation of the furry bushfire victims. Sam the koala in the photo of above, is now receiving care but she will probably take 5/6 months of treatment before she is well enough to be released.This is the same with most animals will come into care with burns.
Thanks in advance. You don't know how much you guys are helping us.
It's 6am here and I will be leaving soon to join Jett and the other fireground team up in Whittlesea. That is the staging ground and the reports back from Jett late last night, was they had found animals including one koala who on first appearances only to be experiencing some smoke inhalation and was quickly sent off to a triage centre full a full veterinary examination. There were other animals including possums being found.
Wildlife Victoria has a great veterinary team happening up there as well in co-ordinaton with the Melbourne Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary and Lort Smith Animal Hospital.
Anyway time to recheck my car is properly packed and then I will head off. Will be back tonight!
Hi Guys, just got back tonight after two days up at Whitlesea doing rescue and alot of manning the phones and sending people out. I'm so tired and really should write a jpirnal but I'm juts tpp tied and trying to do some washing and cathcing up with the animals while I'm home for teh night. Then back up in the morning as co-ordinator. sound glamerous..lol but it's not. we just need people to keep up with al the calss coming in then send out the right people to assess the animal. Unfortunatly today we employed shooters to euthanize the roos burned so badly it isn't even worth trying to treat them and we have too many for the one person to go to the many places we have each day. And not only did I capture a Koala I was flimed by several TV sattions form around the world...lol so if you may see me being interviewed trying to get fuids into a possum or helping swpa the Koala from the net to the cage after he had been assessed. And I bought home a suprise for my husband...a small 5 month old female kangaroo. I have named her Toola from the suburb of Toolangi. I have taken her to my shelter till i get back again in a few days. Carol the shelter operator also has another roo called darcey so I will take them both when I get back...something to look forward to. Iy's pretty full on with calls coming in all the time and its a bit hectic with all teh people. Lot's of people are coming up wnating to help but really we need more qualifed people who can read how injured some of the animals are. Kangaroos can look like they are fine grazing way when they are really still injured so we need poeple who know what a roo normally looks like. Even I have trouble reading the signs with some of them. We saw several mobs that had a few that needed assessing so i'm hoping we will gte someone in tmmorow who can do that and dart the ones we need to take a closer look at. So tired not sure if this all makes sence. I'll try and get some of the photos posted in the morning if I get a chnace. Thanks guys for all you donations the shelters and carers will really need the help. These joeys could be in care for up to 2 years so that will give you some idea on the amount of effort goes into the rehabilatation.
I've just gotten back and the calls did not abate durng the day. I too am back just for the night and will spend the next two days up there. The generosity of people is staggering with so many supplies coming in!
Anyway time to fall into bed as I have been to but in five hours! No updates for a couple of days unless I manage to get wireless connection working up in the Staging area.
All the best to everyone and see you up there in the morning Jett.
Photo of a Koala burnt in the Fires, and other that have been bought into care.
I have teamed up with some members from several Wildlife groups, Australian veterinary Assoc and A Veterinary Medical Comp, We have contacted over 160 vets and many many pet shop/suppliers Last night we sent a Pallet Load of Medical Supplies over to Victoria, we still have more donations coming in and will be sending another pallet of medical supplies, cages etc over early next week.
I wish I could do more, but all I can do is send a little money ... I'll try to set aside a little each payday to send from time to time. That poor koala in the last picture is going to wrench at my heart for a long time. But the baskets full sure look cute!
Rach you know how crazy I am about the koalas....those pictures just break my heart..that little one that was burnt..is he ok???
The ones in the baskets look like babies/young...I was wondering the same thing as Raven..do they stay in them or climb in and out???
I knew you would somehow get involved in helping even though you are not close to that area.
Going through disaster..ir Hurricane Andrew..I know human beings will reach out to help other "people"..the best in people come out at times like these..I am so glad their are people who love wildlife and step up to take care of them...
Jett and Ko will you be caring for some of these injured at your homes???? Or will they all go into rescue shelters or vet. clinics? Take care
The koala's in the baskets most likely have burns to thier feet and are bandaged up, they wont wont to move much at all.
I am sorry if I upset anyone with the photo's, but unfortunately its the reality of it all. I have a few more photos as well.
Roz a lot of the shelters and some vets have been burnt down,
KO or Jett pleas contact me i need to find out some Info on Wildlife Vic are they distributing to all shelters even those not affiliated with them.
We have a LARGE load of donations coming over next week, were going to have seperate boxes for healsville and other organisations, the first lot went to the Morewell vets who I understand hand it out to all shelters carers etc.
They are estimating that a MILLION animals may have perished, wich is just heart renching considering some of the endangered species may have possibly been wiped out for good.
This is heart breaking...all those Koalas in the laundry baskets...I'm at work trying not to cry...I with I could donate right now but I can't. I will with next weeks paycheck...I'm praying for you all...
on my lunch break i heard Nicole Kidman donated alot of money to this! How wonderful. I hope other actors and actresses follow suit. it would be great.
Rach - Please don't feel bad about showing us the pictures. We need to know the reality of the situation. I can't even fathom the amount of damage that's been done, and the possible extinctions are just heartbreaking. So terribly sad...
Rach, it's breaking my heart but I want to know. I can't imagine how horrendous it is to actually be there. I'm so glad we have you and Ko and Jett to show us the reality and share your stories. And the occasional story of hope, too ... thank you for that, and for all you do.
Animal Rights groups are asking that those caught starting these fires also be charged with animal cruelty, considering all the animals that have either perished or been injured. Tonight I was talking to a lady in Victoria who has rescued 2 Greater Gliders, this is so good to hear,
Hi guys just a quick update. I have just gotten home for a few hours sleep. I have been up at the fires since Wednesday with one short over night trip home inbetween to bring an Eastern grey joey home. unfortuntaly we believe a member of the public had her for a few days and had been feeding her cows milk which wrecks their gut fauna and has caused diahrea and she isn't the best at the moement. I wish the public wouldn't interfere but would pass these animals on quicker.
The news is not good for our wildlife. I would love to know where the photos came of all the Kaolas in the laundry baskets came from. The reports are a small group of koalas have come in in a sprinkling of areas but not many so far. The photos look like some from the Mannigham fires a few years back. Many false reports are coming in by a wildlife group that they are collecting hundreds of animals up around Kinglake area. the fact is we have not been aloud into this area till today. They have only collected a handfull of animals so far. unfortunatly this one particular group is saying they are getting no help but it appears to be all a publicity stunt. I believe they have been holding the same Koala for days in a stressful situation for media coverage. anything cute that comes in is also paraded past the media with the call for funds.
On very sad note is the fact that hundreds of burned kangaroos and wallabys need to be euthanized. In some cases the complete mob has badly burned feet. Unfortunalty I have been going out with a team to assess which roos need to be euthaized then helping to remove the body off the property for collection by the council. The stench of death in the some areas hangs in the air with wildlife dead everywhere. Today a vet nurse from Adelaide zoo has arrived with a dart gun but I don't think many will be saved although I do hope that we can get to some. The grass is burned out throughout these areas and dams and ponds are polluted. Inbetween all this are the houses completly burned out.
I have just spoken to Ko and a fresh team have arrived and they are going out and sighting some that may be able to be rescued. All being well i will be back up there in the morning. i have only had a couple of hours sleep. The past few nights sleeping on the ground at the CFA staging area.
I have come home to organize animals and get my husband organized but he is being a gem and is very proud of me. Looks like a long road ahead but I'm trying not to burn out so thats why I needed to come home and refresh.
Thanks so much for taking your limited time to keep us updated. Thanks for trying to help these critters. I am so sad about all this. I wish I had the training to help.
I hope that Sam and Bob are for real and not a publicity stunt. I know its possible for animals to love each other. I have gliders. Even Dogs are not like that to their furry family. My gliders so love each other. That's what Sam and Bob seem like.
I spoke to ppl in the Kinglake area today they have 35 Koala in care, 2 greater Gliders, possums etc, The person who has Bob and Sam is not letting this Koala being stressed, yes it is being filmed in its cage but it IS NOT being handed around willy nilly. The lady who has the these Koala's, Koalas are her life, she isnt going to do anything to harm them.
I'm going to make a small donation that I wish could be more. I am in tears thinking of what all these animals have gone through, are dealing with, how much pain they are in, and all these innocent animals that have passed on. This is all because of humans!
That picture of the little koala that got burnt is heartbreaking. If that's a picture from the current fires - is he going to be okay???
Thank you Jett, Ko, and Rach for keeping us posted especially when I know all of you need some much needed rest and help with your own families, and animals you have taken in. I wish I could be there too. Yall take care, and know that you are in my prayers from TX along with everyone on this site.
According to the department of sutainability and environmant who is over seaing all the rescue work aroung Kinglake and the surrounding fires not many animals are coming in. A sprinkling of possums, a couple of koalas, few wallabys and roos. I spoke with two officers yesterday and went out looking for a couple of roos with two officers today. The roos were stuck in a dam up in one of the worse areas today. The DSE are also going out and euthanizing animals, their is no glory in this job. I was up at 5:30am Tuesday morning to go out and euthanize three badly burned Easter Grey Kangaroos. One had a furless joey in pouch. I had to cut the teet to take him out of the pouch. I wrapped him in a pillow case that I first wiped as much slime from the mothers pouch so the pillow case smelled like her. Hi name is Jack because he road where he came from was called Jacks Creek road. He is on 7 feeds a day every 3 1/2 hours. I'm hoping i will be able to keep him alive.
I was glad to hear that Nicole Kidman made a donation...since she and hubby Keith Urban are from there I would hope they would want to help....now I am waiting to hear from Simon Baker (the Mentalist) donates...and everyone should keep in mind it is the reg. person that can only make small donations that really helps...those are the ones that add up!!!!!!!
Jett give an update on little Jack..how sad that he lost his mama...thank God you are filling in for her.
We are now getting calls to start moving into new areas affected by fires. Taggerty it sounds like has many Koalas and different types of gliders. They are looking for a large committment of days which is hard for everyone. I hope to be heading back Monday but will probably go back but I'm not sure where too. If I head bak to Whitlesea I could take Jack with me but if I move into other areas it will not be practical as I don't know the people or conditions we will be working under. Jack is doing really well so I don't want to put his life at risk. I do have a contact of a loverley older couple close by who do pinkies and I would trust with him. I think having a few days at home has been good for me although I seem to have so much to do so I'm hopeing for a quieter weekend. I don't know about anyone else but it's so full on out on the field that you don't think of anything else. i don't want to compare it to a war but I understand how men came home from the war and just didn't fit in anymore and that was after months and years away and for me it's only been a few days. Maybe it's just the fact that everything at home now seems trivial and I know how much work still needs to be done out there.
It does sound like a war - and I wouldn't be surprised if you're feeling some "battle fatigue". You probably could use a good, long rest but I respect you so much for caring enough to do what needs to be done. Hopefully you're taking some semblance of care of yourself. Hopefully, you'll get some relief soon. Our thoughts are with you...
well our last truckload of donations left SA today bound for Vic, we managed to raise $13,000 in goods to send, medical supplie, cages, pet carriers, animal food, towels, pouches etc. The response we got from vets and pet shops/suppliers have been amazing. Just in this last load we sent 30 new pet carriers. Hopefully it will help some of those who have lost thier shelter etc.
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