Wildlife hospital receives timely $1 million boost
The hospital’s senior veterinarian said the help had come at the right time
Community News
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THE Currumbin Wildlife Hospital has received a massive $1 million boost to help it treat an influx of koalas and other wildlife struggling with bushfires and drought.
The funding is part of a $6 million Federal Government initiative to protect koalas across southeast Queensland and northern NSW.
The hospital’s senior veterinarian Michael Pyne said the help had come at the right time.
“Currumbin Wildlife Hospital is one of the busiest wildlife hospitals in the world, admitting 11,500 patients a year,” Dr Pyne said.
“Fires across Australia and the extended drought have had a huge impact on koalas this year and this has put extra pressure on the hospital.
“This contribution will allow us to upgrade our facilities to better manage the growing number of admissions.”
Dr Pyne said in his 19 years at the wildlife hospital, he had never seen anything like the huge number of dehydrated, starving animals arriving daily for lifesaving treatment.
He also warned koala admissions this year would reach an all-time high of nearly 600, compared to 477 last year.
“We’re admitting 50 animals a day, they’re starving and dehydrated but there’s nothing else wrong with them,” he said.
“We had 27 admissions in 2008 but last year, we had 447 and this year, we expect to treat nearly 600 koalas,” he said.
McPherson MP Karen Andrews said in recent months, staff at the wildlife hospital had gone above and beyond their duty to care for wildlife injured in bushfires or drought.
“This team does an incredible job in treating, rehabilitating and releasing sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife,” she said.
“We are committed to ensuring they can continue to do that.”
The $6 million initiative includes plans to protect Koala habitat, enhance the corridors that connect local populations and funding for two other wildlife hospitals: Australia Zoo and Queensland RSPCA.
The funding will be provided through the $100 million Environment Restoration Fund, announced in the 2019-2020 Budget.
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