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The Currumbin Wildlife Hospital has treated more animals than ever before in October and November this year

THOUSANDS of Gold Coast animals owe their lives to the work of the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital in the past two months.

Vet Nurse Ana Jackson feeds a give-week-old fig bird at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital. Pic Jono Searle.
Vet Nurse Ana Jackson feeds a give-week-old fig bird at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital. Pic Jono Searle.

THOUSANDS of Gold Coast animals have been saved by the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital in the past two months.

The hospital has averaged 40 patients a day since October and senior vet Michael Pyne says he expects the trend to continue for the rest of the year.

"This has been so much more than we've seen previously which has really stretched us," he said.

"It's the resourcing, if people are able to help us out at this time of year, it would be fantastic."

Dr Pyne said people were more proactive about caring for sick and injured animals than ever before and this had an effect on the number of animals being treated at the hospital.

"Birds are the most-treated and they always have been and always will," he said.

"I think what we're seeing is people being very aware that we provide this service.

"There are certainly a few more injured ones.

"It's great if people are becoming more conscious and more aware."

The wildlife expert said Spring and Summer were the busiest seasons of the year for the hospital and that most animals had been injured by man-made objects - like birds flying into windows or swallowing fishhooks.

"In Spring, we can about double the numbers," he said.

"Mainly because it's breeding season.

"They're on the move, they're trying to find a mate.

"It's not too often that we see an old, sick animal come in.

"Our hospital is more an accident and emergency."

Dr Pyne said he hoped the hospital would take-on a larger role in educating Gold Coasters about the wildlife on the Coast and said this would help to ease the pressure on the hospital as a treatment centre.

"It's not really until we get to about March and April that we really see numbers start to drop.

"The hospital itself can cope, we've designed it to cope.

"I see the role of the hospital in the future to educate people as much as possible."

The wildlife activist said it was expensive to treat animals, so the hospital was running the 'Walkways for Wildlife' Appeal whereby for $60, supporters can buy a paver that will be engraved with their name or a message to be laid along the pathway to the hospital.

"On average it costs us $60 to save a life," he said.

Dr Pyne said by purchasing a paver for Christmas, people could effectively save the life of an injured animal.

For more information or to contribute, visit savingyourwildlife.org.au.

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Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/lifestyle/pets-and-wildlife/the-currumbin-wildlife-hospital-has-treated-more-animals-than-ever-before-in-october-and-november-this-year/news-story/fad51a2318eb954553f93b222eee93be