Currumbin Wildlife Hospital inundated with distressed, injured baby animals during breeding season

Well-meaning locals are taking animals in to the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and are ‘kidnapping’ otherwise healthy Spring babies. Here is what you need to know when finding an abandoned animal during breeding season.

SPRING has well and truly sprung on the Gold Coast but spare a thought for many of the city’s baby animals, who are either abandoned by their mums or “kidnapped” by locals.

Senior vet Michael Pyne, from the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, said Spring was a bittersweet time of year for him and his team.

Sadly, the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital has been inundated with distressed and injured baby animals over the spring breeding season.

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“Spring brings many adorable baby animals but the simple fact that more and more animals are coming through our doors means that we need help to prevent wildlife being hit by cars or attacked by domestic pets,” Dr Pyne said.

Vet Dr Michael Pyne with cygnets getting ready for the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Hospital open day. Picture Mike Batterham

He said spring also brought a lot of baby birds to the sanctuary.

“What happens is, the baby birds flutter from the nest, get some elevation and then fail, which is all part of the learning process,” he said.

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They are often picked up by well-meaning locals – often to their detriment.

“These baby birds are in a sense kidnapped because people think they need help, but in most cases the parents are around to collect them during their learning experience,” Dr Pyne said.

“Unless the birds seem visibly injured, they are allowed to fail flight. This is how they learn.

“It’s important people are aware of this, so that they aren’t taking baby animals away from their mothers.”

A cute baby Tawny Frogmouth is being treated by vets at Currumbin. He will be raised by a carer and released back to the wild when he is old enough to survive on his own

One of the newest patients at the wildlife hospital is a baby Tawny Frogmouth, which was rescued after being abandoned by its mother.

It will now be raised by a carer until it is old enough and strong enough to be released back into the wild.

The animal hospital has also seen an inundation of little critters whose mothers have been killed on roads or have been abandoned.

Fortunately, the hospital has a team which goes above and beyond to care for all creatures, great and small.

For more information about the wildlife hospital and its vital work – or to donate – visit currumbinwildlifehospital.org.