Help! I've found a farm animal. What do I do?
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Found a baby bird or injured wildlife? The safest next step depends on the animal's condition. If you're unsure, contact an experienced wildlife rescue service before handling them.
Before you approach or handle wildlife
Put your safety first. Do not approach or handle wildlife that could seriously injure you, including snakes, goannas, bats, large macropods, adult wombats, koalas or birds of prey. If you're unsure what the animal is or whether it's safe to handle, keep your distance and contact a trained wildlife rescue.
For smaller wildlife that a rescuer advises is safe to contain, follow their handling instructions and keep handling to a minimum.
If the animal is injured and is a species you can safely transport, a vet may be able to help and can arrange wildlife rescue support where needed. For larger, dangerous or unfamiliar wildlife, don't try to transport the animal yourself - contact a wildlife rescue service for advice.
Baby birds
In spring and summer, you often see young birds that are fledging on the ground with no parents in sight. This is normal behaviour and not a cause for concern.
If the young bird is hopping or running around and is mostly covered in feathers, it is perfectly okay to leave them alone unless they are in danger, such as from passing traffic or domestic pets.
If the bird is a nestling with fluffy down and no or few feathers, it is likely to have fallen from the nest accidentally. If it looks healthy and uninjured, place it back in the nest if possible. Only remove a young bird as a last resort when you are certain it is injured, in danger or abandoned.
You can read more about how to tell if a baby bird is in trouble and needs help over on the Wildlife Victoria website. If you’re unsure, leave the bird where it is and contact your local wildlife organisation to speak to a carer—you can find a list of state-based wildlife services below.
Injured wildlife
If you come across an injured or orphaned wild animal, here’s how you can help safely and quickly:
Get experienced help:
When you come across injured or orphaned wildlife, the first thing to do is contact an experienced wildlife rescue, or if it’s safe to do so, get the animal to a vet as soon as possible.
Safety first:
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Consider your safety before physically handling wildlife.
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Wild animals can pose a risk of injury, and there is also sometimes a risk of disease if you’re bitten or scratched.
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To minimise the risk to yourself, you should only handle the animal using thick gloves or a towel to cover them.
Reduce stress:
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Keep them warm.
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Don’t try to give them any food or water — it can do more harm than good.\
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Try to handle them as little as possible to keep their stress levels down.
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Keep them away from your pets.
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Pop them in a well-ventilated box or cage that’s the right size.
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Ensure the space is dark and quiet by covering it with a towel.
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Place a towel or scrunched newspaper on the bottom of the box/cage to prevent the animal from slipping and give them somewhere to hide.
Wildlife Rescue organisations in each state are listed below. Please contact them for further advice and assistance:
ACT
ACT Wildlife ph: 0432 300 033
Northern Territory
N.T. Government report or rescue wildlife
Wildcare Inc ph: 08 89 886 121 or 0408 885 341
NSW
WIRES Wildlife Rescue ph: 1300 094 737
Queensland
Wildcare Australia 07 5527 2444
FNQ Wildlife Rescue 07 4053 4467
South Australia
Fauna Rescue S.A. ph: (08) 8289 0896
Tasmania
Bonorong Wildlife Rescue ph: 0447 264 625
Victoria
Wildlife Victoria ph: 136 186 or 03 8400 7300
Western Australia
Wildcare Helpline ph: 08 9474 9055
Image: Gilberto Olimpio via Pexels
