Helping wildlife

If you have found a native animal that you think needs help and you want to know what you can do, see the advice on this page.

A native animal may show signs of needing help if it is:

• unable to move
• bleeding
• limping
• a young animal (e.g. without full fur or feathers) alone without a parent animal close by.

Native animals may become unwell, injured, or need help for a variety of reasons, including:

• natural causes (e.g. old age)
• being hit by a vehicle
• being attacked by another animal
• collision with a fence, window or other object
• natural or non-natural disasters (e.g. flood, fire, oil spill)
• disease
• human interference.

Before you decide to help a native animal, it is important to involve someone with the right skills and experience. They can provide advice on whether the animal needs help and what to do next to get the best outcome.

For further information related to helping native animals, see our other pages:

• If you think the animal may be suffering from disease, see more information on wildlife disease and hazards
• If the animal is under threat from an emergency such as a bushfire or flood, see helping wildlife in emergencies.
• If you are planning any development activities that could cause harm to native wildlife or the habitat native wildlife live in, see the information on planning for a development.

If you find a native animal that needs help

1. Ensure your safety

• Check your surroundings and don’t put yourself in harm’s way (be aware of traffic or any other hazard).
• Only approach an animal if it is safe for you to do so.
• Be aware animals may become stressed or defensive if approached or touched, and may harm you.
• Don’t touch snakes, bats or marine wildlife.

2. Keep the animal calm and safe

• Keep quiet and move slowly around the animal.
• Keep pets, children or crowds away from the animal.
• Keep an eye on the animal until assistance arrives.
• Refrain from touching or offering food or water to the animal unless an expert advises you otherwise.

3. Seek assistance

• Call a local wildlife rescue organisation – search the internet to find one in your area, and include the animal type and location in your search (e.g. search ‘injured kangaroo Adelaide’).
• If the animal is in a National Parks reserve or is a marine mammal, call the National Parks and Wildlife Regional Duty Officer. You can also find more information on marine mammal strandings.

If an experienced wildlife rescuer is not available to assist

1. Take the animal to a local veterinarian

• If you feel that you are capable of moving the animal, think about how you can do so safely. You might need a blanket and/or a secure box.
• Call a vet clinic and let them know you are coming to drop off a native animal.
• A veterinarian can provide first aid to the animal and may organise for the animal to go to a permitted wildlife carer for ongoing rehabilitation.

2. Euthanasia

• If you or someone you know can euthanase the animal effectively, this may be the most appropriate course of action to reduce pain and suffering to the animal.
• Methods of humane euthanasia should be in line with relevant codes of practice and may include use of a firearm by a licensed person or a blow to the back of the head with a heavy object.

3. Consider caring for the animal yourself

• Ensure that the animal is assessed by a veterinarian before a decision to provide ongoing care is made.
• Caring for native animals can be challenging and time consuming.
• Rescued native animals cannot be kept as a pet and in most situations must be rehabilitated and released back to where they were found.
• Before deciding whether to care for a native animal ask yourself ‘do I have the skills, knowledge and time to care for the animal?’.
• You will need to apply for a permit and meet certain criteria. For more information about available permits, see rescue or rehabilitate native animal permits.

4. Let nature take its course

• There are some situations where you might not be able to help the animal. It might be unsafe to do so, no one may be available to help you, or you may not have the appropriate skills and experience to assist yourself. This can be a hard decision to make, but sadly sometimes there isn’t a safe or suitable way to help.