News
2 September, 2025
Long wait for wildlife hospital
A PROMISE to build a much-needed wildlife hospital is still three years away as carers say they are already being stretched to breaking point. Hospitals and carers have told The Sentinel there has been a surge of sick and injured animals this year, ahead of the traditional peak season.
Greater public awareness of how to deal with injured animals, as well as concerns over an increased loss of habitat in the south east, has resulted in far greater numbers of animals being presented to care services in recent months.
RSPCA spokesperson, Emma Lagoon, said their Wacol Wildlife Hospital, the busiest and smallest in Australia, had admitted 49 sick or injured koalas in July alone, signifi cantlly more than July 2024. “We continually operate beyond our capacity, especially this time of the year,” she said. “Our amazing Wildlife Carer network is vital in supporting animals in their care so we can continue to admit new patients.”
President of koala conservation group Care4esK, Darren Bate, emphasised how busy the volunteer group has been over the past several weeks, having done approximately six rescues in eight days. “It’s pretty busy for a little group like ours,” he said. “A single rescue can take more than six hours, between setting traps, driving to the location then driving to the nearest hospital, which in our case is RSPCA Wacol, over an hour away.”
Mr Bate said he understood RSPCA Wacol had 18 koalas in care, despite only having capacity for 16 in the week he was there. “They were using every available space that they could find in amongst the other types of animals they had, because they obviously were still gonna treat them and provide care,” he said. Mr Bate said he had heard repeatedly that wildlife hospitals were at capacity now and it was at least a month from the usual peak season.
“We know it’s going to be busy, but previously, my busy times have been like September, October. We were busy August, and other people were busy July.” Mr Bate said the demand showed the need for more wildlife hospitals. “I think in the next fi ve to 10 years koala rescues will only increase, because us and other groups have created this awareness in the community,” he said. “It may not be that there’s more sick koalas, but there’s more people noticing the sick koalas. The government has to look at not only ways to stop habitat destruction, but look at how are we going to care for them?”
The only available wildlife hospitals in Moreton and Somerset are RSPCA Wacol, and Australia Zoo, in Beerwah. Moreton Bay Mayor, Peter Flannery, successfully lobbied for a new wildlife hospital at the October 2025 State election. The LNP promised $15m if elected. “A concerning gap in the SEQ wildlife hospital network means injured local wildlife have to be driven up to two hours for emergency care at RSPCA in Wacol or Australia Zoo in Beerwah,” Cr Flannery said at the time. Council has allocated a $3m parcel of Council land at Dakabin to accelerate construction of the facility.
Minister for the Environment and Tourism, and State Member for Glass House, Andrew Powell, said the new state-of-the art hospital was expected to be delivered within approximately three years. “To deliver this, we are regularly engaging with the Moreton Bay Wildlife Foundation and Moreton Bay Council,” he said. “The agreement between the government and the Foundation is currently being fi nalised.” Ms Lagoon said the RSPCA welcomed the state government’s contribution to wildlife hospitals across the region, including the RSPCA’s planned Wildlife Hospital in the Redlands.
From the heart. While koalas are o en front of mind, Villeneuve wildlife carer, Leonie Jifkins, said her last six months had been “hectic” caring for joeys. Ms Jifkins specialises in caring for orphaned and injured macropods, as well as possums and birds. She provides round-theclock care to up to 16 or 17 animals at a time ahead of so releases back into the wild.
“It’s been very hectic for the last six months for me,” she said. “As far as I’m aware, I’m the only one that does macropod care in the Woodford/Kilcoy area, specialising in joeys. However, all carers and rescues are pretty busy. I think if you talk to any wildlife carer, they tell you this. Most wildlife carers do not have a life. This is seven days a week. It’s something that you cannot take time off .”
Ms Jifkins emphasised rescue groups and carers are volunteers, who don’t get paid for their time or money spent on saving and caring for wildlife. “It amazes me that people think that we get funding or we get paid. It all comes out of our own pockets,” she said. “I think a lot of wildlife carers need a lot of support, because they’re all working for nothing, and it’d be really nice if people would just off er to help. Be it to drop off a meal or help mow the yard or other everyday things we o en don’t have time because we need to be bottle feeding every four hours or so.”
Mr Bate also emphasised the time and money koala rescues take. “It’s a lot of investment in time and your own personal vehicle and your own personal money,” he said. RSPCA spokesperson Emma Lagoon said treatment of sick wildlife, and how long they need to be kept, varied. “A koala in poor condition due to disease like Chlamydia for example can receive treatment in our wildlife hospital for several weeks before being transferred to another facility for further rehabilitation,” she said.
Harmful ways. According to Ms Lagoon, urbanisation and environmental changes are the main reasons they see wildlife coming into the hospital. “Habitat loss causes increases in diseases, domestic animal attacks and road accidents,” she said. “Warmer weather also sees an increase in baby birds that are leaving the nest and learning to fl y, which are o en mistaken for being orphaned and brought into our care.”
Ms Jifkins also added at least 85 per cent of injured or orphaned joeys brought to her are from vehicle accidents. “I’m aware that kangaroos can jump out in front of cars unexpectedly, but as a carer, I’m also aware that some of these kangaroos are hit on purpose,” she said.
RSPCA Queensland is reminding the public to watch for wildlife when driving, report any sick and injured animals to 1300 ANIMAL and to keep pets secure at dawn and dusk.
What to do when you fi nd an injured wildlife: If you’re on a highway, contact Main Roads on 131 940. If you’re on other roads, you can pull your car over at a safe location and put your hazard lights on. Call for help immediately – either the RSPCA’s 1300 ANIMAL (264 625) from 7am to 7pm daily, or your local wildlife rescue group. If safe to do so, alert oncoming traff ic to slow down, but do not put yourself at risk on the road. Usher the koala off the road if safe to do so and keep an eye on it until help arrives.
Do you want me to go back and reformat all the earlier ones (like the seller disclosure and market piece) in this same style too?
