The World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia is contributing $250,000 to provide equipment and support operating costs of Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital in a new partnership.
Construction has just finished on Australia’s largest mobile wildlife hospital, ahead of a gala launch in Byron Bay on Thursday 26 November.
Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital Ltd will operate the $700,000 facility which can be driven to any wildlife crisis hotspot to treat, rehabilitate and care for native animals in distress.
Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital Foundation Vet Dr Bree Talbot said taking the mobile hospital to a disaster zone will greatly improve survival rates for injured wildlife.
“Within minutes of arrival, our team of wildlife expert vets will be dressing wounds and administering fluids, pain relief and medication,” Dr Talbot said.
“It means we can begin treatment before severe clinical signs, infection, or dehydration sets in,” she said.
WWF-Australia’s Head of Healthy Land and Seascapes Darren Grover said donations from WWF’s generous supporters had enabled WWF to provide the veterinary team’s wish list of specialist equipment.
“This mobile hospital, the size of a semi-trailer, really is wildlife care on steroids. For many injured animals, the immediate, high level treatment they receive will be the difference between life and death,” Mr Grover said.
Mr Grover said the funding was provided under WWF’s Koalas Forever project which aims to double the number of koalas in eastern Australia by 2050.
