TAKING CARE OF WILDLIFE

News Source: Glasshouse Country News, page 14, Thursday 16th September, 2004

Some readers may remember the photos and story about my visit to the Steve Irwin Conservation Foundation’s Koala & Wildlife Hospital and they recently issued a media release and invitation for a visit, which I had already made. It was headed with the amusing cartoon which we have reproduced here.

The hospital is still not officially open but staff are constantly inundated with wildlife emergencies and it has already outgrown itself, with a need for extensions and additional staff.

We are reminded that Steve’s mother was the ‘Mother Theresa’ of wildlife. “She was more often than not, found with a wounded magpie on one arm, while bottle feeding an orphaned koala with the other. She dreamed of one day having a hospital with all the facilities to care for sick, injured and orphaned wildlife. Lyn’s dream is now a reality and stands to her memory”.

You may recall that our photos showed that it resembled a combined operating theatre at a hospital plus a dental surgery – and they were taken was several months ago.

The staff at the Koala Hospital regularly consult specialty doctors such as dentists, orthopedic surgeons and pediatricians for information in the human field to apply to treatment of wildlife resulting in such ground breaking procedures on wildlife as plating jaws and keyhole surgery.

The hospital is run by the Steve Irwin Conservation Foundation which is a non-for-profit charity relying on donation to meet the considerable cost entailed, which is expected to increase as the hospital grows.

The Foundation is looking for Wildlife Warriors. If you would be interested in joining the Foundation give Linda Simpson a call on 5436 2098 and details will be sent out to you or long onto www.sicf.org.au.

Click here to find out more about the
Steve Irwin Conservation Foundation