27/08/2026
Important announcement regarding birds 🐦
After a lot of thought, I have made the difficult decision that Limestone Coast Wombat & Bat Rescue will no longer be taking or rescuing birds. At all.
While my focus these days is primarily on bats and wombats, I have always tried to help other wildlife whenever I have had the time, resources and capacity to do so. Birds have been a part of that for many years.
Unfortunately, the current H5N1 bird flu situation has changed what is safe and responsible for volunteer wildlife carers.
Over the past several weeks I have spent a huge amount of time advocating for wildlife carers in our region: attending community forums and webinars, emailing and phoning government departments, contacting MPs and repeatedly asking for appropriate PPE, training and practical support for the people who are actually out there responding to wildlife every day.
Despite this, independent wildlife carers have not been provided with the PPE required to safely handle potentially infected birds, and most volunteers simply cannot afford to continually purchase appropriate PPE themselves.
For a single bird rescue, appropriate PPE can easily involve a P2/N95 respirator, disposable gloves, eye protection and protective clothing/coveralls, as well as the costs associated with safe disposal, cleaning and decontamination. Even allowing a conservative $15–$30+ per rescue, that quickly becomes completely unsustainable for volunteers who may attend multiple birds in a week, and that doesn’t account for the cost of replacing contaminated equipment or clothing. Let alone setting up quarantine facilities etc..
The Government’s response to all my enquiries counties to be “just continue rescuing birds as normal unless they look sick”. This is awful and extremely dangerous advice. It shows a complete lack of understanding of viruses, and a lack of empathy for rescuers, carers and wildlife more broadly.
A bird does not need to look obviously sick for there to be a biosecurity risk. Early disease can present subclinncally, birds can deteriorate quickly, and volunteers cannot determine whether a bird is infected simply by looking at it. A bird that appears to be suffering from an injury, exhaustion or orphaning may also have an underlying infectious disease.
Once a bird is picked up, brought into a vehicle, handled, transported and potentially taken into a home-based rehabilitation facility, the potential exposure isn’t limited to that one bird. There is also the risk of contamination of clothing, equipment, vehicles, homes and other animals in care.
I am simply not prepared to put myself, my family, my other animals or the wildlife already in my care at unnecessary risk when the appropriate PPE and support have not been made available to volunteer carers.
This isn’t a decision I have made lightly, and it isn’t because I don’t care about birds. Quite the opposite. I care too much about wildlife, and about the people who dedicate their lives to helping it, to pretend that this situation is acceptable.
I also want to make it very clear that this frustration is not directed at our local rangers or the staff on the ground. They are doing the best they can in an incredibly difficult situation, with the resources and direction they have been given. They didn’t sign up for this either, and I have nothing but respect for the people who are being left to deal with the consequences. My frustration is with the government and the lack of support, PPE, resources and appropriate planning being provided to those expected to manage this situation.
So, what should you do if you find a sick, injured or orphaned bird?
For the time being, please do not contact me to rescue birds. And please understand veterinary clinics are also being ignored by the government and not being provided support, and should not be expected to manage an infectious disease response unsupported either.
Instead, for injured or orphaned birds please contact the government agencies responsible for responding to wildlife and managing disease outbreaks:
📍 PIRSA – Mount Gambier
☎️ (08) 8735 1300
7/9 Krummel Street, Mount Gambier SA 5290
📍 Department for Environment and Water (DEW) – Mount Gambier
☎️ (08) 7424 5770
152 Jubilee Highway East, Mount Gambier SA 5290
For suspected sick or dead birds related to H5N1, PIRSA advises people not to touch them and to report them to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline:
☎️ 1800 675 888
I know this will be disappointing to some people, and I am genuinely sorry that I can no longer provide this service.
I will continue doing everything I can for the wildlife I can safely care for, particularly our bats and wombats, as well as macropods, koalas, possums and other marsupials. As always, I will continue advocating for wildlife carers in the Limestone Coast.
Volunteer carers should not be expected to choose between helping an animal and protecting themselves because the appropriate biosecurity support isn’t available.
Thank you for understanding. ❤️
— Limestone Coast Wombat & Bat Rescue
