9 May
2006 - The surgical, rehabilitation, research
and training capacities of the Australian Wildlife
Hospital will be greatly expanded with a $2.5
million funding injection from the Australian
Government, announced today by the Australian
Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator
Ian Campbell.
A state-of-the-art facility
based at Beerwah on Queensland's Sunshine Coast,
the hospital provides round-the-clock surgical
care and rehabilitation to Australia's native
animals, including a variety of native snake,
lizard, and bird species, as well as nationally-listed
threatened species.
"This vital funding will
assist the Australian Wildlife Hospital and Rescue
Unit - which services an area of more than 100,000km
from northern New South Wales to Maryborough in
Queensland and west to Toowoomba - to meet the
construction costs associated with the expansion
of facilities," Senator Campbell said.
"The Australian Wildlife
Hospital has strong associations with a number
of national universities and is passing on its
extensive knowledge of native animals and best
care practices to veterinary students and wildlife
trainees who undertake practical work experience
and course work at the hospital.
"Staff at the hospital
also conduct ongoing research into wildlife disease
and health management, the results of which may
in the future be used to further protect our unique
and iconic native species."
One of the main functions of
the hospital, which includes an intensive care
room, laboratory and holding facilities, is the
care and rehabilitation of sick, injured and orphaned
koalas and other wildlife resulting in the eventual
release of the animals back into the wild.
"Almost 70 per cent of
the hospital's patients are victims of car accidents
or domestic pet attacks," Senator Campbell
said.
"The demand for services
is rapidly increasing and this funding will go
a long way to assist with the construction of
new facilities to help meet the growing demand,"
Senator Campbell said.
Why is this important?
• This funding will significantly increase the
surgical, rehabilitation, research and training
capacities of the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
It will also allow the strong associations the
hospital has with a number of national universities
to continue and for knowledge of native animals
and best care practices to be shared with veterinary
students and wildlife trainees who undertake practical
work experience and course work at the hospital.
Who will benefit?
• Australia's threatened species, including species
threatened with extinction, the research and education
community.
What funding is the Government committing to the
initiative?
• The Government is committing $2.5 million to
this initiative as a one-off grant.
What have we done in the past?
• The Australian Government's key piece of environmental
legislation, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 1999 provides strong, transparent
and efficient protection for matters of national
environmental significance, including nationally
threatened animal and plants species. Through
the Department of the Environment and Heritage,
the Australian Government provides funding for,
and works with state and territory governments
and other agencies to develop species recovery
plans and threat abatement plans. The Australian
Government supports a range of wildlife protection
and education initiatives, including the Threatened
Species Network, a community-based programme of
the Australian Government and WWF-Australia, and
the annual Hands on for Habitat Awards for primary
school children, run in partnership with Cadbury.
When will the initiative conclude?
• While this is a one-off grant, the work of the
Australian Wildlife Hospital will be ongoing.
