02/01/23
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| Drivers are urged to drive more slowly over this holiday season by Wildlife Victoria. |
On Victoria's highways, hundreds of native animals perish or suffer injuries every year.
During the six-week break from classes in December 2021 to January 2022, 1,131 reports of wildlife being hurt or killed by automobiles were received by Wildlife Victoria.
Over 60% of all complaints concerned Swamp Wallabies and Eastern Grey Kangaroos.
Road-related accidents are more common overall, with 663 calls in the same time period in 2019–2020 compared to 559 calls in 2018–2019.
Only five incidents were documented in 2020–2021, a period when state-enforced travel restrictions were in effect, demonstrating the impact that cars have on our species.
During this holiday travel season, Animals Victoria offers some straightforward advice on how to keep both humans and wildlife safe.
Slowing down is a good method to prevent accidents between wildlife and the road.
A just 10% speed decrease has the potential to cut car accidents by 20%, according to research from the University of Adelaide's Centre for Automotive Safety Research.
At night and morning, try to avoid driving. These hours, as well as the whole night, are when native creatures are most active. If this is not an option, drivers should once again slow down, be vigilant, and scan the road in front of them so they have enough time to stop and safely steer past any animals in the road or close by.
When it is safe to do so, drivers should pull over after hitting an animal and dial Wildlife Victoria's Emergency Response Service at 03 8400 7300.
All 365 days of the year, qualified wildlife emergency response operators are on duty to watch over this phone line.
The driver will be given instructions on what to do next by the wildlife emergency response operator, who may also ask them to determine whether the animal has a pouch.
This is significant information since many of our kangaroos have young in their pouches, especially at this time of year.
It is crucial to inspect pouches as soon as possible since pouch joeys might live for several days after their mother has gone away.
When required, wildlife rescuers can be sent into the field to inspect pouches or callers can receive advice from Wildlife Victoria emergency response operators on how to properly execute a pouch check.
A driver outside of Bendigo contacted Wildlife Victoria on Christmas Day of last year to report a dead kangaroo on the side of the road.
The driver was educated on how to carefully do a marsupial pouch check by a qualified Wildlife Emergency Response Operator, and to his astonishment, he discovered a little joey still alive within its mother's pouch. A Wildlife Victoria carer took care of the lucky joey, who was then able to be released back into the wild.
Along with its Emergency Response Service, Animals Victoria also offers a free Travelling Vet Service (TVS) that may be sent to Melbourne's outer east to evaluate wounded wildlife there.
The Traveling Vet Service is fully equipped to provide roadside evaluations, triage, and treatment, which dramatically cuts down on animal suffering and diagnostic time, and enhances the health of wildlife that is treatable.
By offering them a thorough and free home visit veterinary treatment for animals in care, the TVS also plays a crucial part in helping Wildlife Victoria's volunteer wildlife rehabilitators.
For their Traveling Vet Service, Wildlife Victoria is now soliciting money to expand from one van to three.
With this expansion, more areas of the state will be served, initial reaction times to wildlife crises will be slashed, and a key hole in 24-hour wildlife care will be filled. Donations are accepted at
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