In the battle to help reduce Phillip Island’s wildlife road toll these Easter holidays, Wildlife Victoria will send a dedicated team to work as the primary rescue unit for injured animals.
The visiting team will include Wildlife Victoria’s CEO, Lisa Palma, veterinarians and rescuers who will manage all rescue callouts over the Easter period from April 5 to 12.
The team will also work with Phillip Island Nature Parks to investigate the impacts to native wildlife during peak visitation periods.
The visiting team comes after meetings between Nature Parks and partners were held in February to find solutions to the increasing wildlife road toll on the island.
On one Friday in early March, rescuers counted 53 dead animals on the Phillip Island Road between Cape Woolamai and Cowes and on the following Saturday between Ventnor Road and the bridge, 18 animals had been hit by cars.
The team will take the pressure off volunteer operator Colleen Gilbee – who has been volunteering since 2000 – who said the local wildlife death toll was taking an increasing financial and emotional toll.
Last week Nature Parks CEO Catherine Basterfield welcomed Wildlife Victoria’s Easter team and said the on-field investigation would help inform the next stage of meetings to find solutions to the road toll.
“Wildlife Victoria has provided wildlife rescue support for the Victorian community for 35 years and we are grateful for their commitment to help the Phillip Island community understand and resolve its wildlife rescue challenges,” Catherine said.
“Our wildlife clinic will help support caring for injured animals, but it will be Wildlife Victoria on the ground carrying out the rescues.”
Wildlife Victoria CEO Lisa Palma said they were aware of the increased demand for wildlife rescue and care on Phillip Island.
“As such we are pleased to be working alongside Phillip Island Nature Parks to understand the challenges and to improve outcomes for any sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife on the island,” Lisa said.
“Phillip Island provides such an important and unique environment for Victoria’s wildlife.
“We would love to see the island’s wildlife populations prosper and Phillip Island be a model haven for wildlife.”
Solutions
Nature Parks in February hosted two workshops with wildlife rescue partners, after seeing an increase in demand for the service, not just with volunteers but also Nature Parks rescue and wildlife clinic and local veterinarians.
Cowes vet David Cassells told the Advertiser for decades he had voluntarily treated injured wildlife and now through peak season was treating an average of three wild animals per day, not including those that were euthanised or referred on.
“I believe part of the solution should be more funding for treatment of wild animals, rather than relying on volunteers so much – in particular Colleen Gilbee, who has done a mountain of volunteer work for many years,” David said.
PICS president Jeff Nottle said professional wildlife rescuers should be funded by tourism organisations as well as Bass Coast Shire through its environment management fund.
The 24/7 number to call for injured wildlife rescue is: Wildlife Victoria 03 8400 7300.