On the road again !!! Oh well tomorrow anyway.
All is good and I will be away from the computer for a few days.
Below is the email from Wildlife Victoria that explains their need for funds. Let's hope we can give them some help.
Rod G
Wildlife Victoria has over 600 volunteers answering emergency calls, performing rescues, taking animals into care, and rehabilitating injured animals. Almost all volunteers are out on the ground - we have only had (until this week) a small office supporting all those volunteers, and have only 2 fulltime paid staff.
Here's a quick update on what's happening at the fire grounds:
We have at this stage lost 6 Wildlife Shelters to these devastating fires. We are doing what we can to get these shelters up and going as soon as we can.
Wildlife Victoria volunteers have already rescued 100s of animals from the fire grounds with more being saved every day, and taken into care. We are also doing food drops for animals we can't find or reach.
We are distributing $50,000 worth of food supplies for animals who have survived the fires but are now starving because their food source is now gone. We are supplying vets in the field with supplies they need to cover the wildlife (and some other animals), including the Kinglake vet clinic that was burnt down where we are providing support for medical supplies, veterinarian staff, logistical support.
We are supplying temporary cages, food for the animals, medical supplies for shelters whose equipment was burnt. We are supplying fire-proof safety gear for volunteer shelter operators to wear while out on their own properties, caring for wildlife that is coming to them. We are doing all we an to ensure the volunteers and the animals have everything they need to have the best possible chance of recovery and long term survival.
I can report that 'Koala Sam' is doing well, responding to treatment, and is at this stage likely to make a full recovery. Just a few days ago we brought out another 17 koalas from another area of burnt bush (near Colac) and taken them into care. The koalas had been burnt a week earlier, and were severely dehydrated so our rescuers got there just in time.
Just one koala in care costs around $400 per week and rehabilitation can take many months before the koala can be successfully released back to its natural habitat.
The recuperation and recovery of the animal victims will take many months, the recovery of their habitats, food supplies and bushland will take years.
Each donation will make a huge difference to our capacity to get resources on the ground quickly and save as many animals' lives as humanly possible.
Thanks so much, Rod, for your support. I will give you regular updates as often as I can. Please do not hesitate to ask anything further.
Darren Meechan-Ring
Wildlife Victoria
If you are unable to get up to Maroochydore but are able to support this worthy cause please visit their website
www.wildlifevictoria.org.au and donate over the net.
Rod G.