Wild Days Wildlife Shelter

Unfortunately not surprising.

The overhaul of Victoria's Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PoCTA) has been indefinitely postponed with the Victorian Government citing reduced sitting days ahead of the November state election as the reason for delay.

PoCTA is over 35 years old and is one of the oldest pieces of animal welfare legislation in the country. A 2019 Parliamentary Inquiry recognised the need for a dramatic overhaul of the law with stronger protection for all animals needed. In 2024 a draft bill recognised animals as sentient - acknowledging that animals can feel pain, distress, and emotion.

We are deeply disappointed in the government's decision for delay. Our Emergency Response Service receives an alarming number of reports of alleged cruelty to native wildlife. These cases are deeply distressing to both our staff and our amazing volunteers who respond.

All animals deserve a life without pain and stronger legal laws would help to deter offenders. We call on the government to reconsider their decision and to introduce the bill as a matter of priority.

You can help by reaching out to your local state member and sharing your concern.

Happy World Wildlife Day!

We have the privilege of living with some of the world's most incredible and unique wildlife. Let's look after our environment so they can thrive.

It is so exciting to let you know that the beautiful grey-headed flying foxes in care at Wild Days are all progressing well and growing, now exploring, exercising vigorously as they are learning to fly. So many came in tiny, the first were early November last year. Some are still small but are getting there with the help of their friends.

I would like to say a huge thanks to those who have donated goods towards their care. It is peak time and the shelter is busy as ever. Our needs are changing as the bats are growing, moving away from the 'baby' needs and into the 'grown up' stuff - primarily now apples, pears, grapes, melons and High Protein supplement are the main ingredients on the menu. Any help with these items or vouchers for their purchase would be appreciated. They eat a LOT!

A shout out to Fly By Night Bat Clinic Victoria, WIRES & Woolworths Food Support, Warriors 4 Wildlife, Dave & Shari, Laura W & Ally B, Diane C, Tracie S, FOBB, Shirley, Berwick Opportunity Shop Incorporated , Funda, Christine T, Greencross Vets Narre Warren, Parkdale Pantry , Wildlife Victoria ERO shelter support, Jacqui D, Marg R, Patricia & Laura T, Sue L, Jeanette E, Vandana R, Karen & Yasmin, Kim A, Tracey H, Stef C, Sharon, Kalinda M & Budget Stockfeeds Mornington, ARC Crafters, along with any I may have missed, for support and donations of fruit & other items left on the doorstep, THANK YOU!

It is definitely a rollercoaster when they all arrive tiny, scared, injured, unwell, having to be bottle fed around the clock, watching them get stronger, the sparkle comes back into their eyes, their energy returns, and they flourish. It takes an army.... so many thanks.

Their journey continues at Wild Days as they progress towards soft release in weeks to come. Huge thanks to Ross, Jacqueline, Manuel, Hayley, Ros and Tracey who all were major players in getting the flight aviary renovated for the bats to go in. Amazing effort! 💚 Many hours of fruit cutting and cleaning yet to be had by all at Wild Days. If you have capacity to donate toward their ongoing fruit supplies, please visit https://www.wilddaysws.org/donate-funds.html

Thanks!
Kay and the Team

Stunning feather from an Australian White Ibis.

This time of year we have a constant intake of Ibis, Silver gulls and other water birds with botulism toxicity, increasing with climate change, pollution and habitat disruption.

We currently have 5 botulism birds in care, all progressing well thankfully.

All the beautiful faces that melt your heart. 💚

This little brushie arrived today. His face shows such sadness and confusion after losing his mum. He will take a bit of time to settle, hopefully he will realize that he is warm and safe 😪.

Happy Hot Saturday ☀️
The lack of posts will usually mean that Wild Days is flat out! 🥴
Wildlife shelters are dealing with multiple crises throughout December and January and the need to accommodate many animals for different needs is non-stop. Sadly most of fire impacted wildlife will be burnt beyond help and the main goal is to help end suffering, with those lucky ones, usually only large animals, caught in time to treat burns. Any smaller animals and birds had no chance. Fire is so devastating for all of our wildlife, down to the insects now gone.

The poor wildlife around Wild Days have had to contend with wild wind storms, heat waves, sudden weather changes, smoke from the distant fires, roaming cats, natural food shortages and habitat destruction. We take all species here and this year, all animals no matter whether bird, mammal or reptile, are coming in skinny. It gives me chills when you stop and think. It is not just the babies who have lost their mums. It is the adults too. They can't find food to feed their young. The young are skinny and trying to have the energy to learn survival skills. Wild Days is not in a fire impacted area but are receiving multiple animals a day, all in poor condition and probably part of the reason for their other injuries. So it is not surprising that when they are then faced with heat and storms that they all crash.

The grey-headed flying fox pups are currently claiming a large part of our time and money at Wild Days and we have had to transform of part of the shelter to accommodate them. Many of these bats coming in through a starvation abandonment crisis, some with fruit tree entanglement injuries, electrocution, road trauma and the rest through the impacts of the heat waves. Many kilos of fruit are chopped, eaten and cleaned up daily to get them through.

Our shelter has also been inundated with ringtail possums, mostly adults, some carrying young in their pouch. Ringtails are heavily impacted by extreme heat and all that have come into our care have surface burns on all hands and feet. Burnt from crossing hot metal sheds or roads as there is no connectivity of trees any more within our area. They have no choice. Those with pouch joeys often lose their babies to the heat. Such a sad turn of events to watch the mum mourn as she pulls her dead babies from her pouch and curls up for many days following while she grieves. So much sadness.

The continual extreme heat days means that Wild Days is not only caring for the many animals in care but doing rescues around the clock and helping to monitor and rescue at the flying fox colonies when safe to enter. Disturbing the bats at the height of the heat can creates more issues so careful coordination of rescuers is needed before and after heat to manage these days.

We are grateful for people who support Wild Days with time or donations. We are bursting with animals and thankfully able to release many animals as soon as they are good to go, weather permitting! That is what it is all about.

Please consider donating to Wild Days is you are able:
go to https://www.wilddaysws.org/donate-funds.html for details.
Thank you!

Items currently in need:
- red apples, seedless grapes, melon (many bats in care) 🍎
- leafy greens (many ducks in care)
- puppy pads
- hydration fluids (lectade/vytrate)
- unscented tissues
- eucalyptus wool wash
- towels

If anyone is doing some pruning of native trees (gums, bottlebrush, grevillea, ti-tree) we are always in need of fresh foliage to feed the many animals.

Thanks for your support 👏
Kay and the team

I cannot begin to imagine the grief and despair watching animals in your care losing their life to fire without being able to help. My heart goes out to Robyn Coy. Hoping some survived and will eventually return.

Please consider donating to the rebuild of Tarcombe Wildlife Shelter.

Either directly or through the gofundme https://www.gofundme.com/f/tarcombe-animal-shelter-and-and-dr-robyn-coy?attribution_id=sl:17da50bf-e8c9-49da-9b31-90f6030ae3fc&lang=en_AU&ts=1767904198&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

It is great to see this gofundme has already raised a considerable amount towards a new start and many more lives to be saved.

We received news earlier today that the Tarcombe Wildlife Shelter has been destroyed in the Longwood fires.

Dr Robyn Coy mentored (and still answers my crazy calls at 3am in the morning!) me for over a decade. Her knowledge in both veterinary and husbandry in macropods and other species is surpassed by no-one.

If you have the ability please consider financially donating directly to Robyn, so when ready she can rebuild once again.

Please no physical donations until a direct request has been made as she will have nowhere to put donated items.

Special faces of some of the delightful Grey-headed Flying Fox pups in care at Wild Days.

Hard times for these crucial intelligent beings.
We must look after the environment or we will lose these and many more incredible animals we share our world with.

You can support their care or check out what else is happening at Wild Days - visit our website - https://www.wilddaysws.org/donate-funds.html

Thank you!
The Wild Days Team