Wildlife Victoria

Wildlife Victoria is the preeminent wildlife rescue service in the state of Victoria, Australia.[1][2][3][4] Established in 1989, it is a non-profit, volunteer based charity that provides an emergency phone service to the community by responding to calls regarding sick, injured and orphaned wildlife.[5][6]

Wildlife Victoria

Website	www.wildlifevictoria.org.au

The organization maintains a wildlife care and communications network across Victoria, which includes volunteer wildlife shelters, rescuers and transporters, emergency services, government agencies and commercial operators.[7][8]

When the emergency phone service receives a call, Wildlife Victoria uses a comprehensive database to locate the closest available and suitable experienced volunteer, who then locates the animal and determines the appropriate course of action.[9]

The organization reports that its emergency phone service receives up to 300 calls per day and around 60,000 calls per year.[9] In the eighteen months to May 2013, around 80,000 emergency phone calls were received.[10] A diverse range of animals is provided with emergency assistance, including kangaroos,[11][12] possums,[13] cockatoos, koalas, bats,[14] blue tongued lizards, ducks[15] and fur seals.[16]

Wildlife Victoria responds to a displaced wallaby in Doncaster

Wildlife Victoria is often actively involved in educating the public on several issues, including responsible pet ownership, as a large number of their emergency cases are caused by cat and dog attacks,[17][18] the dangers of fruit tree netting,[19] development encroaching on natural habitat,[20][21][22] the impact of environmental degradation[23] and animal cruelty.[24][25][26][27]

The work of Wildlife Victoria was highlighted during the 2009 Black Saturday Bush fires that claimed 173[28] human lives with estimates of millions of animal lives lost.[29][30] The organization coordinated rescue teams across the state to search and save wildlife injured during the fires.[2][31][32]

Wildlife Victoria’s current President is environmental geographer and educator Rob Gell.[33][34][35]