Age: Juvenile Sex: Male

Found: Floating at Moreton Island.

Transported to: The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital.

Veterinary Assessment: Dr Robyn examined Asteroid and found him to be suffering from fibropapillomas (large warts with a ‘cauliflower’ texture). Dr Robyn prepared Asteroid for surgery to remove the larger fibropapillomas on both front flippers which were affecting him most.

Treatment: Following surgery, Dr Robyn prescribed antibiotics and
anti-inflammatories to fend off any secondary infection from the
fibropapillomas.

Future: Luckily Asteroid’s future is positive because the fibropapillomas didn’t reach his lungs. He will be monitored at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital for infection, and released once he returns to full health.

AZWH Fact: Fibropapilloma is afflicting sea turtles worldwide; it is the only known global disease of an animal!

Call the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital on 1300 369 652 for all wildlife emergencies.

Age: 5 years Sex: Male

Found: High up in a tree in the Moreton Bay area.

Transported to: The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit.

Veterinary Assessment: Dr Claude examined Haystack and was happy with his overall condition. He weighed a healthy 8kg which was a nice relief from the frequent trauma-affected koalas admitted this year. Haystack was however suffering from a mild case of cystitis (also known as “wet tail”).

Treatment: Dr Claude has set Haystack up in a comfortable enclosure to be monitored. His dirty, wet bottom was also washed to alleviate any discomfort that may have be caused.

Future: Haystack has a very bright future. Being a strong and reasonably healthy male will mean he can be released back into the wild in time for breading season.

AZWH Statistic: Cystitis is one of the biggest threats to wild koalas, with over 233 cystitis-affected koalas admitted to the hospital in 2011.

Call the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital on 1300 369 652 for all wildlife emergencies.

Age: Pouch Joey Sex: Male

Found: In mum’s pouch after they were hit by a car at Joyner, north of Brisbane

Transported to: The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit.

Veterinary Assessment: Little Rocco suffered minimal bruising to his neck and right thigh, but thankfully has no broken bones. Sadly his mother passed away before the Rescue Unit arrived and Rocco is now an orphan, much too young to take care of himself.

Treatment: Dr Julia administered Rocco pain relief and sub-cutaneous fluids. He was kept nice and warm with heat
packs while also in an incubator in the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital nursery.

Future: Rocco is now being looked after by a registered wallaby joey carer who will be able to provide him with the round-the-clock feeding and care he requires. When Rocco is old enough he will be released back into the wild.

AZWH Statistic: An average of 100 patients are admitted each month due to being hit by cars.

The Rescue Team received a call from some concerned local residents of Kings Beach, a busy tourist area of the Sunshine Coast, where they had noticed a stray Wallaby from a nearby conservation park had been caught in a residential area. Luckily we weren’t too far away and both rescue cars were able to head straight there!

Cory and Kado arrived at the location to find Briano and James ready to dart the Wallaby, who was contained in a swimming pool of a resort! The team were just about to blow dart the Wallaby, when a noise from a neighbouring property scared it, and it jumped into the swimming pool! James was able to quickly get over there and grab the base of the Wallaby’s tail, Cory assisted him in pulling it out of the pool and the team were able to inject the Wallaby with anaesthetic.

Fortunately the Wallaby was uninjured, and after a quick check up with the Veterinarians at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, he was released in a conservation area nearby.

For any sick or injured native wildlife, please call Australia Zoo on 5436 2000.

Age: Juvenile Sex: Male

Found: Weakly roaming around by himself in a backyard at Maleny.

Transported to: The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by the concerned
resident of the property.

Veterinary Assessment: ET was very thin and extremely weak, and much too young to be on his own. He had a bleeding tail and a blood test revealed ET to be quite anaemic.

Treatment: Dr Amber administered ET sub-cutaneous fluids and applied several heat packs to the tail end while he received a blood transfusion. ET was kept nice and warm during his overnight stay in the Nursery.

Future: ET is now with a registered wildlife carer and will return to the
hospital for a check up in one week.

AZWH Statistic: We have already treated 14 echidnas so far this year at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital.

You can donate to Australia Zoo’s Wildlife Warriors to help orphaned wildlife like ET.

Call the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital on 1300 369 652 for all wildlife emergencies.

Age: Adult
Sex: Male

Found: High up in tree fighting with another male koala at Hazeldean, just north of Somerset Dam.

Transported to: The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit.

Veterinary Assessment: Jason-Lee was quiet, subdued and moving very slowly. Dr Claude examined him and discovered he was suffering from a mild case of cystitis (also known as “wet tail”) and
had a swollen right ear.

Treatment: Jason-Lee’s right ear was shaved and cleaned to help the laceration heal, and his dirty wet bottom was also washed to alleviate any discomfort. He has now been placed on a 28-day course of antibiotics to fight the cystitis.

Future: Jason-Lee will spend the next month in a quarantine ward of the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital while his infection clears up, and will then be released back into the wild.

AZWH Statistic: Cystitis is one of the biggest threats to wild koalas, with over 24 cases already admitted to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital in 2011.

Age: Joey Sex: Female

Found: After being hit by a car on Yandina-Bli Bli Road at Maroochy River.

Transported to: The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by the concerned lady who was driving the car.

Veterinary Assessment: Ella sustained a fractured right leg and mild facial trauma after she and her mother were hit by the car. Her mum was quite disoriented and hopped away, leaving Ella alone on the road.

Treatment: Dr Julia administered Ella pain relief, and pinned her leg back into place to help it heal. Cast paste, similar to human casts, was put over the pins to keep her safe from the sharp ends.

Future: Ella’s leg has healed wonderfully and the pins have been removed. She will now remain in the care of a registered kangaroo joey carer until she is old enough to be released back into the wild.

AZWH Statistic: Almost 300 patients have been admited to the wildlife hospital so far this year as a result of being hit by cars.

Visit our website www.wildlifewarriors.org.au to donate to injured wildlife like Ella.

Call the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital on 1300 369 652 for all wildlife emergencies.

Age: Joey Sex: Female

Found: In her mother’s pouch in a backyard in Carters Ridge, north of Kenilworth.

Transported to: The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit.

Veterinary Assessment: Little Shania was fortunately uninjured, though very thin and riddled with lice. Her mother sadly had to be euthanised as she was suffering from a severe infection in her left leg, as well as an injured left eye.

Treatment: Dr Robyn administered Shania pain relief and treated her lice infestation with Frontline. Vitamin E cream was also applied to Shania’s skin to help it heal.

Future: Shania is now being looked after by a registered kangaroo joey carer, who will be able to provide her with the round-the-clock feeding and care she requires. When Shania is old enough she will be released back into the wild.

Statistic: Over 1000 orphans have been admitted to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital in the past year.

You can donate to Wildlife Warriors to help us look after orphaned wildlife like Shania.

Call the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital on 1300 369 652 for all wildlife emergencies.

Age: Sub-adult

Sex: Unknown

Found: At Sippy Downs with his leg caught in a wooden fence.

Transported to: The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit.

Veterinary Assessment: Dr Robyn’s examination of Spock revealed his left leg was badly swollen and lacerated, but fortunately not fractured. Spock was also suffering shock after the frightening ordeal.

Treatment: Spock’s medical treatment included pain relief, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, sub-cutaneous fluids and
plenty of cage rest.

Future: A week after admission Spock was jumping, walking and perching well, so Dr Robyn gave Spock the all-clear to be
released.

Statistic: 48 patients were admitted to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital in 2010 after being rescued from fences.

Visit our website www.wildlifewarriors.org.au to donate to injured wildlife like Spock. Call the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital on 1300 369 652 for all wildlife emergencies.

Age: Adult

Sex: Unknown

Found: Trapped between bricks at a property in Tanawah.

Transported to: The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit.

Veterinary Assessment: Due largely to the Rescue Unit’s expertise in dealing with the situation, Dr Robyn’s assessment revealed Besser had suffered only minor scale damage.

Treatment: Dr Julia applied a small amount of surgical glue to the affected scales to hold them flat, but otherwise no further treatment was necessary.

Future: Besser was released later that same afternoon back into bushland.

Statistic: The nocturnal brown tree snake is venemous, and should only be handled by trained snake rescuers like the team from the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit.

Call the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital on 1300 369 652 for all wildlife emergencies