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2024-2025 NSW Wildlife Council Grants Program: Apply Now for Funding

The NSW Wildlife Council is the peak representative organisation for wildlife groups and individual rehabilitators licensed by the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service).

The objective of the Grants Program is to increase the capacity for individual wildlife rehabilitators, and groups in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the management committee, to purchase materials to build animal enclosures or equipment needed to rehabilitate native Australian wildlife within the state of NSW.

In opening the 2024-2025 NSW Wildlife Council Grants program, Chairperson, Audrey Koosmen OAM, highlighted the Council’s pleasure in being able to support member groups’ equipment and enclosure needs to the tune of $50,000 for the 2024-2025 year.

She said,

“We know the whole sector is doing it tough with increased workloads and reduced donations are coming into wildlife rescue and rehabilitation groups in these hard economic times”.

Mrs. Koosmen added,

“The government is not contributing to the costs groups face in their everyday expenses caring for wildlife in rehabilitation so we are double pleased to be able to support our members through the Grants Program”.

Grant applications must be submitted to the Grants Committee of the NSW Wildlife Council between 1 July and 31 July 2024

Grant applications must be in writing on the approved NWC Wildlife Rehabilitation Grant Application Form.

Applications for grants will be evaluated based on 3 criteria: Need; Excellence and Value for Money. The grant decision will be made in a manner determined by the NSW Wildlife Council Management Committee.

Answers to common questions are:

Grant applications open on 1 July and close on 31 July
Groups only may apply this year, not individuals
Total grant budget $50,000 for 2024-2025
Grants are for Wildlife Caring Equipment and Enclosures only
2 grants limit per group
1 grant limit for Independent General Licensees

NWC_Wildlife_Group_Grant_Application_Form_2024-25-1 Download

NWC-Grant-Guidellines-2024_2025 Download

Wildlife rehabilitation reporting

There are more than 7,000 volunteers participating in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation in New South Wales. Volunteers across the state need to collect and report data consistently.

All wildlife rehabilitation providers must maintain records of the animals they rescue and submit them to the National Parks and Wildlife Service annually. Each year these records are prepared for upload to BioNet and SEED, where they can be used to inform future research, planning assessments and conservation management programs such as Saving our Species and the NSW Koala Strategy.

To get the full information please go to https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/animals-and-plants/native-animals/rehabilitating-native-animals/wildlife-rehabilitation-data-and-reporting/wildlife-rehabilitation-reporting

NSW Wildlife Rehabilitation Annual Report 2021–22

In 2021-22 there were 8,621 volunteers who supported or were otherwise directly involved in wildlife rehabilitation.

Volunteer numbers in New South Wales continue to grow off the back of the many wildlife emergencies that have occurred in the previous 2 years.

In 2021–22 more than 128,000 animals were rescued involving 543 different species, including 109 threatened species.

View the complete report at https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/-/media/OEH/Corporate-Site/Documents/Animals-and-plants/Native-animals/wildlife-rehabilitation-annual-report-202122-230236.pdf

New free online training courses in governance skills

To help support licenced volunteer wildlife rehabilitation organisations, WIRES has worked closely with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to create free online training courses in leadership, training and conflict resolution.

NPWS is focused on implementing new initiatives to help support the growth and long-term sustainability of the wildlife rehabilitation sector.

NPWS and WIRES recommended these topics has worked with NPWS to make these courses available for free.

The courses have been created to assist organisations and individual volunteers wanting more support. They will assist new committee members and other volunteers who take on leadership and training roles in their respective organisations.

Wildlife Rehabilitators Leadership Course

This free course is designed to help volunteers take on leadership roles as executives or committee members within their organisations.

Wildlife Rehabilitators Train the Trainer Course

This free course is designed to help volunteers experienced in rehabilitation move into training roles within their organisations.

Wildlife Rehabilitators Conflict Resolution Course

This free course is available for all licenced wildlife rehabilitators and groups to help them identify strategies to best manage situations where conflict may occur.

To find out more go to:

https://www.wires.org.au/nationalgovernancetraining-nsw

Congratulations to Cheyne Flanagan OAM

I wish on behalf of all the wildlife sector to send our congratulations to one of our wildlife warriors Cheyne Flannagan for her OAM award in The Kings Birthday awards this year.

Cheyne has works for so many years in the conversation of our wildlife and has played a huge role in koala care and conversation.

Many of us would have done her wonderful training education course and have learnt so much from her knowledge of these animals.

This award was so well deserved to Cheyne as she has given her life time to helping and caring for so many species of wildlife.

Cheyne is a long time member of FAWNA and works at the Koala Conversation Australia.

A well deserved award to a person who has given so much back to wildlife conversation .

I give my personal congratulations to you Cheyne and thank you for all you have done in the wildlife sector .

Warmest Regards

Audrey Koosmen

Chair NSW Wildlife Council .

Weeds in Wildlife Microbiomes

Weeds in Wildlife Microbiomes: antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wildlife

The spread of antibiotic resistance in wildlife signals an increasing impact of the global issue of antimicrobial resistance. This talk will discuss the widespread occurrence of antibiotic resistance in Australia’s wildlife. Comparisons of antibiotic resistance in flying foxes and koalas, in free-range animals and those undergoing care, will also be presented. The talk will end with a discussion about the significance of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wildlife, and the health and management of species.

The presenter is Professor Michelle Power, School of Natural Sciences Macquarie University. Michelle is passionate about science and making a difference in wildlife health. Her research focuses on the transmission of disease agents at the wildlife-human interface, with foci on zoonoses and reverse zoonoses.

When: Thursday 30^th March 2023

Time: 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Delivered online and free of charge to register, please follow this link: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/weeds-in-wildlife-microbiomes-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria-in-wildlife-tickets-559266008687

Avian Influenza- Advice for animal health professionals

The Advice for veterinarians and other animal health professionals lists the clinical signs to look out for and provides information on important PPE and biosecurity measures, and information about other relevant guidelines.

Please refer members of the public to the advice for people who encounter sick or dead wild birds.

WHA has advised:

From 2021-2022, high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b has caused ongoing outbreaks of disease in wild birds throughout much of North America, Europe, Asia and Africa.

Mortalities have been observed in a wide range of species, seen as individual bird deaths and have included mass mortalities. While previous research has determined the risk of HPAI strains entering Australia via migratory birds to be low, the current global situation means an increased level of risk to Australia.

With the return of migratory birds from the northern hemisphere to Australia from September to November, there is likely a higher chance for an introduction of HPAI viruses into Australia compared to previous years.

Avian influenza is a nationally notifiable disease which means if you suspect an animal is showing signs of the disease, you must report it. You can do this by contacting your local veterinarian or call the national Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888.

WHA-related resources and advice:

Advice for people who encounter sick or dead wild birds
Advice for veterinarians and other animal health professionals
Risk Management advice for bird banders, wildlife rangers and researchers
WHA Fact sheet: Avian influenza in wild birds in Australia
Technical Issue Update – Global High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Events (Feb 2022)
National Wildlife Biosecurity Guidelines
Find out more about Australia’s Wild Bird Avian Influenza Surveillance program.

Further Information:

Australian Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry –Information on Avian Influenza or Bird Flu and Information for bird owners.
Australian Department of Health and Aged Care – Avian influenza in Humans.
World Organisation for Animal Health & IUCN SSC Wildlife Health Specialist Group – Avian Influenza and Wildlife: Risk management for people working with wild birds.