Blankets, beds, aviaries, and incubators to help sick and injured native wildlife will be funded through more than $64,000 awarded as part of Brisbane City Council’s Native Wildlife Carers Grants program.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said there were 21 recipients within the latest grants round, including the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA Qld), Orphan Native Animal Rear and Release Association Inc.

“We are committed to supporting groups and individuals in rehabilitating and releasing orphaned, sick and injured native wildlife in Brisbane,” Cr Schrinner said.

“Through these grants we have previously helped volunteers purchase essential equipment they otherwise couldn’t afford such as incubators, aviaries, feeding equipment and care blankets.

“This year $5000 in funding has been awarded to the RSPCA  for the purchase of soft crates and koala beds, which will be used for ambulance rescue services to ensure the comfort of the animals in transition to the RSPCA QLD Wildlife Hospital at Wacol.

“The hospital at Wacol was built in 2012 to cater for 5000 patients and it is now responding to over 20,000 annually, so these koala beds will assist greatly in the comfort of the rescue process.”

RSPCA QLD Wildlife Hospital is the only hospital in Queensland with specialist Wildlife Vets on duty every day and night to respond to the needs of native animals.

RSPCA QLD Senior Wildlife Veterinarian Tim Portas said the funding is a welcome boost to the resources the organisation dedicates to caring for sick and injured koalas and other wildlife.

“The grant will be put towards beds in our intensive care unit allowing convalescing koalas to be comfortable during treatment for injuries sustained in the peri-urban environment such as being hit by cars and attacked by dogs,” Mr Portas said.

“The remainder of the funding will be used to purchase soft walled transport crates which will be used by both our ambulance officers and in our hospital for the transportation and housing of birds such as pelicans, cormorants, moorhens and quails.

“We are incredibly grateful to Brisbane City Council for this generous donation of funds.”

Cr Schrinner said the Native Wildlife Carer Grants have also been awarded to the following carers:

  • Orphan Native Animal Rear and Release Association Inc. received $3677 for educational brochures, signage and consumable items.
  • Kerry’s Wildlife Rescue and Care Inc. received $2029 for travel expenses to support native wildlife rehabilitation in the Brisbane City Council area.
  • A further $53,630 was provided to 18 individual wildlife carers. for consumable items which include veterinary fees, feeding utensils, care blankets and travel expenses to collect fodder, rescue, rehabilitate and release, sick and injured native wildlife.

“It’s important to recognise that it’s not just the big charity organisations that are making a difference, it’s the dedicated individuals and small groups on-the-ground in the local community that deserve a leg up,” Cr Schrinner said.

“The Native Wildlife Carers Grants are part of the Lord Mayor’s Community Sustainability and Environmental Grants program, with grant amounts ranging from $200 to $5000.

“A total of $394,988.30 was made available through the Lord Mayor’s Community Sustainability and Environmental Grants Program 2020-21 through four subcategories: Environmental Grants, Sustainability Grants, Native Wildlife Carer Grants and Cultivating Community Gardens Grants.”

For more information about the Lord Mayor’s Community Sustainability and Environmental Grants program visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/grants or call Council on (07) 3403 8888.