Native Animals

Picture of an Eastern Quoll looking at the camera

If you come across injured or stranded wildlife in the Shoalhaven, use this flowchart to help decide what to do next.

For further advice about injured and stranded wildlife, click on the tabs below.

Native Animal Welfare

If you find an injured or orphaned native animal (except marine), you can help them survive and be returned to their natural habitat.  

If you find an injured or orphaned native animal

You can contact: 

Wildlife Rescue South Coast rescues and rehabilitates injured or orphaned native wildlife and then release them back in to the wild.

WRSC will provide advice about what to do and if necessary, arrange a rescue. There is no cost for this service but donations to this valuable organisation are always appreciated.

If you find a deceased native animal

  • If you find a deceased native animal in urban areas on public land or road reserves contact Council
  • Council does not collect deceased animals from private residences or properties

Marine Wildlife

For the rescue of whales, dolphins and seals, contact Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans (ORRCA):

For the rescue of seabirds, shorebirds, sea turtles and sea snakes, contact the Australian Seabird and Turtle Rescue:

Note: Only licensed wildlife rehabilitation providers or registered veterinarians can take a sick, injured or orphaned native animal into care.

Wildlife during emergencies

Following the devastating 2019/20 fires, the NSW government commissioned an independent expert inquiry to understand what happened during that bushfire season and provide recommendations to improve how NSW plans, prepares for and responds to bushfires. Key recommendations that were specifically about wildlife include:

  • that government should develop a plan for helping injured wildlife during emergencies,
  • that firefighters be trained on handling wildlife, and
  • that vets and wildlife rescue volunteers be provided bushfire awareness accreditation.

To help achieve this, the NSW Wildlife in Emergencies plan was created, which details the control and coordination arrangements for emergencies affecting wildlife in NSW. This includes the creation of new wildlife specific roles that will be enacted during an emergency to provide specialist advice and response. One significant new role is for the establishment of expert rescue teams to help affected wildlife on the ground. For a summary of this new plan and how it might be enacted locally, see the summary document in the Resources tab. 

Keep Yourself Safe

DO NOT approach snakes, goannas, bats, kangaroos, koalas, or large birds.

These animals require specialist handling and trained rescuers.

Keep the Animal Safe

Where you can, remove any threat to the animal's welfare including keeping people and pets away to minimise stress while waiting for a rescuer or vet transfer.

Where possible, leave native animals in the wild while you wait for further advice/animal rescuer.

Rescue and Transport

If the sick/injured animal is safe to contain (e.g. small bird) gently contain the animal and keep it in a warm, dark, quiet place and transport to the nearest vet who will accept wildlife free of charge.

Do not provide food or water to the animal unless instructed to by a Wildlife Rescue South Coast volunteer or a vet.

Pets and Livestock

  • For information about domestic pets and livestock, visit Council's Pets and Animals page. 

Related Information

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