Animalia

This is exciting and heartwarming footage to counter the general plague of kangaroo hating. Police rush into the surf to rescue a small kangaroo, who is later visited in its cell by Animalia staff, who are currently taking care of him elsewhere.

Rosebud police were on hand at Safety Beach on Saturday afternoon to give a lost kangaroo a second chance. They responded to numerous calls that a kangaroo was in the water just off Marine Drive about 5pm yesterday.

The kangaroo had made it back to the beach upon their arrival and had been covered in a blanket by a member of the public. Police were monitoring it but it decided to turn around and hop back into the surf.

It began to swim but got into difficulty in the swell and breaking waves and went under water a couple of times.

A Sergeant and a Senior Sergeant noticed the animal in distress and immediately jumped into the water.

They managed to carry the kangaroo, which was unconscious, to a grassed area where they successfully resuscitated it.

The roo was wrapped in blankets and taken to Rosebud Police Station where it was assessed by Animalia Wildlife Shelter and taken to receive treatment. The roo is currently being cared for but is said to be lucky to be alive given the amount of salt water he inhaled.

Please follow Animalia to keep updated about his recovery.

Thanks to the quick thinking actions of the public and the police officers this fella didnt lose his life.

If you would like to support Animalia so they can continue to rescue and rehabilitate wildlife you can attend their fundraising night: https://www.facebook.com/events/1698923100230514/

Or donate here: https://www.facebook.com/donate/314782549111876/

Michelle Thomson, of Animalia, is hosting two wildlife care workshops with Linda "Indi" Dennis: one is on kangaroos and the other is on wombats. The workshops teach how to care for Kangaroos, Wallabies, and other Macropods and for wombats. Linda "Indi" Dennis is a well known wildlife carer,educator and advocate for our wildlife. By the way, Animalia, which operates on a shoestring, has advance-funded this workshop and now a major funding source has fallen through. The Animal Shelter may have to close if no fresh funds come in; the situation is actually desperate. Please consider donating to Animalia if you cannot attend the workshop. There are more and more injured animals as human population expands, and not enough qualified carers. Workshops that actually train new carers are as rare as hens' teeth. Animalia takes this initiative time and time again. Please help keep this little ark afloat.

Donate to Animalia

Join Animalia Wildlife shelter for a day of training on Macropods

On Saturday 27 October 2018 at 9:00am at Tyabb Community Hall, 1535 Frankston Flinders Rd., Tyabb, Victoria, 3913.

Bookings.

Join Animalia Wildlife shelter for a day of training on Wombats

On Sunday the 28th of October there will be a wombat workshop. Join Animalia Wildlife shelter and Linda "Indi" Dennis for a days training for wildlife carers,rescuers and environmentalists on Wombats, at Tyabb Community Hall, 1535 Frankston Flinders Rd., Tyabb, Victoria, 3913.

Craig Thomson, Greens candidate for Nepean, is an indigenous vegetation expert and rehabilitator who works mostly on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia. When he heard that the outgoing Liberal Government had quasi locked-in a private public development of hot mineral baths with a 50 yr lease in Victoria's Point Nepean National Park, on the day that government went into caretaker mode, he was horrified. This short video was made very quickly before the election black out in the hope of educating people about the value of Point Nepean National Park, of all public lands, and the need to preserve it for ourselves, our children and our indigenous animal and plants. Craig, who is a candidate for the Greens in this election (Victorian Elections November 2014) is also a wildlife rescuer with Animalia. He is a kind and inspiring man with a love for plants, animals, fairness and his community. In this film we also catch glimpses of his daughters, Eve and Rose, who Craig cares for as a single parent.

Today at the Australian Wildlife Protection Council AGM I interviewed Craig Thomson, Animalia wildlife carer, about the events that may have led to Sean the Koala travelling down a busy highway in Langwarrin. Turns out he was probably following a traditional migratory route of male koalas in search of romance, which takes them from islands of habitat like the Cranbourne Botanical Gardens, down four-lane highways towards The Pines Flora and Fauna Reserve in Frankston, or further south, across the massive Peninsula Link tollway that cuts the Peninsula in half. Why are koalas being forced onto highways? It is another terrible cost of the unwanted human population expansion that is being forced on Victorians by the State Government, in its bid to grow Melbourne faster and faster. Animalia has $10,000 outstanding power bills; you can help by donating to WESTPAC BANK BSB 033138 Account 434072

The President of Animalia, Michelle Thomas, actually rescued Sean the Koala, but has received little credit. Instead, Wildlife Victoria is often erroneously named as the rescuing agency. In the mean time Animalia owes $10,000 in utility bills alone and the wildife carers wonder how they are going to keep going without donations. So please consider donating to WESTPAC BANK BSB 033138 Account 434072.

The photograph of a koala being carried away from a multi-lane highway by a resourceful and kind truck driver comes from South Australia, but the situation of koalas crossing dangerous roads is all too frequent.

New article, "Video: Koala Accident Investigation - Update on Sean the Koala," looks at Sean's movements before the accident and what he was doing crossing highways. Michelle Thomas, Director of Animalia Wildlife Shelter, was once again in the news for her kindness to wildlife. This time she gave 'mouth to nose' to a very cute young koala, whose neck was accidentally caught in his rescue lasso. The rescue involved the fire brigade and was filmed by Steven Kuiter. See video inside. Animalia has $10,000 outstanding power bills; you can help by donating to WESTPAC BANK BSB 033138 Account 434072

Animalia wildlife rescuers believe that Sean the Koala was probably brushed by a car some time around Wednesday 20th August 2014. He was found looking a bit stunned by the side of the road by a member of the public. The person who found him picked him up and placed him in a tree in the hope that he would recover by himself. The next day, Thursday 21 August, the same member of the public went and checked on the koala and found that he had hardly moved from where he had been placed in the tree. He needed to be rescued and cared for.

Michelle Thomas, Animalia Shelter Director, was contacted via sms by Wildlife Victoria and asked to check on the koala's welfare. Although it appears cold and windy in the film of the event, Michelle says that it was quite a mild night for winter.

Presumably the koala moved up high into the tree at some point after his predicament had been reported, because his rescue required a crane and a pole with a lasso on the end.

The fire brigade provided a crane and an attempt was made to lasso the koala by the arm to bring him down on the end of a pole, which is the ideal procedure. Unfortunately the koala moved at just the wrong moment and got his neck caught in the lasso. That is the reason that, when he was lifted down to the ground on the pole, he had stopped breathing.

Michelle says that she opened the koala's mouth to see whether he was bleeding or if something was blocking his airway. She saw nothing, so she closed his mouth and breathed into his nostrils. After a while the koala grunted and soon he began to complain. The fire brigade administered oxygen to him with a mask.

Asked if she has ever given a koala mouth to mouth - or mouth to nose - before, she said she had not.

"But I did once give mouth to mouth to a dog," she added.

Asked what the difference was, she said,

"The koala's nose felt just like a dog's, except not quite so wet."

In the video we hear Michelle surmise that the koala is one she had met before, known as Sir Chompalot. She says that, on closer examination, she realised that they had not met before. Hence the name Sean.

"He is a young male koala, about three years old."

How is he taking to being cared for at the Animalia wildlife rescue premises?

"He is happy as Larry. Koalas are pretty relaxed as long as they have a tree to sit in and plenty of eucalyptus leaves to eat."

It has been mentioned that Sean needs an operation. Was he injured?

"He was not seriously injured," replies Michele. "He was a bit bruised. However the operation is for a cateract on one eye."

Due to the overwhelming response that they have had from around the world with the rescue of Sean the koala, Animalia has created a Facebook page for him to give regular updates on how he is going.

Sean the Koala's facebook page.

If you don't have a Facebook account you can always visit the Animalia website at Animalia

Animalia is a not for profit organisation which relies on donations from the public to continue this important work in the rescue,care and rehabilitation of our native wildlife. You can donate to WESTPAC BANK BSB 033138 Account 434072

I am personally a great fan of Michelle Thomas and her wildlife work. Years ago I rescued a possum with a broken back and she made a home visit to look at him and advise me. Her willingness to go out of her way, as well as her knowledge and kindness, impressed me from that day. I am amazed that she still seems to be so available to wildlife. Michelle is one of the busiest people I have ever met. She is also active in a local drama group, which puts on plays. She was the 2007 Starzone walk of fame recipient for significant contribution to the community in the field of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation and childrens community theatre. In 2009 she was awarded the Rotary International Paul Harris Fellowship for her contribution during the wildlife recovery effort of the black saturday fires in the Marysville Taggerty Triangle region and ongoing dedication to wildlife conservation rescue and rehabilitation. In 2012 Frankston City Council recognised her for her community contribution. And that's just what humans think of her. Imagine what the wildlife would say if they could!

Meet the impeccable Animalia wildlife carers at their stall at Tootgarook, 2nd February, 10am-3pm at Tootgarook Wetland Reserve, Truemans Rd Sports Reserve, Rosebud West 3940.

Animalia Shelter, Carer network and rescue service - Portsea to Brighton, 0435 822 699, All hours
www.animaliawildlife.org.au

Please consider making a Donation at any WESTPAC BANK BSB 033138 Account 434072 or Support Animalia through Ritchies Community Benefit cards organisation number 81621.