At Taronga, our two Wildlife Hospitals – located at Taronga Zoo Sydney and Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo – provide vital care to around 1,500 sick, injured, or orphaned native animals every year. This is in addition to the 5,000 animals that live on site.  

As the weather warms, our Wildlife Hospital teams typically see an increase in wildlife cases, with many animals coming in during Spring’s busy nesting and breeding season. In recent weeks, our dedicated vets and nurses have cared for a range of wildlife, including Brushtail and Ringtail Possum joeys, and Tawny Frogmouth and Welcome Swallow chicks. Spring is a critical time for birds in Australia, and it’s not uncommon for chicks to be displaced from their nests or for fledglings to require extra help as they learn to fly. 

Among other cases, our team successfully performed a three-hour surgery on a Powerful Owl that had been hit by a car, repairing a serious wing injury. A metre-long Diamond Python was admitted after being found with suspected head trauma, and a Green Tree Snake was carefully freed from a sticky insect trap that it had become trapped in. 

Spring and Summer are peak times for humans to encounter wildlife as animals – like us – take advantage of the warmer weather to forage, nest, and raise their young. Reptiles, in particular, are often drawn to the warmth of roads during the cooler evenings, making them vulnerable to traffic. 

As we share our spaces with these animals, we can all take simple steps to protect them. Be sure to slow down when driving, stay aware of your surroundings, and watch over your pets when they’re outdoors. 

If you come across injured wildlife – whether on the road, in nature, or near water – bring them to one of Taronga’s Wildlife Hospitals in Sydney or Dubbo, where our expert veterinary team will assess and treat them. 

And if you encounter a dead animal on the road, take a moment (if it’s safe to do so) to check for any young in marsupial pouches or nearby. These small actions can make a big difference in the lives of our native animals. 

Did you know that Taronga is building a new Wildlife Hospital? The new facility at Taronga Zoo Sydney will complement the recently opened Hospital at Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo, and help to future proof our wildlife. The state-of-the-art Specialist Teaching Veterinary Teaching Hospital will provide wildlife first responders with the hospitals and rehabilitation facilities that meet the ever-growing demand for Taronga’s services to save our unique wildlife.   

Find out more about Taronga’s new Wildlife Hospital or donate here.