Home > In the Media 2012
Vet's work keeps Matilda waltzing
News source: The Courier Mail
12 February 2012
The heart monitor is beeping and the scalpels are sharp.
This is not an episode of ER but a marathon surgery to amputate a green sea turtle's flipper.
The Sunday Mail was granted exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the operating room at Australia Zoo's Wildlife Hospital.
These pictures give insight into the mammoth job of attending to a 140kg ocean creature.
The breeding-age turtle named Matilda was admitted to the hospital with a festering wound and exposed bone where her left flipper should have been.
Like many marine creatures, she had become entangled in a crab pot which eventually tore off the limb.
Vet Dr Amber Gillett performed the surgery to slice off the bone near the joint - and close the wound to leave a stump.
Matilda had to be scrubbed clean and wrapped in donated blankets for warmth.
A tube was inserted into her trachea so she could breathe under anaesthetic.
The recovering turtle will remain in the intensive care unit until she is well enough to swim in the "big pool".
The hospital has performed about half a dozen successful flipper amputations.
Dr Gillett said that the surgery would improve Matilda's life. "If it's not removed it's going to be painful. It could be a source of infection and could eventually be the cause of her death," she said.
Dr Gillett said having one less flipper did not seem to affect the adaptable creatures when they returned to the sea.
"They swim perfectly well with three flippers, they have no problems whatsoever".
Eventually, Matilda will be returned to the wild.
Anyone who finds an injured animal of any description is urged to call the Wildlife Emergency Hotline 1300 369 652, any day of the year.
Sunshine Coast Australia Day Awards 2012
Ailish Bolt & Ashley Ogilvie - Young Citizen of the Year
News source: Sunshine Coast Daily
26 January 2012
Brother and sister Ashley and Ailish - previous Joey Ambassadors with Wildlife Warriors - have designed and launched their own website - Planet You - in 2011. The site is all about raising awareness and showing kids how they can make a difference. They started by phoning lots of kids to find out what they wanted to learn about and now they travel all over the country interviewing kids and adults. They are also making videos about topics such as saving the whales, homelessness, war and global warming, which they put on their website. To date, they have raised over $10,000 for various causes including homelessness, conservation and wildlife.
Fleet too ill to survive operation
News source: Sunshine Coast Daily
6 January 2012
AAP
A KOALA that was shot seven times with an air rifle has died during an operation to remove one of the pellets that was lodged in his head.
Fleet the koala won the hearts of Queenslanders after he was found peppered with slugs high in a tree at Kippa-Ring, north of Brisbane, last October.
Although Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital vets had been able to remove just three of the seven pellets lodged in Fleet, they had hoped he would make a full recovery.
However, Fleet died on Wednesday during an operation to extract one of the remaining pellets, which was lodged in his nose, vet Amber Gillet said.
The pellet had given Fleet a life-threatening infection in his nasal cavity.
The six-year-old marsupial was weakened already when his heart stopped during surgery and could not be revived, Ms Gillet said.
"Unfortunately we were in a situation where we had no other option other than to try and remove that problem (the pellet)," she said.
"Unfortunately the infection, and the problems that he had, led to his demise."
Ms Gillet said Fleet had been popular with zoo staff as well as the public.
"To lose him is exceptionally emotional for all of us," Ms Gillet said.
Seabirds becoming the catch of the day
News source: Sunshine Coast Daily
6 January 2012
By Kristy Muir
IT is a sight we are seeing far too often: seabirds tangled in fishing line with hooks in their beaks.
A lucky few may be saved by someone who stumbles across them on a beach walk.
But for most their outlook is grim, starving to death or being unable to defend themselves against predators.
Yesterday, Buddina resident Glennis Vanieris saw an injured cormorant during her morning walk around La Balsa.
She went to its aid and phoned Australia Zoo's rescue unit.
The black-and-white sea bird was motionless and clearly exhausted from the ordeal of being hooked.
She stayed with the bird for 75 minutes but it flew away before the rescue unit arrived.
Mrs Vanieris said it was not the first time she had seen a bird injured because of careless fishermen.
She said in the past she had saved two herons, but not being able to help this bird left her feeling powerless and sad.
She said it was unfortunate the zoo was on a call-out to help another injured animal and was not able to respond in time to catch the cormorant.
Bridgette Powers, of Twinnies Pelican and Seabird Rescue iat Landsborough, said fishing equipment-related injuries to seabirds were too common and something needed to be done to prevent them.
"We rescue three or four cormorants a week," she said.
"And a lot of other seabirds."
Ms Powers said cormorants tried to eat what was on the end of the hook in the water. "Fishermen should look before they cast their lines to make sure no seabirds are eyeing off their bait," she said.
She said this time of year was peak season for seabirds to become entangled in netting or fishing line and hooks.
"So many people are out fishing and are careless with their fishing tackle," she said.
"People need to be more careful and protect our precious wildlife."
If you find an injured seabird, phone the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital 24-hour emergency hotline on 1300 369 652 or Twinnies Pelican and Seabird Rescue on 0421 476 561.
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