ifaw

Climate change is a mammoth challenge and addressing it can be understandably daunting. As the biggest existential threat to humanity and all life on earth, it calls for a multidimensional and innovative approach with different stakeholders: each playing their part to halt greenhouse gas emissions.

Often, governments and private sector institutions are expected to handle the lion’s share of the responsibility. But did you know that local communities such as the Maasai in Southern Kenya are actively playing a central role in addressing climate change?

By agreeing to lease their own land for wildlife conservation, the Maasai community in Illaingarunyoni Conservancy are not only keeping wildlife corridors open, but also helping to capture and store carbon from the air into the soil. By preserving this habitat and ensuring wildlife have ample , communities are playing a pivotal role in addressing by protecting precious conservation real estate from changing land use plans such as farming, fencing, and unplanned developments.

Go Bear! 🐾💙

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 👋 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐞
Special skill: Finding live koalas
Experience: Since 2017
Quirks: Enjoys yodelling and sleeps in strange positions!

🐨Bear is another of our detection dogs who has undergone an amazing transformation through his contributions to conservation work in Australia.

Before he joined the Detection Dog team, he changed owners multiple times. He was easily bored and at home, all alone, he acted out. He destroyed everything, including the walls of the home, which he gnawed at.
He simply had too much energy for life as a pet. But it was that same energy that has made him a perfect detection dog. And he was surrendered just as we were looking for a live koala detection dog.

🐨Bear has a special place in our team because he has both a conservation mission and a welfare mission – he can find koalas when they need help. This is why from the very start, Bear was the result of a partnership with ifaw, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, a not-for-profit involved both in wildlife conservation and animal welfare.
When we find a koala, we visually assess it to determine if it’s ill, injured or malnourished. If it’s healthy we collect as much data as possible about it and share this information so we can help protect the population.
If the koala is sick, we either rescue it or notify and work with local koala-care groups to get it medical attention. Big shout out to all wildlife rescue group teams, who are always volunteers, and the most dedicated and passionate crew!

🔥Bear was deployed during the Black Summer Fires of 2019-2020, where the Detection Dogs for Conservation located about 120 koalas and rescue close to 30 – koalas were assessed by vets, rehabilitated especially at the amazing The Australian National University team.
Our work during Black Summer Fires was in collaboration with and a large part of our work was with James Fitzgerald and Two Thumbs Wildlife Trust
You can watch more about impact on the rescue and rehabilitation of koalas on “Bear: The Koala Hero” with The Naked Traveller

Watch on BINGE here ➡️ https://binge.com.au/shows/show-bear-koala-hero!6620

Meet Clyde 💙. This tiny Bennett's wallaby joey was found on the side of the road with his mother after they were hit by a car. Unfortunately, his mother's injuries were fatal, but Clyde managed to escape the traumatic event with just an injury to the tip of his tail.

He was quickly brought to the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary Wildlife Hospital for assessment. A close examination by the vet experts determined the best option for Clyde was an amputation of the tip of his tail. After the successful removal, he was placed in care with an experienced wildlife rehabilitator who provided care and pain relief while his surgery site healed.

We're happy to share Clyde has since recovered fully from his injury and is on track to be released back to the wild once he's all grown up!

Photos: © Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

While we welcome the announcement this week of the NSW Government's reforms to the state's Biodiversity Conservation Act, the proposed actions are not enough. We need stronger laws to stop native vegetation clearing, dramatically reverse the decline of endangered species and to protect our unique wildlife and the places they call home.
This article provides a great overview of the pros and cons of the reforms.

Strong progress – from a low base: here’s what’s in NSW’s biodiversity reforms Koalas in trouble, land clearing at speed – nature in New South Wales is not well. Now the government is proposing significant changes to its ineffective biodiversity laws.

Sydney is lucky to have a very special koala population on its doorstep and IFAW is part of the Sydney Basin Koala Network fighting for their survival. 🐨

Koalas need be able to move safely and freely through the landscape to survive but urban development is threatening to destroy vital koala corridors.

The Mallaty Creek Koala Corridor in south-west Sydney is crucial to allow koalas to move between the Georges and Nepean Rivers, but the NSW Government plans to cut it off.

We need your help to save the corridor. Please sign and share this petition asking the NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe to do the right thing and save this koala corridor!

Join me in supporting the Save the vital Mallaty Creek Koala Corridor Campaign Mallaty Creek is currently a connected, intact, and active East West Koala Corridor in Campbelltown but the government plans to terminate it. An additional over/underpass across Appin Road at Mallaty Creek would also vastly improve outcomes for koalas and be closer to best practice advice for the di...

How good is it when one rescue saves three lives? That’s what happened when our friends at Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital received an injured Squirrel glider recently.

A medical examination by Dr Talbot and her team revealed injuries resulting from head trauma - and two marble-sized joeys in the mother’s pouch!

After time in care to ensure all three patients had a prospect of survival, the Squirrel glider was released with joeys safely on board.

This is an especially good result as the species is classified as vulnerable throughout NSW and face a high risk of extinction in that state in the medium-term future, largely due to fragmentation of habitat.

IFAW helped Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital increase their operating hours to seven days a week last year to give the area’s wildlife the best chance of survival if they are injured or ill.

After three years of mysterious wanderings in the wild, Jack returned to Panda Masuie! His GPS collar has silently tracked his journey, but he hasn’t been spotted since the day he left to join a wild herd of elephants. 🐘

Led by the GPS pings, elephant carers and rangers Paradzai Mutize, Francis Ncube, and Simba Mupanwha led a thrilling expedition into the dense thickets of Panda Masuie to spot Jack. The sight of the strong, majestic young bull thriving in his natural habitat has filled us with overwhelming joy and pride.

This moment marks a significant milestone in our efforts at Panda Masuie. Paradzai Mutize eloquently said, "We celebrate this as a milestone. We are witnessing the successful reintegration of a rehabilitated elephant back into the wild herds. We hope every elephant we care for will return to where they belong. There is hope for more elephants like Jack."

IFAW’s is determined to give every elephant we rescue a chance to live free and wild.

Over the past decade, Wild is Life Trust and ZEN is Life Trust and ZEN has successfully re-wilded 13 elephants at Panda Masuie, with Jack being a shining example of effort and the continued support from IFAW. Here's to giving all our elephant orphans a fighting chance in the wild!

📸Photos: © Wild is Life

We’re thrilled to share that IFAW’s President & CEO, Azzedine Downes, has been named in the Top 20 Visionary CEOs 2024 by CEO Outlook Magazine. Azzedine was recognised as being at the forefront of the conservation industry.

You can read more about Azzedine, and how IFAW works to help animals and people to thrive together, in this article:
https://ceooutlookmagazine.com/azzedine-t-downes-president-ceo-international-fund-for-animal-welfare/

Are you a wildlife carer in NSW? At 6.30pm tonight there is an important online workshop about avian flu and wildlife. The free webinar will cover topics such as recognising clinical signs of avian influenza, biosecurity and decoding some of the recent info about HPAI.
Register using link below 👇
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/hpai-information-session-for-nsw-wildlife-rehabilitators-tickets-940130414377?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1gcTvsXw2jiZ0Wf5GsMetWtaDls_h-UVr9jFm597KNT0A9bdAK2yiE0DM_aem_AzI4_dWJ0MFI1x_ay2AYOA

HPAI - Information Session for NSW Wildlife Rehabilitators DCCEEW NPWS Wildlife Webinar Series

Pilot, the providence petrel, was a surprise discovery for a cruise ship staff!

Thankfully, they called our partners at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary to evaluate the injured bird, who determined that Pilot wasn’t badly injured, just a little bruised, dirty, and disoriented. It’s no wonder; these are pelagic seabirds, which means they spend most of their lives on the open ocean and only come to land to breed.

Pilot officially became the first providence petrel to be admitted to their hospital for care and was thankfully released a few days later off a boat along the coast of Tasmania where he was originally spotted!

Photo: © Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

Hey you. Yes - we're looking at you.

We need your help to ensure the new Nature Positive Bills really protect our native wildlife and the places we all call home.

This is an unusually long post from us but please bear with us as the information below is critical to ensure we get the strong laws nature deserves. We cannot afford to miss this once-in-a-generation opportunity to get it right!

The Senate Committee on Environment and Communications has opened a formal inquiry into Bills to establish two new bodies, Environment Protection Australia (EPA) and Environment Information Australia (EIA) – and you have until July 15 to say something about them.

IFAW, along with 70 other environmental organisations in the Places You Love Alliance, is worried these Bills aren't enough to protect the places and animals we all love.
That's why we need your help to secure key changes to the Bills.

Making a submission is easy, and it can be as short, or as long as you like. You can send an email to [email protected] or upload here: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/OnlineSubmission

We have pulled together some key points for you to include (feel free to cut and paste). The more you can personalise your submission, the better.

Key points
🐨 While the bills are a step in the right direction, they fail to deliver strong, legally enforceable national environmental standards that should be the foundation of any environmental law reform.
🐨 I urge the Committee to recommend the following in their Report to the Senate:
• That amendments are passed to create the legislative framework to enable the development and implementation of National Environment Standards.
• That the Nature Positive (Environment Information Australia) Bill 2024 is amended to:
○ include a definition of “Nature Positive” consistent with our international commitments; and
○ require the EIA monitor and evaluate the development and implementation of threatened species conservation plans and provide an annual report to Parliament on progress.
• The Nature Positive (Environment Protection Australia) Bill 2024 is amended so it is governed by an independent Board, reporting to a joint Parliamentary Committee.
🐨 Please advocate for strong amendments to these bills and for the promised comprehensive package of nature law reforms to be delivered.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

🔗Places You Love Alliance: https://placesyoulove.org/
📸Credit: Emily Wells.

Watch out, wildlife about! 🦘🐨
We're asking all our followers to please be extra cautious while driving, especially at dusk and dawn when visibility is reduced, and animals are more active.
📱Download our free IFAW Wildlife Rescue App BEFORE you head out onto the roads so you're prepared should you come across an injured or displaced animal.
👀 For more information on how to protect our wildlife and keep yourself safe, click on the link below.

Watch for animals | Transport for NSW Tips for drivers sharing the road with animals on country roads.

🐨Seriously Tatham, didn’t your mother teach you not to get into a car with strangers? We’re glad our partner Friends of the Koala Inc. were on hand to get you back to safety.

Tatham the koala has been rescued and released for his third time - following misadventure by climbing into a member of the public's car!🚗 His first rescue was due to conjunctivitis and his second following an altercation with cattle 🐮 - he sure is a busy boy! Here, Nikki, April and Paul are releasing him back to his original tree - away from the cattle paddock and cars! Fingers crossed he can stay out of trouble!🐨🌳🤞
https://friendsofthekoala.org/koala-rescue-rehabilitation/

🚨 BREAKING: 100+ dolphins saved from stranding
IFAW’s marine mammal rescue teams, along with volunteers and partners, have been working 12–16-hour days every day since Friday to prevent some of the animals from coming back and more dolphins from being stranded in the area. This mass stranding of 125 dolphins marks the largest dolphin stranding in IFAW's history.
➡️ Here's what happened:
Early on Friday, over 125 dolphins were stranded in mud flats off the coast of Cape Cod during low tide. The mass stranding occurred in the Herring River Gut which is an area with 11–13-foot tidal fluctuations, treacherous mud, and razor-sharp oysters that can easily cut through dolphins’ delicate skin. Conditions were especially difficult given the sheer number of animals, and how spread out they were. IFAW staff, partners, and 70 trained volunteers immediately leaped into action and worked late into the evening to help the stranded dolphins back into open waters.
Over 100 dolphins were saved by the end of Friday, but because there is a high likelihood of dolphins re-stranding, our staff and volunteers have been in the field for several long, stressful days, continuing to herd dolphins away from the shallow waters, and rescuing dolphins when they do become stranded. We are continuously monitoring the situation.
For the full story and more details: https://g.ifaw.org/3L4Qvg2

Photos: Stacey Hedman / © IFAW, Julia Cumes / © IFAW, All activities conducted under a federal stranding agreement between IFAW and NMFS under the MMPA.

The Australian Government is currently seeking comments on plans to renew the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy! We’ve been without one for a decade!

You can have your say in how you think the new framework should work for the future of animal welfare in Australia. And to make it easy, our friends at Alliance for Animals have put together a guide on how to make a submission: https://www.allianceforanimals.org.au/ourwork/submission-guide-australian-animal-welfare-strategy
It won’t take you long, and you will be helping to improve the lives of billions of animals for many years to come. Submissions are due 4pm this Sunday 30 June.

Please add your voice to ensure the government hears loud and clear that animals matter! Our animal welfare system is broken – together we can fix it.

Did you know one in every 41 crashes resulting in injury or death on country roads involve a vehicle hitting an animal?
NSW Road Safety - NSW GOV has some good tips on you can help protect wildlife while keeping yourself safe, including to download the IFAW Wildlife Rescue App before you head out onto the roads.
👀👇 More info in the link

Watch for animals | Transport for NSW Tips for drivers sharing the road with animals on country roads.

Remember Kookie the koala? She was just a joey when she was rescued after her mum was fatally hit by a car a couple of years ago. Although she had some protection in the pouch, she still needed the care of the IFAW-supported vets at the Friends of the Koala’s Northern Rivers Koala Hospital, and the group’s volunteers, until she was ready to go back to the wild.

And now she’s a mum herself! Kookie was recently seen with a joey in her pouch – see if you can spot that fuzzy little head. 🐨

Kookie’s success reinforces why every koala counts. It’s now koala breeding season, so take care when driving in koala zones and don’t forget to download the IFAW Wildlife Rescue App in case you see an injured animal.
Download here: https://www.ifaw.org/au/resources/wildlife-rescue-app

📸Credit: Friends of the Koala Inc.

🌳 We have been working closely with our partners The Great Eastern Ranges initiative for several years now to reconnect and regenerate habitats across Australia's east coast
🐨 Our newest project, Koala Climate Corridors, aims to create wildlife corridors that assist native animals in adapting to the changing climate and build the resilience of our communities and land.
🌱 Bunyas to Border in Queensland’s southeast is the first of these corridors. This is a region rich in wildlife, biodiversity, lush rainforest and unique volcanic landforms that also supports a growing population of people.
💪 We're proud to be working with local community-based conservation group LUCI - Caring for Native Habitats in the Lockyer which is leading on-the-ground activities across Bunyas to Border.
💚 Bunyas to Border is the first of many climate corridors the IFAW-GER partnership hopes to create, giving more people and animals the chance to thrive.

Community connectivity and climate resilience - Australia We’re working to help people, wildlife, and landscapes adapt to the changing climate.

This Sunday is your chance to be part of one of nature’s most spectacular and longest migrations in the world. 🐋
Join ORCCA’s Census Day and enjoy a great day out counting whales.
No matter where, when or how long you do it for, you’ll be contributing to the understanding and protection of our whales.

It has been an incredibly difficult few years, with devastating bushfires, floods, and other natural disasters, a global pandemic, and the conflicts in Ukraine. We are so grateful for the support of our followers and the people who continue to give generously to allow us to help animals both here in Australia and around the world.

For over 40 years, our Australian team has been working with local partners on the ground to rescue and rehabilitate wildlife impacted by natural disasters with help such as:
🚨 Providing emergency support and resources for wildlife carers.
🐕 Deployment of IFAW x UniSC koala detection dog, Bear.
🌱 Planting thousands of tree saplings to reestablish a key wildlife corridor.
⏲️ Responding quickly and effectively to requests for help during and post-disaster.
📲 Running the IFAW Wildlife Rescue App to get help for animals in need.

We do so appreciate your generosity, but please, as we approach the end of the financial year, consider making a tax-deductible gift to help us continue this critical work of helping animals here and worldwide. Thank you.

Donate now - https://g.ifaw.org/EOFY-2024

We all think “it will never happen to me" until it does. Are you and the animals in your care ready in the event of a disaster?

From historic bushfires and floods to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, natural disasters are increasing in both frequency and magnitude around the world, impacting animals and people everywhere. Many of these disasters can occur in a very short period of time, giving those affected much less time to prepare and evacuate. Take a moment to think about how you would evacuate your home with your pets, both small and large. Do you have a plan in place?

Our Emergency Evacuation Planning kit includes step-by-step guidelines and templates to assist Australian wildlife care groups and individuals in preparing an effective evacuation plan. This resource outlines key operations and backup processes to activate before, during, and after natural disasters or other emergencies to support a successful evacuation.

It’s impossible to know when or where the next disaster will strike, but being prepared and having a plan in case of an emergency is the best way to make sure you and your pets safe.

Create your plan today - https://g.ifaw.org/Evacuation

Wonderful to be back on the banks of the Moorabool River in Victoria for another weekend of tree planting, with our partner Koala Clancy Foundation. On Saturday alone, we had a record planting day, with the team planting 2241 trees!🌳

The region was once some of the best koala habitat in Victoria before it was cleared for farming years ago. Landowners Liz and Ross Wilkie are regenerating this historic sheep grazing property to encourage koalas back to the area.

And its working! Since our first planting last year, four koalas have been seen and heard on the property. Proof that, if you plant, they will come.
With the help of an incredible crew of dedicated volunteers, we have planted over 11,000 trees on this site.

We can’t wait to see them grow! Every one will be a much-needed lifeline for koalas and other wildlife. 🐨💙

Head along to this special screening to hear from IFAW Partner James Fitzgerald from Two Thumbs and learn more about how several of our other partners are helping to save our koalas.

The Koalas Dendy Cinemas Takeover!

Just ONE DAY left until The Koalas will be screening at Dendy Cinemas across Australia. Grab your mates and your tickets to see a "brilliant" documentary, filmed on the frontline of the fight to save a national icon - before it's too late.

Screenings will be followed by Q&As with notable wildlife advocates and researchers including WIRES Two Thumbs Wildlife Trust WWF-Australia The Australian National University and Save Sydney's Koalas.

Don't miss out on being part of this one night only event! Head to our website to see the full list of incredible guest speakers and secure your tickets now.

Exciting news! We are thrilled to announce that our dedicated community guardians have successfully completed a training program in Hwange, Zimbabwe. The training focused on data collection, map reading, and human-wildlife conflict mitigation. Fourteen participants drawn from Tsholotsho, Lupane, and Matetsi took part in the 8-day comprehensive theoretical and hands-on fieldwork training.

The training was designed to empower guardians with the knowledge and skills required to play a vital role in mitigating human-wildlife conflict and fostering harmonious coexistence in the Hwange District. This district stands as one of Africa's hotspots for human-wildlife conflict and is the proud home of Zimbabwe's largest and oldest national park.

We are deeply grateful for the financial support from the Australian Embassy, Zimbabwe's Direct Aid (DAP), which has enabled IFAW and Zimparks to implement the human-wildlife conflict mitigation project in Hwange. The community guardians' training program, a crucial part of the project's initial activities, reflects our commitment to involving communities in conservation efforts.

At IFAW, we firmly believe that the key to improving community tolerance towards wildlife lies in empowering those who are most affected by coexisting with wildlife. Under our initiative, we strive to collaborate with communities to collectively develop and design solutions to address urgent conservation challenges, including human-wildlife conflict.

Photos: ©️ZimParks

🌳🌳🌳 More trees have been put in the ground as part of our Bunyas to Border koala climate corridor!
🐨 High Country Koala Action Group Inc. and about 20 volunteers worked with our partner-on-the-ground LUCI - Caring for Native Habitats in the Lockyer to plant 350 trees on a private property in Queensland's southeast this month. The property serves as a soft release site for koalas and the marsupials are known to pass through it.
🐨 The planting is part of Koala Climate Corridors - our project with The Great Eastern Ranges initiative to create biodiverse corridors to help wildlife adapt and communities build resilience to climate change.
🙏 Thank you to Greening Australia for supplying the trees and to LVRC for helping with site prep.
📷 by Justine Rice & Dale Martin / © IFAW-GER

Meet Dimple 😊. This curious little guy is an echidna puggle. He was spotted all by himself walking on the side of a road 🥺. Finding a puggle this small is very uncommon. At Dimple’s age, he should still be safely nursing deep underground in the burrow his mother dug for him and his siblings.

Thankfully, he was brought to Bonorong Wildlife Hospital for treatment. His little feet were pretty scraped up, but luckily with some topical ointment the team was able get him healed and ready for his next stop!

Dimple is now at a long-term care facility where he is being raised for release. We are so grateful to our partners at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary for all the work they do to get these animals back on their feet and one step closer to being back in the wild.

Photos: © Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

🚨 URGENT – our native wildlife is at serious risk!

The government is rewriting our national nature laws for the first time in over 20 years. We need to take advantage of this critical opportunity to introduce more vigorous laws that will help protect and restore what we have left before the damage is irreversible and the wildlife that is so iconically Australian could be lost forever.

Show your love for Australian wildlife, like our precious koalas, and sign our petition to help save them before its too late - https://g.ifaw.org/Nature-Laws. 🐨🌱💙

Don’t just dream of a better world. Will it.

When you dream of a better world, what exactly does it look like? And what are you Will-ing to do to make that vision a reality?

Well, you can be part of that change. And achieving it can be easier than you think. By leaving a gift in your Will, you’ll be a catalyst for a better world and will leave a lasting impact on the lives of animals – long into the future. In fact, for every five animals that IFAW helps, one was saved thanks to the kindness and generosity of people who left gifts in their Wills.

Give a gift to the future – find out more here: https://g.ifaw.org/your-legacy