Local wildlife rehabilitation groups look set to benefit from the Federal Government’s announcement of $50 million for emergency wildlife and habitat recovery. 

Federal member for Page Kevin Hogan said the funding was offered in response to the recent devastating bushfires and would support the immediate work to protect Australia’s wildlife. 

“Our wildlife needs our help and food drops are happening into fire damaged areas now to promote the survival and recovery of endangered species,” Mr Hogan said.

“The Government will coordinate with organisations across Australia to ensure the money goes where it is needed.”

Wildlife Information and Rescue Emergency Service Northern Rivers (WIRES NR) vice chair Lib Rutenberg said any money would go a long way to covering the costs of the entirely volunteer-run organisation.

“WIRES has 28 branches in NSW and we rely on public donations to fund the work of our members rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife,” Lib said. 

“We don’t get government grants and there has been no government funding before now.”

With an estimated loss of over a billion animals in NSW due to the bushfires, the loss of habitat is a major concern for wildlife groups.

“The bushfires, horrible as they are, will hopefully focus the planning and integration between land management and wildlife care,” Lib said.

“In the Northern Rivers, we are immediately faced with habitat loss. Our members are now raising orphans and wanting to soft release them, but the habitat we planned to release them into has been burned.

“We have seen whole populations of flying foxes moved on and behaving differently because of habitat loss.

“The Northern Rivers area is so biodiverse – we have a high koala population and lots of species that don’t occur elsewhere – like gliders, macropods and other small mammals."

Lib was concerned that the Federal Government’s announcement of funding was just a “band aid” measure.

“The Commonwealth Government integrated the vastly different areas of environment with agriculture late last year,” she said. “The mind boggles at having one minister in charge of those two areas.

“The Coalition State Government has presided over ripping the guts out of national parks for years and the Office of Environment and Heritage has just been decimated.

“The government is throwing money at the problem now, but if they want to make serious change, they need to restructure departments and pay attention to their policies and support.”

Lib said a number of other local wildlife organisations could also see a share in the government funding, including Northern Rivers Wildlife Carers, Tweed Valley Wildlife Carers, Seabird Rescue in Ballina and Northern Tablelands Wildlife Carers at Tenterfield.

Friends of the Koala (FoK) president Ros Irwin said she hoped the money would filter down to the Lismore-based organisation which was responsible for caring for and rehabilitating injured koalas. 

“There are certain areas we would be able to take forward if the money is available to us,” Ros said.

Ros said the NSW Wildlife Council (of which WIRES and FoK are members) would be instrumental in liaising with government in relation to any distributed funds.

Mr Hogan said the $50 million funding will be used for:

• Care for and rehabilitate injured wildlife.

• Secure viable populations of threatened species.

• Control feral predators, other pest animals and noxious weeds that are a major threat to vulnerable animals and plants at this time.

• Scientifically map and understand the true impact of these fires.

• Work with landowners to protect those precious remaining unburned areas, which will serve as ‘arks’ and allow our native plants and animals to recover.