Baby echidna saved by WIRES Dubbo

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

The WIRES Dubbo branch is caring for a tiny baby echidna (known as a puggle) after it was found in its mother’s pouch by a concerned member of the public following a road incident. WIRES volunteer Louise O’Sullivan is caring for the young marsupial that she has nicknamed ’Spike’. “Echidnas are hardly ever brought into WIRES so it a rare opportunity to be able to raise and release Spike back into the wild,” said O’Sullivan. “He weighed just 140 grams and was hairless when rescued and has now more than doubled his weight - so I’m delighted with his progress!"

According to O’Sullivan, Spike is a fun and feisty character with a healthy appetite and his spines have made him quite prickly already.

WIRES Dubbo Chair Mandy Bye said the branch urgently needs more volunteers to help rescue and raise native species like Spike.

“In the past year we have had more than 1000 rescue and/or advice calls for native animals in the Dubbo region with many of these animals orphaned and in need of immediate care,” said Bye. “We encourage anyone who would like to help save these animals to please attend the accredited WIRES Rescue and Immediate Care course to be held in Dubbo on Saturday 19 March.”

For more information on the accredited WIRES Rescue and Immediate Care Course on Saturday 19 March 2016 in South Dubbo please email [email protected].

ABOUT WIRES

WIRES is Australia’s largest wildlife rescue organisation. WIRES has been rescuing and caring for sick, injured and orphaned native animals for over 35 years with a mission to actively rehabilitate and preserve Australian wildlife and inspire others to do the same. WIRES’ Wildlife Rescue Office answers calls from the community 24/7, 365 days a year, providing rescue advice and assistance for over 130,000 animals annually. Connecting wildlife to real-time assistance, WIRES full-time mobile Wildlife Ambulances operate across New South Wales, South-East Queensland and Tasmania, and WIRES had over 3,500 volunteers assisting with wildlife rescue and care in NSW. WIRES is supporting thousands of wildlife carers across Australia through a diverse range of national programs. WIRES also collaborates nationally with strategic partners to support the long-term recovery of wildlife habitat and the long-term preservation of native species in the wild.

For more information on WIRES wildlife programs visit www.wires.org.au.

MEDIA CONTACTS

WIRES Media Officer: John Grant | 0416 272 153 | [email protected]

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