Driver Awareness 

Unfortunately, land clearing, habitat fragmentation, and poor planning have made roads one of the biggest threats to our wildlife. We know driving is a part of daily life so here are some key things to remember on the road:

• Please drive with caution on both regional and urban roads where native animals may be present. It is especially important to be vigilant and very aware in the early mornings, late afternoons and through the night when many native animals are out and about.
• In winter when there are less hours of daylight many of us travel more in the low light times of dusk and dawn which is when many native animals are most active.
• If you do accidentally hit any animal please stop whenever it is safe to do so and immediately call WIRES 1300 094 737 or a nearby vet for help. Always approach any animal with care as injured animals will be very scared and may lash out.
• WIRES may instruct you how to do a "pouch-check" - if the mother is deceased it is possible a joey could be in the pouch and can survive. If you do find a young animal in a pouch it will need to be kept warm and quiet so if you have a box and maybe blanket or spare clothing this will be invaluable in saving a life. Remember echidnas and wombats also may have pouch young and collisions can result in very young animals being 'thrown' from the pouch so it is important to check the surrounding area as well as the pouch.
• Very small pouch young who are still on the teat should not be removed so please call WIRES 1300 094 737 for further advice and guidance.
• Dead animals can attract scavenger animals towards the road to feed and increase the chances of more collisions. You can reduce this risk where it is safe to do so, by moving the dead animal even a few metres away from the road.
• It can sometimes be difficult or unsafe in some circumstances for cars to stop and for drivers to check pouches themselves. WIRES volunteers can check the animals if we are notified, so please put our rescue number in your phone 1300 094 737.