Walk on the Wild Side this April to rescue and protect Aussie wildlife in urgent need!

Now in its second year, Walk on the Wild Side is a fun challenge that invites participants to walk either 50km,100km, or 150km throughout the month of April in support of Australian wildlife.

Participants choose the level that’s right for them and ask their friends and family to sponsor their challenge.

All funds raised will go towards supporting WIRES wildlife emergency response service, providing rescue and care for thousands of injured, orphaned and sick native animals every month.

This free event is a great opportunity for people to increase their health and fitness, whilst actively helping to protect vulnerable Aussie wildlife.

How to Walk on the Wild Side this April

Participants are encouraged to sign up www.walkonthewildside.org.au as soon as possible, so they’re equipped and ready to start logging their kilometres on Wednesday 01 April 2026, when the challenge begins. 

Participants choose either the WILD challenge of 50km, the WILDER challenge of 100km or the WILDEST challenge of walking 150km throughout the month of April!

Supporting vulnerable native animals

After creating their personal Walk on the Wild Side page, participants are encouraged to share their page with their community, family and friends to help raise vital funds to provide emergency rescue and care for some of Australia’s most vulnerable wildlife.

Even before deadly heatwaves struck in January, WIRES rescue teams were dealing with huge numbers of displaced, orphaned and injured native animals. Almost every year their Wildlife Rescue Office receives around 10% more calls than the year before; the tragic repercussions of habitat loss, increased traffic, predators, disease – and now catastrophic weather events often unprecedented in their severity and scale.

Funds raised from the challenge will help sustain and grow WIRES wildlife emergency response service so they can provide urgent aid to the growing numbers of native animals who need their rescue and care.

Specifically, it will help keep WIRES Wildlife Rescue Office open 24/7, resource their growing fleet of Wildlife Ambulances and Emergency Responders across NSW and in Queensland and Tasmania, and support thousands of WIRES volunteers as they provide expert care to rescued native animals.

Free, flexible and fun!

Walk on the Wild Side has been created to be flexible, allowing participants to complete their distances whenever it suits them, throughout the month of April.

It is also fun, with a range of unique virtual badges which will light up on a participant’s page as they reach their fitness and fundraising goals.

For example, $30 awards you a Possum Protector virtual badge, whilst $240makes you a Lizard Legend.

Thanks to some of WIRES Corporate Partners, unique, wildlife-friendly prize incentives will be offered to fundraisers throughout the campaign.

If you’d like to join a community as passionate about protecting wildlife as you are, please sign up on www.walkonthewildside.org.au

Together we will make a life-saving difference for Aussie wildlife in need!

For all Walk on the Wild Side Fundraising general enquires email Linda at fundraising@wires.org.au. For Media enquires contact John Grant, WIRES spokesperson at Media@wires.org.au.

A small selection of the badges that light up a participant's page once fitness and fundraising goals are reached. 

All funds raised will help WIRES provide lifesaving rescue and care for native animals in need.