Community unites for annual Giving Day to provide a lifeline for Aussie wildlife in need
Australian native animals are facing multiple threats to their survival. Without urgent support, many species are not going to make it.
On Thursday 15 October WIRES is calling on our wildlife-loving community to help us sustain and grow our Wildlife Emergency Response Service, for the rising numbers of native animals that need our help.
Our urgent call comes in the wake of forecasted above-average temperatures, increased bushfire risk, disease outbreaks, and unsustainable habitat loss.*
For one day only, donations will be DOUBLED up to $110,000, thanks to our Matched Giving Partners including Woolworths, Gregg Foundation, PB Senn Family Trust, and Penn Foundation, who’ve pledged to match donations on the day to extend our vital lifeline for vulnerable wildlife.
Donations on the day will be used to keep our Wildlife Rescue Office open every day of the year, so we can continue providing a coordinated emergency response 24 hours a day.
Donations will also support our wildlife volunteers with expert training, supplementary wildlife food and specialist equipment and enclosures, so they can make sure thousands of injured, displaced and orphaned native animals get their second chance of life in the wild.
For vulnerable species like Olive and her joey; our frontline service - connecting emergency response, immediate care and long-term rehabilitation to release – is a vital safeguard they cannot do without.
When WIRES volunteer Tanya was called to rescue Olive after a serious car strike, she didn't think the young koala would survive. She had multiple broken bones in her face and blood in her lungs. She also had a tiny joey in her pouch.
Tanya transported them to urgent specialist vet care at Friends of the Koala hospital, where Olive underwent intensive surgery, including the necessary removal of her left eye.
After many, many months of Tanya's specialist care, these two healthy young koalas will soon be released, a vital contribution to the recovery of this now endangered species.
"Every day, WIRES responds to hundreds of native animals in distress. When you multiply that response over months, years, and decades, you begin to see what an extraordinary role the Wildlife Rescue sector plays in protecting Australian biodiversity. We’re giving vulnerable wildlife populations a chance to recover, and ultimately to survive into the future.”
Leanne Taylor, WIRES CEO
How does Wildlife Rescue help?
When an injured, malnourished or orphaned native animal is rescued, rehabilitated and returned to the wild, they can go on to reproduce, helping to maintain healthy populations and genetic diversity.
This is vitally important for threatened species, but it’s important to remember that all native animals play a vital role in safeguarding Australian biodiversity.
“These species we rescue and rehabilitate every day, they ARE the environment – and they play a critical role in protecting habitat for endangered species. They dig the holes, they spread the seeds and pollinate the gumtrees so there are food sources and habitat for endangered species.”
Dr Vere Nicholson: WIRES Wildlife Veterinarian
Every donation this Giving Day will help sustain our vital network of care - from the moment a native animal is rescued, through to its expert care and rehabilitation and ultimate release. Our work is complex, and the challenges that strike without warning, including more frequent and prolonged extreme weather, makes long-term support essential.
Our wildlife can’t prepare for deadly heat, bushfires, droughts and bushfires - but with your support we can continue to be their lifeline.
To donate this Giving Day please visit: https://www.wires.org.au/giving-day
* 81,000 hectares of native vegetation was cleared in NSW in 2024 - a 16% increase from 2023. (2024 NSW vegetation clearing report).