Australian Wildlife Conservation
Ecological Services Unit -
The link between wildlife, local government and business.
Currently in Queensland, and most other states in Australia, loopholes in the law allow the clearing of land with little regard for the consequences to wildlife. Many wild animals are killed or injured when bulldozers clear vegetation and, sadly, most are never found or rescued for veterinary treatment and care.
Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors is helping to make our co-existence with wildlife a little easier by establishing an Ecological Services Unit (ESU).
The ESU makes a real difference to conserving our wonderful Australian wildlife by working with government agencies and developers to identify wildlife threatened by development and then, together, finding solutions to protect them. Whilst based on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, the ESU works on projects nation-wide.
The ESU comprises an Ecologist, Senior Veterinarian and experienced and appropriately licensed spotter/catchers. Its core functions are:
Wildlife management (including translocation and radio tracking projects);- The provision of wildlife veterinarian services; and
- The provision of comprehensive flora and fauna surveys
The ESU adheres to a formal Code of Practice that it has developed to appropriately manage animals affected by land clearing. It is hoped that, ultimately, this Code will set an industry benchmark in Australia and may be replicated around the world.
The ESU's spotter/catcher role begins with a preliminary evaluation and assessment of wildlife existing in an area earmarked for land clearing. Once they have been given the green light, the team then begins working on site.
As highly skilled spotter/catchers, they will inspect trees and evacuate wildlife safely prior to tree felling, set traps to safely capture those animals that live underground in burrows before machines start digging - and even walk ahead of bulldozers to assist the safe removal of unsuspecting wildlife from its path.
