By KATRINA BRANDON
AUSTRALIA is known for its abundance of wildlife, but what do we do when they’re injured?
On February 2, wildlife crusader Libby Fisher, creator of Libby’s Koala and Wildlife Crusade, shared what to do with the Morwell Police Station, and donated 14 care kits.
When Libby was 11-years-old, she registered to create a not-for-profit charity.
Like many, Libby became inspired by the Irwin Family and the Australia Zoo in her love for animal safety and care.
Now, at 17-years-old, Libby gets together with her mum and creates kits for emergency services and people all around Australia.
Libby’s aim is to educate about and fill every Police and Country Fire Authority (CFA) station within the state with emergency kits and wildlife rescue. Each year, police have responded to 800 incidents involving wildlife within the Gippsland region.
Last June, Libby donated 13 kits to Traralgon CFA, who also attended on Friday, and 33 in total to other CFA stations in the area.
“Libby is really inspiring. She started this charity when she was 11, and I happened to come across Libby’s website after a job I went to where a kangaroo needed to be dispatched,” Morwell Polce Station’s Leading Senior Constable, Clare Stevens said.
“I did a pouch check, and it had a joey in the pouch, and I had no idea what to do. I put it in my beanie. I didn’t know if I could take it to a vet clinic, and then I saw that Libby on her website was donating rescue kits to CFA, and I thought it was perfect for Victoria Police.”
Within the rescue kits there are donated items such as a pillowcase, a pouch, scissors, gloves and a 12-step brochure on what to do if there is an incident.
Libby said, “Everything that is inside them is all donated materials from the members of the public, from the pouches to the scissors from nurses and sanitiser from local shops. It doesn’t cost us anything to make, and we normally just sell them to the members of the public, which the money then goes to other wildlife rescuers and carers around Australia.”
Each item in the bag has a crucial use if there is an incident. For example, the pouch is double-lined to help mimic a marsupial’s pouch so that if there is a joey in the pouch of a kangaroo, they can keep it warm or other animals found, even birds. The pouch keeps the joey warm and calm as it reminds them of their mother. If you don’t have a pouch, Libby suggests putting it down your shirt to share body warmth with it or in a towel or the pillowcase as vets and wildlife carers find many problems, such as when they get to them, they are potentially frozen.
Libby told the Latrobe Valley Express that sometimes it is needed to cut into the pouch to make sure that there isn’t anything in there. She said, “When you find a marsupial, they have been deceased on the side of the road, their bodies can be a little bit stiff, and their pouches can be a little bit harder to open to get in there, especially if they have little young ones in the bottom. You can cut down into the pouch. It’s a safe thing to do.”
“You just put your hand down the pouch, cut it so that you can get a better look. Sometimes, I have checked the pouches and have gone, nup, there’s nothing in there and cut it open, and there is actually a joey inside. With marsupials, sometimes they will still be attached to mum so you will have to cut them off. We basically just cut it as close to mum as possible because it fuses back into their face to feed.”
According to Libby, kangaroos tend to also mourn each other, so she recommended that if you come across one to ensure that it is completely off the road so that if others do come, that they will be safely off the road if someone comes by.
Libby also said to always make sure to call for assistance or advice if you are unsure what to do in an incident.
The number for wildlife rescue in Latrobe City is 03 8400 7300 and is available from 6.40am to 8.30pm.
Both the Morwell Police Unit and Traralgon CFA said that Libby’s actions are quite inspiring.
At the end of the presentation, Libby was presented with a certificate by Superintendent Tracie McDonald from Victoria Police who then ended the presentation by saying “Let’s pause for a moment there. That is a 17-year-old there, by the way”.
For more information on Libby’s Koala and Wildlife Cruisade, go to libbyskoala.org.au/about-lkwc.html and visit the Facebook page.
