On 8 October 2025 Wildlife Victoria’s emergency response call centre experienced the highest number of calls in our 36-year history, receiving and triaging 1040 calls for wildlife support in a single day. Wildlife Victoria is now receiving more than 180,000 emergency calls per year of which we are expecting approximately 70,000 calls over this summer ...
Wildlife Victoria
Victorian Wildlife Summer Emergency Uplift Support
GOAL
$120,406
Australia > VIC > Metro and Regional
Field of Interest
- Education/training and employment
- Environment conservation and climate change
Target Population
- Flora / fauna
- General population
Wildlife Victoria
Many of Australia’s unique native wildlife are found nowhere else on Earth, yet habitat destruction, climate change, urban expansion, land cultivation and increased road traffic are pushing many species to the brink.
Wildlife Victoria is Victoria’s largest and only statewide, Australian wildlife rescue charity, operating since 1989.
Our mission is to help and protect wildlife through rescue, treatment, rehabilitation and release back into the wild, as well as advocating for our unique native wildlife. We do this by responding to community reports of distressed wildlife across Victoria and facilitating the care needed.
Our key priorities include:
• Emergency wildlife rescue operations
o A 24/7 service, taking over 180,000 calls a year to assist more than 97,000 animals across more than 450 species
• In-field Wildlife Travelling Veterinary Service
o Providing a vital, free service to our volunteer rescuers and carers, to help rescue, assess and treat sick and injured wildlife in the field
and in care
• Training and support for our volunteer network
o Recruit and train a network of 1,400+ trained wildlife rescue volunteers across communities in Victoria, who are critical to our infield
rescue operations
o Manage and support these volunteers to enable them to safely provide rapid rescue and support to our native wildlife
• Education and advocacy work to protect wildlife
Project Summary
On 8 October 2025 Wildlife Victoria’s emergency response call centre experienced the highest number of calls in our 36-year history, receiving and triaging 1040 calls for wildlife support in a single day.
Wildlife Victoria is now receiving more than 180,000 emergency calls per year of which we are expecting approximately 70,000 calls over this summer alone. Based on Wildlife Victoria’s current call trends, the surge in emergency calls we are expecting for distressed wildlife over this coming summer will see our busiest season since the Black Summer bushfires.
Summer is a season impacted by extreme weather events including heatwaves, drought, wild winds and bushfires. In addition, holiday traffic presents greater risks for wildlife road trauma, and urbanisation and habitat loss are impacting species when seeking food, water and shelter. These create significant challenges for our wildlife’s survival.
This critical service relies heavily on public support for over 90% of our funding. Any gift we receive will make the world of difference. Australia’s unique and precious wildlife need your help more than ever this summer.
Project Outcomes
Wildlife Victoria’s aim is to ensure that no injured native animal goes without getting the emergency support they need this summer.
An increase in summer call centre staffing will enable:
– Fast wildlife emergency call response rates, resulting in less members of the public being left on hold while in a distressed state and less animals left suffering.
– Every caller receiving the support and advice they need and every native animal receiving the rescue and veterinary care they require.
– Ensure our highly trained staff can continue to sensitively manage calls from distressed members of the public in need.
– A comprehensive Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for all our staff and rescue volunteers to support mental health and wellbeing.
– Logging important data from every call, enabling a sophisticated data set regarding species and location-specific threats to our native wildlife.
– Use the findings from this data to support and advocate for improvements such as road safety measures, wildlife friendly urban planning and initiatives to support Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered and Critically Endangered species.
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $320,819
FUNDING
| Funding source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Wildlife Victoria | $200,413 |
EXPENSES
| Expense item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Emergency call centre staff | $320,819 |
Support Wildlife Victoria
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