Donation Assists WIRES To Construct Animal Pre-Release Enclosures

February 11, 2000 Tumut & Adelong Times

Wombats and wallabies that have been orphaned or injured are set to reap the benefits of a recent donation by Visy Industries to the Snowy Mountains branch of WIRES, The local native wildlife rescue and care group.

Visy Group Public Affairs Manager, Mr Tony Gray, said Visy would be pleased to fund the cost of materials for both a wallaby pre-release enclosure and two wombat enclosures one of which will be a care enclosure and the other a pre-release facility.

WIRES chairperson, Mrs Janine Kovacs, welcomed the donation of $1500 from Visy, stating that WIRES has been in need of improved facilities for these marsupials for some time.

The enclosures would be erected using volunteer labour provided by members, and would allow the branch to provide first class care to native fauna requiring assistance. She said these enclosures would compliment WIRES members' existing facilities, such as the recently erected kangaroo pre-release enclosure, the raptor flight aviary, and other aviaries and enclosures.

WIRES has had several successful releases recently. Two Australian Kestrels have been reared from chicks by Mrs Kovacs and liberated into bushland near Batlow. Six Eastern Grey kangaroos were released into Kosciuszko National Park last spring and 11 more are currently in care.

Members also have in care a walleroo, wallaby and several wombats, plus other marsupials such as ringtail and brushtail possums and a number of birds.

The care group also held a training course recently, in which eight new members became licensed to care for native fauna. These people will join the dedicated band of carers already licensed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

WIRES reminds readers that the rescue phone number has changed and they can now be contacted on 02 6949 5999.

The website is updated regularly, and contains information on dealing with problems regarding native fauna, latest projects and photos of animals, birds and reptiles in care.