LOCALS passionate about the wellbeing of wildlife in our community can broaden their knowledge and learn valuable skills by attending the Volunteer Wildlife Rescue and Transport Training session at the Hamilton Institute of Rural Learning (HIRL) on August 6.

Hosted by Wildlife Victoria, the training session will run from 9am-4pm and provide locals with the opportunity to learn rescue techniques for common species in our region.

The session will be run by Wildlife Victoria staff alongside local trained volunteer wildlife rescuers from Hamilton, Horsham, and Warrnambool, who have an in-depth knowledge of the region and the species that are predominately rescued.

Wildlife Victoria wildlife projects and species manager, Tamsyn Hogarth, said the training session would provide interested locals with the opportunity to network with other rescuers while also learning valuable skills.

“For any new rescuers wanting to be involved, we can help mentor them, and the session will help them have the network with other volunteers,” she said.

“Being there with local rescuers means you will get that extra experience.

“The session goes though the equipment that you need, safety, because obviously when you are checking animals you need to be aware of your safety and hygiene, animal behaviour in the basic species, how to transport animals, common injuries, and rescue techniques.”

Ms Hogarth said the session would focus on the species common to the south-west region.

“This session will be on the basic rescues like the birds, possums, and creatures that aren’t sort of dangerous,” she said. 

“A lot of the species around (the region) would need extra experience like raptors, but at the moment the training would be on possums and animals that were deceased that may have had young on board in their pouch that are still alive.

“We will also touch on koalas as they are everywhere in that region.”

Participants will receive a rescue pack containing a volunteer ID badge, volunteer rescue vest, rescue carrier, pouches, special gloves, scissors, and other items necessary to successfully complete a wildlife rescue.

The new volunteer wildlife rescuers will be alerted about animals in need, attend the site where they may need to contain the animal and speak with a member of the community, before assessing the animal and taking it to a vet or expert for treatment.

All new volunteers will have the training and equipment necessary to complete a rescue, as well as ongoing support from Wildlife Victoria, which Ms Hogarth said would help meet the high demand for animal rescues in the south-west area.

“If you are volunteering it will help with the load of animals that can come in by spreading the load,” she said.

“Current rescuers and carers that are trying to rescue have other animals in their care and sometimes they can’t take on more.

“We’re running (the session) in Hamilton to reach the whole region of the south-west, so we can help the region boost their number of rescuers.”

Bookings are essential for the session as there are limited slots available.

More information including session costs are available online at wildlifevictoria.org.au/rescue-transport-training-southwest