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Volunteers keep Phillip Island wildlife safe and sound
As a not-for-profit environmental management agency, Phillip Island Nature Parks relies on the support of a dedicated group of volunteers to help maintain much of the remnant vegetation on Phillip Island and assist with programmes to study and protect Little Penguins, Hooded Plovers and Short-tailed Shearwaters.
The Phillip Island Wildlife Hospital cares for over 500 sick and injured native animals from Phillip Island each year.
Due to increasing demand on the hospital services a wildlife rescue and transport volunteer group was established by local residents in October 2007.
The volunteers ensure that an out of hour’s service is available to collect injured native animals and transport them to the vet or Phillip Island Wildlife Hospital.
“The professionalism and experience of our staff, local vets and volunteers is pivotal to the ongoing treatment of injured wildlife on Phillip Island.
“To date, the largest number of oiled birds treated was over 430 in 2001- 2002 with an astounding ninety-five percent of these being returned to the ocean” said environment ranger, Jarvis Weston.
The Park also has volunteer programmes involving revegetation and weed control which are targeted towards students at tertiary level and run for a two week period.
Other volunteer groups on Phillip Island include Coast Action Groups, Friends of the Koalas, Friends of Churchill Island and Penguin Study Group.
Volunteer assistance is essential to the management of the Nature Parks due to no recurrent state or federal Government funding.
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Cowes
- Situated on the northern side of Phillip Island, Cowes is the main town on the island. The popular resort town is 15km from the bridge linking the island to the mainland.
