Telltale signs you're a wildlife vet...
Sometimes our patients really like to tell us what they think of us. There is no such thing as glamour in wildlife medicine but boy is it reward#wildlifevetf#wildliferehabilitationa#wildliferehabr#wildlifehealthe#wildlifemedicinei#wildlifehospitalp#siwh##southislandwildlifehospitalpital ... See MoreSee Less

This is perhaps not a sight that many people get to see: a pied shag nestling. It suffered a fall and wouldn't have survived without intervention. It was transported from Kaikōura following initial stabilisation thrProject WellBird - Kaikōura Wildlife Hospitalpital. As with the other baby birds we've been caring for, this kāruhiruhi needs regular feeding for growth. This involves a bit of dress-up so that it doesn't associate humans w#babybird #shag##piedshag##bird##birdsofaotearoab#nzbirdst#springn#wildlifep#wildliferehabilitatione#wildliferehab #wildlifehospitali#siwhe#southislandwildlifehospitalildlifehospital ... See MoreSee Less

They might be small in the scale of predators but check out those talons on this little owl. Between their feet and their beak, they can make light work of rodents, lizards and the odd small bird.
Although introduced, ruru nohinohi have become naturalised in the South Island, occupying their own ecological niche. This means they are not deemed as a threat to Aotearoa's endemic manu species.
Little owl are a favourite patient for many of our volunteers and these little birds of prey pop up in our care often. Lately we've had a few through our doors with head trauma, assumed due to objec#owlr#littleowl##birde#birdofpreyb#nzbirdsy#birdsofaotearoao#wildliferehabilitationb#wildliferehabd#wildlifehospitalf#wildlife #siwhl#southislandwildlifehospitalfehospital ... See MoreSee Less

We received this tarāpunga from Project WellBird - Kaikōura Wildlife Hospital a week ago for management of a beak injury. Arriving with a painful crusty lesion on its upper bill, it has responded well to treatment. Now, with the last of the scab shed, it is just days away from release back to the wild.
Red billed gulls, and gulls in general, often get a bad rap. They may appear to be everywhere, and are often thought of as pests by many. However, these charismatic birds are in decline just like many of our bird species. We typically receive these birds with injuries related to fishing tackle and eating piping hot food, a problem believed to occur from stealing or being fed hot chips.
#bird #tarāpunga #redbilledgull #Gull #birdsofaotearoa #nzbirds #wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehab #wildlifehospital #wildlife #Conservation #siwh #southislandwildlifehospital ... See MoreSee Less

Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation involves making some tough decisions. This can be especially true when time, effort and resources have already been put in to a patient. Wildlife are neither pets nor domesticated. Being around humans and being handled by them is stressful. Our focus is to get them healthy enough for a wild existence. As such, we have to weigh-up the interactions required for their care against the end goal of release.
We regularly receive kererū due to window strike but this poor bird collided with a vehicle. Initial assessments revealed a wing injury and within days a crop wound appeared and surgery was required. As treatment progressed, it became clear that the wing injury was worse than initially suspected and it was deemed not fit for release. Sadly, humane euthanasia was required due to compromised welfare. Decisions like these are always made with the individual's welfare in m#welfarel#animalwelfarel#wildlifed#wildliferehabilitationa#wildliferehabr#wildlifehospitalp#wildlifed#kererue#kererūe#bird##birdsofaotearoae#nzbirdsb#siwh##southislandwildlifehospitalpital ... See MoreSee Less

Our four eldest pohowera chicks have moved on from the hospital to an external facility where they have space to get some flight strengthening and have reduced human contact. This will be the final stage before release to the wild. We still have three younger banded dotterels to raise as well as another egg incubating.
Between the banded dotterels and the oystercatcher, we've gone through a large quantity of insects, meat and supplements to recreate a nutritionally appropriate diet during the growth phase. As a charity, we rely solely on received donations, grants and sponsorship to fund this care. At a time when the cost of living is rising, so too are our expenses. If you, or your business can help finance our work, and our goal of a larger, purpose-built facility, please visit wildlifehospital.co.nz/help-us/#gif#charitya#birdsb#nzbirdsb#birdsofaotearoae#pohowerao#bandeddotterelt#chicksh#wildliferehabilitationa#wildliferehabr#wildlifehospitalp#wildlifed#siwh##southislandwildlifehospitalpital ... See MoreSee Less

There's no doubt it's baby bird season with all the eggs, nestlings, fledglings, and ducklings that have come through our door this past month.
This tauhou nestling was snatched by a cat before being rescued. Cat attacks increase around this time as both domestic and feral cats take advantage of the easy targets of baby birds that can't escape. Aside from the initial trauma of the bite, cat bites drive bacteria deep into the body. If birds survive the initial attack, they often succumb to their injuries within hours or days as infection takes hold. Unfortunately this little silvereye did not recover, despite receiving medical and nutritional support at the hospital. Although there is less legislation around wandering cats compared to wandering dogs, you can reduce your cat's impact on wildlife by keeping it indoors, or restricting outdoor access such as building a catio, or harness train#nestling #babybird
#TauHoun#silvereyed#birdh#birdsofaotearoai#nzbirdss#springr#wildlifed#wildliferehabd#wildliferehabilitationl#wildlifehospitalo#siwhl#southislandwildlifehospitallandwildlifehospital ... See MoreSee Less

We currently have 8 chicks being reared at the hospital and this oystercatcher is one of them. After days of resembling a ball of fluff on stilts it is finally starting to look like an oystercatcher.
#oystercatcher #chick #bird #birdsofaotearoa #nzbirds #wildlife #wildliferehab #wildliferehabilitation #wildlifehospital #siwh #southislandwildlifehospital ... See MoreSee Less