🐦 Volunteer opportunity

We're currently looking for committed volunteers to join our Wildlife Hospital team.

This is a physical, hands-on role that would suit someone who is proactive, flexible, and has an interest in New Zealand's native wildlife. Preference will be given to applicants with prior bird handling experience and/or experience working in a clinical or veterinary setting.

Volunteers must be able to commit to one shift per week for a minimum of six months.

To express your interest, please email volunteering@wildlifehospital.co.nz by 5:00pm on 20 June. Successful applicants will be invited to attend an induction the following weekend.

Join us in making a difference for native wildlife—we'd love to hear from you! ... See MoreSee Less

Last month, we received a white-faced heron that had gotten entangled in fishing nylon. Human-related rubbish is one of many environmental pollutants that impact our wildlife. In this instance, the nylon had caused a cut and bruising to the leg of the matuku moana which was able to heal, allowing for a successful recovery and release a few weeks later.
Not all entanglements end so well - wildlife of all taxa are at risk of limb loss, gaping wounds, or life loss from getting caught up in rubbish of various materials. As frustrating as littering is, it is not always deliberate. Picking up litter, and especially fishing gear can be an important aid in prevention of injury.
#whitefacedheron #matukumoana #nzbirds #wildlifehospital #southislandwildlifehospital ... See MoreSee Less

Could you help man our phone line? We are looking for a volunteer phone coordinator to share the load of answering the hospital phone. This is a remote (off-site) position. Our phoneline is the first port of call for people reporting found injured wildlife. Full job description in comments. Email volunteering@wildlifehospital.co.nz to express an interest.
#volunteering #charity #wildlifehealth #wildlifehospital #southislandwildlifehospital ... See MoreSee Less

One of our vets is giving a talk this Sunday 7th about the work of the hospital. Free to attend, come along to the Mt Pleasant Community Centre for 10.30am.
#charity #wildliferehabilitation #wildlifehospital #wildlifehealth #southislandwildlifehospital ... See MoreSee Less

The good people of Hot Water Shop Christchurch will be donating $10 to the hospital for every environmentally friendly heat pump system they install.Our friends at Gree New Zealand donate $10 to Birdcare Aotearoa each time they sell a WHIO heat pump system. The whio is the native duck on our $10 bill!

So, we've decided to match this by donating $10 to South Island Wildlife Hospital with every environmentally-friendly heat pump system we install! The SIWH do great work here in Canterbury! ... See MoreSee Less

Ruru or Chewbacca? 🤔
This Morepork arrived at the hospital in April with injuries to their eyes and cloaca. The cloaca is the bird equivalent of the anus, although it is really a combined opening that serves the genital tract and the digestive tract.
It is not clear how the bird came to be injured but they were found at the side of the road, so being hit by a car is a possibility. Although initially there was great concern for the ruru's vision, after 6 weeks of care, the morepork was confirmed to be able to hunt and fly well. The manu was able to be released back into the wild at the week#Ruru##moreporke#birdsofaotearoae#wildlifehospitalp#southislandwildlifehospitalpital ... See MoreSee Less

Thanks to supporters like Forest & Bird - North Canterbury we have been able to take care of multiple kea that have presented over the last few months with the effects of lead poisoning. Kea are intelligent birds that love to explore novel items in their environment. For birds, this often involves eating things they shouldn't.
Despite a ban on lead in many commercial products, historic sources such as paints and fixtures still exist in the backcountry. Thanks to the efforts of organisations such as Kea Conservation Trust , Backcountry Trust Aotearoa/New Zealand , and Department of Conservation , environmental lead is being targeted to help keep these charismatic birds safe.
Our patients may undergo several procedures to help us diagnose their illness, such as blood tests and x-rays. The latter requires an anaesthetic to allow positioning which in this case, shows off the beautiful green and orange colour combo that this species is famous for.
#kea #birdsofaotearoa #wildlifehospital #wildlifehealth #southislandwildlifehospital ... See MoreSee Less