Media release 15 February 2018
Two Kimberley veterinary clinics have joined a national program to help track the health of Australia’s wildlife.
Broome Veterinary Hospital and Kimberley Vet Centre, based in Kununurra, are the primary providers of veterinary services for wild animals across a region the size of Victoria.
The two clinics have treated a range of wild animals including king brown snakes, wedge-tailed eagles, pythons, wallabies, bats, echidnas, turtles, and even a 500-kilogram salt water crocodile.
Wildlife Health Australia CEO Dr Rupert Woods said Broome Veterinary Hospital and Kimberley Vet Centre are the first Western Australian private veterinary clinics to join the national sentinel clinic surveillance program.
Dr Woods explained the data collected through the program will be used to better understand disease threats to livestock, human health and biodiversity.
“The addition of these sentinel clinics adds to the big picture of wildlife health. The clinics will help to enhance existing surveillance programs in northern Western Australia. The information these private clinics feed through to us will complement what is already being collected through the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy (NAQS), the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), the WA Wildlife Health Reference Group (WAWHRG) and other networks including wildlife carers,” Dr Woods said.
Dr Cass Wittwer, of NAQS, with a frilled lizard
Dr Sarah Brett of Kimberley Vet Centre said in 26 years of working as a vet in the region, she had been “incredibly privileged” to treat some magnificent creatures.
“But with cats, cane toads and fire, I’m seeing a lot less wildlife cases coming in, because there is less wildlife out there. I’m passionate about protecting wildlife,” she said.
Like Broome Veterinary Hospital, Kimberley Vet Centre does not charge for treating wildlife.
The Kimberley clinics join six others in the program, across Australia. The sentinel clinic program is one of a number of national wildlife surveillance activities that are coordinated by Wildlife Health Australia and help support Australia’s broader biosecurity system.
Dr Sarah Brett, of Kimberley Vet Centre, with a freshwater crocodile
How is Australia impacted by the recent increased incidence of Avian Influenza Virus (AIV) in the Northern Hemisphere? - 24 February 2021
First ever National Guidelines for Managing Wildlife Disease in Australia - Dec 2020
Bushfire emergencies now impacting one billion Australian native animals - 10 Jan 2020
How you can support wildlife during the bushfire emergency - 7 Jan 2020<
Protecting Australia's most endangered microbat on Threatened Species Day - Sep 2019
Wildlife cases pose challenge for Australia’s veterinarians - VIN News Service - Mar 2019
New resource helping wildlife workers to combat disease - Nov 2018
Protecting Australian bats earns national award - Mar 2018
Kimberley covered for wildlife health - 15 Feb 2018
Tassie vet clinics join national program for wildlife health - 19 Jun 2017
National training highlights wildlife disease risks - 31 Mar 2017
Far North Queensland vet clinic joins national program for wildlife health - 2 Jun 2016
Universities help with wildlife health - 19 Jan 2016
Keeping an eye on avian influenza in wild Aussie birds - 31 Jul 2015
Information on ongoing and historic wildlife disease events. To read previously published WHA quarterly updates and newsletters, click here >>.