As they say, it takes a village to raise a child. In many ways, the same can be said for wildlife rescue. Across Tasmania, injured and orphaned native animals depend on a community of wildlife rescuers, carers, vets and organisations working together to give them the best possible chance of recovery.

Some organisations coordinate rescues and provide emergency treatment, while others specialise in rehabilitation, ongoing care, conservation or supporting the people who care for wildlife. Their work takes place in wildlife hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, sanctuaries and private homes, often relying heavily on volunteers and community support.

Tasmania’s wildlife rescue community includes established organisations with specialist facilities, smaller volunteer groups and independent carers working throughout the state. Each has a different role, but all contribute to the care and protection of native wildlife. The organisations featured here represent some of the people and services involved in that work.

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

Located at Brighton, north of Hobart, Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary plays a major role in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation across Tasmania. The sanctuary provides care for injured, orphaned and displaced native animals, with an emphasis on recovery and returning wildlife to its natural environment wherever possible.

Bonorong operates Tasmania’s largest 24-hour wildlife rescue service, supported by a statewide network of trained volunteer rescuers and wildlife carers. Members of the public can report injured or orphaned animals through its rescue hotline, allowing assistance to be coordinated across different parts of the state. The service responds to thousands of animals each year and relies heavily on the time and commitment of volunteers.

Alongside its rescue and rehabilitation work, Bonorong provides wildlife hospital services, conservation programs and public education. The sanctuary also offers free wildlife rescue training for community members interested in becoming volunteer rescuers. Revenue from sanctuary admission helps fund its wildlife rescue activities, connecting its visitor operations with the care of native animals.

Tasmania Wildlife Hospital

Tasmania Wildlife Hospital was established in early 2023 to improve access to professional medical care for injured and sick native wildlife. Founded by Forth Valley Vet Clinic, the registered charity operates at Turners Beach on Tasmania’s North West Coast, providing assessment, treatment and critical care for animals requiring medical attention.

The hospital operates in close partnership with Forth Valley Vet Clinic, using its facilities, equipment and staff to support the treatment of wildlife. A team of vets, vet nurses, wildlife carers and other volunteers contributes to the hospital’s work, providing care for animals affected by injury, illness and other circumstances requiring medical attention.

An important part of the hospital’s role is supporting the wider wildlife rehabilitation community. It provides ongoing treatment and professional advice to wildlife carers and rescue groups across the region at no charge, helping volunteers access the medical expertise needed to care for animals with injuries or more complex health requirements.

Tasmania Wildlife Hospital is also working towards expanding its treatment and rehabilitation capacity, with longer term plans involving wildlife education and research. Its work helps address the challenges faced by wildlife carers in regional Tasmania, where access to specialised treatment and professional support can be limited.

Raptor Care North West

Birds of prey face a range of threats across Tasmania, from collisions with vehicles and powerlines to injuries and illness that leave them unable to survive in the wild. Raptor Care North West specialises in assisting these birds, providing care for injured and sick raptors while working to reduce the dangers they encounter in their natural environment.

Operating from Wynyard on Tasmania’s North West Coast, the organisation works with species such as wedge-tailed eagles, peregrine falcons, goshawks, harriers and owls. Volunteers assist with transporting injured birds and providing temporary care, helping ensure animals can receive appropriate attention when they are found in distress.

Raptor Care North West also works with businesses and government agencies on measures to protect Tasmania’s birds of prey. This includes cooperation with TasNetworks to reduce the risk of electrocution on powerlines, efforts to protect eagle nesting sites during the breeding season and raising awareness of the impact of roadkill on raptor populations.

Community education and advocacy form another part of its work, particularly around the behaviour, habitat and conservation needs of native birds of prey. Through these activities, Raptor Care North West contributes to both the immediate care of injured raptors and efforts to address the threats affecting them in the wild.

Raptor Refuge

What began as a wildlife rehabilitation project on a property near Kettering has developed into one of Tasmania’s specialist facilities for injured birds of prey. Raptor Refuge was established by Craig Webb, a former vet nurse who began caring for native wildlife after returning to Tasmania from working in the Kimberley. As increasing numbers of injured raptors came into care, the property was progressively developed to accommodate their particular rehabilitation needs.

The refuge specialises in the rescue, treatment and rehabilitation of Tasmanian birds of prey, particularly wedge-tailed eagles and white-bellied sea eagles, as well as owls, falcons and other raptors. Some birds require extended periods of care before they can safely return to the wild, particularly when recovering from serious injuries that affect their ability to fly or hunt.

Among its facilities are three large flight aviaries designed to help recovering birds rebuild their strength and flying ability. The refuge also has additional aviaries for housing and quarantine, along with a purpose-built medical wing opened in February 2026. These facilities allow birds to receive treatment and progress through rehabilitation while their fitness and readiness for release are assessed.

Public education is another part of Raptor Refuge’s work. Its education centre, school programs and guided experiences introduce visitors to Tasmania’s birds of prey and the threats affecting their survival. The organisation operates as a not-for-profit, with donations, memberships and visitor activities helping support its rehabilitation and conservation work.

Wildcare Tasmania

Wildcare Tasmania brings together volunteers and supporters who contribute to the protection of the state’s wildlife, natural environments and cultural heritage. Its network includes almost 60 volunteer groups working across Tasmania, with activities ranging from habitat restoration and threatened species conservation to wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.

Many Wildcare groups focus on caring for Tasmania’s natural places through weed removal, revegetation, environmental monitoring and the protection of important habitats. Volunteers work alongside government agencies, councils and landowners, providing practical assistance with conservation projects that benefit native wildlife and the environments they depend on.

Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation also form part of the network’s activities. Specialist groups, including Wildcare Wildlife Rescue and Rehab and Wildcare Roaring Beach Wildlife Rescue, assist native animals in their respective regions. Their work provides a connection between Wildcare’s broader conservation activities and the direct care of injured and orphaned wildlife.

Through its volunteer groups, membership and fundraising activities, Wildcare Tasmania provides opportunities for community members to contribute to conservation and wildlife care. Its work demonstrates the range of practical activities involved in protecting native wildlife, from responding to individual animals in distress to maintaining and restoring the habitats they need to survive.

Animal Rescue Cooperative Tasmania

Providing care for injured and orphaned wildlife requires a considerable amount of equipment and supplies, much of which is purchased by volunteer carers themselves. Animal Rescue Cooperative (ARC) helps address this need by connecting rescuers and carers with donated food, medical supplies, bedding and other essential items.

ARC Tasmania was established in 2019 as one of the cooperative’s first regional hubs. Run by volunteers, the Hobart hub supports wildlife carers, animal rescue groups, shelters and sanctuaries throughout Tasmania. Its work involves collecting and distributing supplies sourced locally and from mainland Australia, helping organisations and individual carers access resources for animals in their care.

Handmade wildlife supplies are another important part of ARC’s work. Through its Craft Guild and network of volunteers, the cooperative coordinates the production of items such as fabric pouches and pouch liners for orphaned marsupials. The Tasmanian hub has also contributed to emergency responses during bushfires, floods and other events when animal rescue groups require additional support.

Although ARC does not primarily provide wildlife rescue or rehabilitation services itself, its practical assistance supports the people and organisations undertaking that work. By coordinating donations, supplies and volunteer contributions, ARC helps reduce some of the financial and logistical pressures associated with caring for native wildlife.

Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary

For more than four decades, Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary has been involved in the care, rehabilitation and conservation of Tasmania’s native wildlife. Established in 1979 at Mole Creek, the family-owned sanctuary has developed into a facility supporting injured and orphaned animals, threatened species conservation programs and public education.

Wildlife rehabilitation has remained an important part of Trowunna’s work since its establishment. Injured and orphaned animals receive care with the aim of returning them to the wild wherever possible. Some require a gradual release process to rebuild their fitness and natural behaviours, while animals that cannot safely return to their natural environment may remain at the sanctuary under ongoing care.

Trowunna also participates in conservation breeding programs for threatened native species, including the Tasmanian devil. These programs contribute to maintaining conservation populations and supporting broader efforts to protect species facing threats in the wild. The sanctuary’s 70 acres of grassland, bushland and established forest provide natural surroundings for wildlife, with opportunities for animals to forage, shelter and exhibit normal behaviours.

Education has been part of Trowunna’s approach to conservation since its early years. Through guided tours, wildlife encounters and educational programs, visitors can learn about Tasmania’s native animals, their behaviour and the challenges affecting their survival. The sanctuary’s visitor activities also help support its ongoing wildlife care and conservation work.

Wildlife Network Tasmania

Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation in Tasmania has long depended on individuals and organisations working with limited resources and varying levels of support. Wildlife Network Tasmania was established in response to calls from within the sector for a central body to improve coordination, strengthen professional standards and support the people caring for injured and orphaned native animals.

Led by a volunteer board, the organisation works to improve connections between wildlife carers, rescue groups and other organisations involved in rehabilitation. Its focus includes developing training opportunities, improving access to resources and helping build the skills and capacity needed to provide appropriate care for native wildlife.

Advocacy is another important part of Wildlife Network Tasmania’s work. The organisation raises awareness of the challenges facing wildlife rehabilitators and the need for greater investment in training, coordination and practical support. Its 2026–27 Tasmanian Budget Submission identified priorities for strengthening the rehabilitation sector and improving the resources available to volunteers.

Rather than operating primarily as a rescue service or rehabilitation facility, Wildlife Network Tasmania works to strengthen the wider network supporting wildlife care across the state. Its activities recognise that effective rehabilitation depends not only on the knowledge and commitment of individual carers, but also on access to training, professional support and cooperation throughout the sector.

Independent Wildlife Carers

Beyond Tasmania’s established wildlife rescue organisations are many independent carers who provide rehabilitation and ongoing care for injured and orphaned native animals. Much of this work takes place in private homes, where authorised carers maintain specialised facilities and provide the daily attention required by animals recovering from injury or growing towards independence.

Wildlife caring can involve considerable personal commitment. Orphaned joeys may require regular feeding throughout the day and night, while injured animals need monitoring, suitable housing and ongoing assessment of their recovery. Carers often meet the costs of food, equipment, heating, transport and other supplies themselves, balancing these responsibilities with employment, family and everyday life.

Although many carers work independently, they remain part of a wider network of rescuers, vets and rehabilitation organisations. Animals may be transferred between carers with different experience or facilities, particularly when specialised treatment or longer term rehabilitation is required. These connections help ensure that wildlife receives care appropriate to its species, condition and stage of recovery.

The contribution of independent wildlife carers is not always visible to the wider community, but their work remains an essential part of wildlife rescue across Tasmania. Their knowledge, time and commitment support the recovery of native animals that might otherwise have little chance of returning to the wild.

Finding Wildlife Rescue Assistance

The organisations and individuals involved in wildlife rescue across Tasmania provide different services, and not all are equipped to respond directly to requests from the public. Some specialise in particular species, while others focus on rehabilitation, medical treatment, conservation or supporting wildlife carers. Contacting an established wildlife rescue service is generally the best starting point when an injured or orphaned animal needs assistance.

Bonorong Wildlife Rescue operates a 24-hour rescue service across Tasmania, coordinating assistance through its network of volunteer rescuers and wildlife carers. Members of the public can report injured, sick or orphaned native animals by calling 0447 264 625 and receive advice about the appropriate next steps.

For further guidance on responding safely to an animal in distress, including when to intervene and how to avoid causing additional harm, see our What to Do If You Find Injured or Orphaned Wildlife resource.

---

The organisations featured on this page are included for information purposes. Wild Island is not formally affiliated with these organisations, although we have worked alongside some of them in the past. Their inclusion does not imply a formal partnership or endorsement.

If you represent a Tasmanian wildlife rescue, rehabilitation or support organisation that you believe should be included, please get in touch through our contact page. We welcome suggestions for additional services that may be relevant to this resource.

Cover Image by Paris Buttfield-Addison / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0.