How we Help

How we care for wildlife from rescue to release

Each year, thousands of wild animals become orphaned, injured, ill, or displaced due to urban development, habitat loss, and human impact. At Friends of Free Wildlife, we provide a temporary refuge for compromised indigenous birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. Our dedicated team offers specialised treatment, care, and rehabilitation with the ultimate goal of releasing every animal back into its natural environment.

Since opening our doors in December 2016, we have admitted close to 30,000 cases—and currently care for an average of 3,500 animals each year of which 90% are birds – our bird species list currently stands at 194.

 1. Rescue or Admission

  • Injured, orphaned, or displaced wild animals are brought to our centre by members of the public, vets, and other rehabilitation organisations.
  • Alternatively, should manpower allow, a rescue team may respond to calls to collect animals in distress.

2. Initial Assessment

  • Upon arrival, each animal undergoes a quick visual check to determine the urgency of care.
  • Critical cases are stabilised immediately with fluids, warmth, or emergency treatment.

3. Detailed Examination

  • Once the animal has been given time to decompress, a thorough physical exam is conducted by our trained staff. 
  • We assess for injuries, illness, dehydration, parasites, or signs of human interference.
  • If deemed necessary the animal will be taken to our supporting veterinarians for further examination, X-Rays or other interventions.

4. Record Keeping

  • Each animal is logged into our database with details including species, age estimate, condition, location found, reason for rescue and intake notes.
  • Initial weight on admission is recorded for monitoring purposes.

 5. Stabilisation & Treatment

  • The animal receives medical care, supportive feeding, and pain management as needed.
  • A tailored treatment and rehabilitation plan is developed based on species and condition.

6. Rehabilitation

  • Once stable, the animal is moved to an appropriate enclosure where it can recover and regain natural behaviours.
  • Diet, enrichment, and minimal human contact are key to successful rehab.
  • During the rehabilitation process, we do not permit taming, petting, or any form of habituation of wildlife patients. Our priority is to ensure their successful recovery and eventual return to the wild.

7. Pre-Release Evaluation

  • Animals are assessed to ensure they can survive independently in the wild (e.g. flight testing, hunting ability, social behaviour).
  • Health, fitness, and appropriate fear of humans are key criteria.

8. Release

  • The animal is released into a suitable, protected habitat and if possible, close to where it was found, following ecological guidelines.
  • In some cases, soft releases or monitored reintroductions are used.  Soft releases involve the gradual acclimatisation to its natural environment rather than an immediate release whereby the animal would be placed in an enclosure at or near the release site for a period of time to get used to the area’s sights, sounds and smells.  During this transition, support is provided by means of food and water and sometimes even shelter. 
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9. Follow-Up & Reporting

  • Data is collected for reporting, permits, and continuous improvement of our practices.