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| ANIMAL CARE IN A WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTRE IN PERTH |
AUSTRALIA |
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A varied and fascinating Wildlife Rehabilitation Project that helps all types of animals throughout the whole of Perth. You'll work at the Rehabilitation Centre, as well as on various different projects throughout the city in locations that enable you to travel around Perth. These can range from a national park, to the river or coast, from Wetlands, beaches and possibly Perth Zoo, to working in schools or in an urban park. If you do any placement in Perth, an Indigenous (Aborigine) Heritage tour in Kings Park, Perth's No. 1 tourist attraction, is included in your itinerary, free of charge!
WORK CONTENT: The type of work is very varied, depending on the time of year, but includes endangered flora and fauna surveys and monitoring, weed control, tree planting, erosion and salinity control, seed collection, construction and maintenance of walking tracks, habitat restoration and heritage protection. The range of activities you may undertake includes:
Education and Training Programmes:
Hours can vary depending on the work which needs to be done, the time of year, season etc. You will generally work 5 days a week, often with early starts, but generally from around 8.00 to 3.00 or 9.00 to 4.00. Days may include weekends but you will have two days off a week. Please note that the work that you'll be involved in depends on what is available at the time of your placement.
WHAT YOU'LL GAIN FROM DOING THIS PROJECT:
An exciting, never-to-be-forgotten adventure into
Australia and you'll learn about the Aborigine culture that makes
this country so fascinating!
The enormous satisfaction of helping animals and
knowing that you made a difference to them.
New skills, more confidence, a greater understanding
of a different culture, invaluable personal and professional
development.
An entry on your CV or résumé that will put you head
and shoulders above most others in the job market
And best of all ... an unforgettable experience!
Got any questions? Please
email us:
info@travellersworldwide.com
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The Centre we work with is a volunteer non-profit organisation set up in 1989 and is run by a registered CALM wildlife carer. In November 1998, land adjacent to the Cockburn Wetland Education Centre was leased and developed to provide a natural setting for the treatment and rehabilitation of all types of animals, birds and reptiles, either brought to the centre or collected by a Centre volunteer. It is also an ideal location to release many of the animals when fully recovered. Many of the animals are injured while others are sick, distressed or exhausted (particularly big sea birds such as giant petrels blown off course by storms). The aim of of the Centre is to rehabilitate sick, injured or orphaned wild life back into their natural environment as soon as possible. Unfortunately some of the animals cannot be returned to the wild because of their injuries. In these cases, they are retained for educational purposes and for breeding. Some of these animals also become foster parents to young injured animals. The Centre is unfunded and relies on donations and a small core of dedicated volunteers. There is little funding available for the care of wildlife, but food and medication still has to be supplied. The Centre works in conjunction with local vets, rangers, CALM, RSPCA, and Murdoch University Vet School. The adjacent Cockburn Wetlands Education Centre and Yonga Aboriginal Education Centre, together with school groups and young adults on work experience provide the centre with a steady source of students. The project aims are all based on achieving real conservation results around PerthAustralia is home to more biodiversity than any other developed nation on Earth. In fact Australia is one of the six most bio-diverse nations on the planet - over 80% of its mammals, flowering plants and reptiles are only found in Australia! The flora and fauna is so unique you’ll continually be amazed.
HOW THE CENTRE BEGAN - A brief history by the Karen, the Director We were walking around the front of the lake when we
spotted a swan just lying on the bank without movement, mouth open and
weak. It was a hot day and we thought it was dehydrated, so not knowing
any better we placed it in the water for a drink. This is when we knew
it was in trouble because it started to drown. We removed it from the
water and I told my husband I was going to take it home and help. He
suggested we report it to someone else and let him or her deal with it. Back home, I started to call around for help but,
being a Sunday, everywhere was closed. I knew I wouldn’t rest knowing
that the bird needed help and I couldn’t just leave it there. I went
back to the lake, found it in the same place and took it home. This is when I decided this was not right. Animals
don’t get sick "nine to five" Mondays to Fridays. I again started
calling around for help and this time I located a lady named Helen in
Willetton who was knowledgeable on water birds. She was able to give me
some information over the phone on how to care for the swan. The
following day I met Helen and she explained the bird was suffering from
botulism, caused by contaminated water, and she showed me how to treat
it properly. She also said there were a few carers who looked after
animals in their own back yards. I went to the lake all week, removed some dead birds
and took the sick ones home. In a week I was looking after two swans,
three sea gulls and two coots. Unfortunately one sea gull and a coot
died but I now realised I could help the sick birds in a small way. The
other birds survived and I had great reward in seeing them released back
into the wild. And the rest, as they say, is history. Today we
receive over 3000 wild life a year and help with thousands of phone
calls for advice. We receive animals from vets, CALM, RSPCA, council
rangers and the general public. The centre now has over 45 volunteers,
who help with the daily cleaning, feeding, pick-ups from vets, rescues
of injured wildlife and treatment. We also have work experience students
from schools colleges and TAFE working at the centre."
THE IMPORTANCE OF
CONSERVATION IN AUSTRALIA: In the last 200 years, since European settlement, many plants have been introduced that have caused widespread problems, such as lantana and the prickly pear bush. The introduction and spread of animals such as the cane toad or rabbit can disrupt the existing balances between populations and develop into environmental problems. The introduction of cattle into Australia, and to a lesser extant the dingo, are other examples of species that have changed the landscape. In some cases the introduction of new species can lead to plagues and the extinction of endemic species. Australia has seen the loss of 70% of her native vegetation, including 75% of her rainforests. Loss of species goes hand in hand with loss of habitat and 23% of mammals have become extinct - the worst mammal extinction rate in the world. Around 20% of Australia's remaining mammals species are now threatened with extinction. Nine percent of birds and 16% of amphibians are either already extinct or extremely vulnerable. These alarming figures indicate how vital the conservation of native Australian wildlife really is. Australia supports a significant proportion of the world's biodiversity - over 80% of its mammals, flowering plants and reptiles are only found in Australia. The destruction and fragmentation of habitat, particularly as a result of clearance of vegetation for agriculture, and the impact of feral animals and invasive weeds, has had a substantial impact on Australia's biodiversity. Read about the various Australian animals under threat. Got any questions? Please email us: info@travellersworldwide.com |
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Accommodation: Your accommodation is located in the CBD (Central Business District) of Perth, Western Australia. Therefore you are very central, close to the main train station and shopping district. You'll live centrally located lodge that is friendly and relaxing, making it ideal for long term stays. You'll most likely your own room, but will share a bathroom with others on your floor. There is an excellent kitchen and storage area for cooking meals and plenty of space to relax. Click here to visit the Lodges' website for more information.
Entertainment at the Lodge currently includes a pool table, cheap internet
access, arcade machines and cable TV (Foxtel), to name a few, but with all
the sunshine Perth has, you’ll be out and about enjoying the many outdoor
activities! You are literally a stroll from the Swan River and free CBD
transport. Trains and buses are also only a few minutes away to take you to
Fremantle, King’s Park or to the many other things to do in the region! Food: Not is not included in this project so you should budget for meals. We feel that a good guide would be a weekly budget of around AUD$70 A little about Perth: Perth was built on the banks of the magnificent Swan River over 150 years ago and is now a city rich in culture and filled with theatres, art galleries and museums. The city is modern and vibrant - a fun, friendly and 'laid back' place, with clear skies and a sunny climate. Western Australia is locally known as the 'state of excitement!' Some of its more famous attractions include Kings Park, Scarborough Beach, Fremantle and the Swan River. Fremantle (or as the local’s call it, ‘Freo’) is the city’s port and is rich in history. At weekends you will find markets, entertainment and plenty of alfresco style cafes to laze in. Perth has restaurants to suit all tastes - the most popular cuisine is of course the great Australian BBQ. Barbeque facilities are abundant in local parks - take your own food and cook up a feast, Australian style! For meals in local restaurants, a trip to Perth's inner city centre is well worth the effort - it bustles with activity and offers a range of choices of restaurants. |
| TRAVEL, VISAS, plus SUPPORT & BACKUP: | |
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You will fly into Perth airport (Perth is the capital city of Western Australia)
where you will be welcomed by our Australian Volunteer Liaison Officer or
another one of our staff. They will then transport you to a city backpackers
where you will stay for one night to give you time to catch your breath and
relax after your flight. You have the option to arrange your own flights or we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will be fulfilled by Murray Rogers Travel Limited, ATOL No. 6856. Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel on the same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of other volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet up before leaving for your placement. VISAS: We will liaise with you about specific requirements, if any, and make the Visa process very easy. Where possible, all flights we arrange for you have changeable return tickets because many of our volunteers choose to extend their stay once they are in their destination country. Changeable return tickets enable you to do so, within the limits of your visa and the level of your air ticket, of course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour to get a changeable ticket. To read about the excellent Support & Backup we provide before you leave and during your programme, please click here. We can also arrange your flight dates to give you additional time at the end of your project for travelling around and sightseeing - this is a fascinating and wondrous country. |
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Suite 2A, Caravelle House, 17/19 Goring Road,
Worthing, |
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