Healesville Sanctuary initiated field visits to support those caring for fire affected native wildlife. Mobile veterinary teams from the Australian Wildlife Health Centre were sent to triage points and continue to visit wildlife shelters to provide specialist support, including technical advice on drug protocol, burns treatment, dietary advice, housing and husbandry.

Ongoing care for burns animals is an area where the specialist veterinary teams can provide adequate pain relief during injury review including bandage changes. Supplies and drugs are also being provided.

"It is difficult to move an injured Eastern Grey kangaroo, for example, and we have some carers looking after quite a few," Dr Rupert Baker, Senior Veterinarian said. "It is important that we assist in any way we can."

Many animals have specific diets and the Australian Wildlife Health Centre has been providing phone advice since the bushfires. "We need to ensure that we are giving the very best care possible," Dr Baker said. "Feeding Australian native wildlife for long periods of time encourages dependency and puts them at risk of predators. If we need to make food drops, let's make them on private pasture land to reduce the impact of introducing weeds into regenerating native bush."

Although vast areas of bush have burnt out, the community needs to be aware of the environmental impacts from the threat of introduced weeds spreading into new areas. "It is very important that we try to minimise the damage and prevent weed outbreaks. This is often poorly understood," Dr Baker said. "Environmental weeds are considered to be the most serious threat to the biodiversity values of our natural areas. These plants invade the bush, leading to deterioration of the quality of future habitat and directly affecting the survival of native animals."

What you can do to help: 10 important tips

The team at the Australian Wildlife Health Centre has seen animals that survived the recent bushfires becoming seriously malnourished. Before concerned people begin to help, it is important to know that weed infestation of bush land is a threat to many species' survival. Here are some guidelines:

1. Feeding should only be conducted on pasture land. Feeding in native bush can result in weed introduction. Weeds after habitat fragmentation and introduced predators are the main threat to the survival of native species.
2. Feed on private land with landowners' consent.
3. Feed away from roads. Injuries from motor vehicle trauma is a common reason for animals being brought into care.
4. Feed at different sites. This avoids parasite numbers building up, for example, Coccidian and Salmonella. Another way to decrease the chance of disease is to weekly rake up the sites where animals are fed.
5. Feed foods that don't cause harm and can be recognised by animals. Sticky Leucerne may predispose animas to disease called "lumpy jaw". When pellets were fed after previous fires, they were often ignored by macropods which failed to recognise them as food. Pasture hay is often the best option.
6. Feed to avoid predation. Alter feeding times so predators find it hard to know when the animals will be around. Twice a week rather than daily is best as animals are likely to still behave and forage normally.
7. Avoid animal dependency. This may result in familiarisation with people so do not hand feed animals. This can be dangerous for the public in the future and potentially result in injury to people or harm to animals.
8. Remember that foods can perish or become rancid in heat so some items should be avoided. If feeding possums, fruit should be avoided. Hard, tuberous vegetables are suitable to feed (eg. carrot, sweet potatoes etc).
9. Feeding is a good way to assess if the animals on your property are injured. Any Kangaroos who do not move with a mob or have difficulty hopping could have significant injuries and should be seen by a veterinarian or wildlife carer.
10. After feeding, keep an eye out for weeds.

Find out more here on the Yarra Ranges shire council web site. 

Australian native wildlife being managed at the Australian Wildlife Health Centre include Koalas, Echidnas, Lyrebirds, Swamp Wallabies, Microbats, Sugar Gliders, Brush Tailed Possums, Common Ring Tailed Possums, Wombats, Eastern Grey Kangaroos, Wombats, Greater Gliders, Yellow Bellied Gliders, Feathertail Gliders, Lace Monitors, Australian Magpies, Tawny Frogmouths and Butcherbirds. Most common injuries include burns, dehydration, ulcerated mouths and eyes, kidney damage, lacerations and smoke inhalation causing lung damage.

Anyone seeking advice can call the Australian Wildlife Health Centre on 59 57 2829 during business hours or RACV Wildlife Connect on 13 11 11 which is a 24 hour service.