Entangled Wildlife Australia

Australia's native wildlife face a range of significant risks e.g. habitat destruction, road trauma, attacks from domestic/feral animals and disease. Entanglement in barbed wire, inappropriate fruit netting, discarded fishing line/tackle/netting and general rubbish (e.g. plastic rings on milk bottles) also represents a serious risk to wildlife, causing horrendous injuries (frequently causing death). Flying foxes, seabirds, water fowl, gliders, owls, marine mammals, turtles, macropods and reptiles are some of the species that unfortunately become entangled.

Reporting by the public to wildlife rescue groups of entanglement sightings will always be important – to minimise suffering and to maximise the chance of a successful rescue. Animals that have been successfully rescued and rehabilitated can then be returned to the wild. This reporting is also important to help build a solid body of data to help wildlife/conservation groups in their efforts to increase awareness of these risks to wildlife, and when engaging with government and corporate stakeholders to advocate for risk minimisation initiatives.

This project was inspired by the Wildlife Friendly Fencing initiative and has been expanded to include entanglements relating to discarded fishing gear, which still continues to be a significant risk to a range of animals, especially seabirds, water fowl and turtles. It is hoped that this app will be useful for (and support the efforts of) volunteer wildlife rescue groups around Australia who are faced with these challenging rescues on a daily basis, and help increase the use of wildlife-friendly fencing / fruit netting and the responsible disposal of fishing tackle/line and nets.

Sincere appreciation to Tolga Bat Hospital, Wildcare Australia Inc., Wild Bird Rescues Gold Coast, Bats Qld., Pelican and Seabird Rescue Inc., Bat Conservation & Rescue Queensland Inc. Reptile Rehabilitation Queensland Inc. and H. & D. Cuschieri for their advice and support.

A final thanks to all wildlife rescuers, carers, veterinary staff and members of the wider community around Australia for their dedication to helping our native wildlife, from reporting entanglements through to rescue, treatment, rehabilitation and release.

澳大利亚本土野生动物面临诸多严峻威胁，例如栖息地破坏、道路交通事故、家养与野生侵袭动物的袭击以及疾病。此外，被带刺铁丝网、不当布设的果树防护网、废弃渔线、渔具与渔网，以及各类垃圾（如牛奶瓶附带的塑料环）缠绕，也会对野生动物造成严重威胁，引发极为惨烈的伤情，往往最终导致死亡。狐蝠、海鸟、水禽、滑翔类有袋动物、猫头鹰、海洋哺乳动物、海龟、有袋类动物以及爬行动物，都是不幸遭遇此类缠绕的部分物种。

公众向野生动物救援组织上报缠绕事件的行为始终至关重要——这既能减轻动物的痛苦，也能提升成功救援的概率。经成功救援并接受康复治疗的动物，可最终被放归野外。此类上报还有助于积累详实的数据，助力野生动物保护组织提升公众对这些野生动物威胁的认知，同时在与政府及企业利益相关方沟通时，能更有效地倡导实施风险防控举措。

本项目的灵感源自“野生动物友好型围栏”倡议，后续扩展纳入了废弃渔具相关的缠绕风险——这类风险至今仍是诸多动物面临的重大威胁，尤以海鸟、水禽和海龟为甚。我们期望这款应用能为澳大利亚各地每日都需应对这类高难度救援的志愿野生动物救援组织提供支持与帮助，并推动更多野生动物友好型围栏、果树防护网的使用，以及渔具、渔线和渔网的合规处置。

衷心感谢托尔加蝙蝠医院（Tolga Bat Hospital）、澳大利亚野生救援协会（Wildcare Australia Inc.）、黄金海岸野生鸟类救援中心、昆士兰州蝙蝠救助协会（Bats Qld.）、鹈鹕与海鸟救援公司（Pelican and Seabird Rescue Inc.）、昆士兰州蝙蝠保护与救助协会（Bat Conservation & Rescue Queensland Inc.）、昆士兰州爬行动物康复协会（Reptile Rehabilitation Queensland Inc.）以及H. & D. 库什耶里夫妇（H. & D. Cuschieri）提供的建议与支持。

最后，谨向澳大利亚各地所有野生动物救援者、护理人员、兽医团队及广大社区成员致以诚挚谢意，感谢他们始终致力于保护本土野生动物，从上报缠绕事件到实施救援、治疗、康复与放归的全流程付出。