Matilda, Australia's first mobile wildlife hospital deploys to Exmouth, Western Australia, on emergency response

Matilda, Australia's first and only mobile wildlife hospital, en route to Western Australia via the Nullarbor Plain. Image: Stephen Van Mil

On Friday March 27th, Tropical Cyclone Narelle hit the coastal town of Exmouth, Western Australia, gateway to UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef.

Local wildlife rescue organisation Balu Blue Foundation braved the horrendous conditions to locate, rescue and treat affected wildlife, with little-to-no support or resources. Thousands of animals washed up along the coast in critical condition or deceased. Entire nests of unhatched turtles were washed away or exposed, seabirds stranded completely exhausted and waterlogged, and dolphins, sea horses and sharks were washed onto the beaches and unable to return to the ocean.

Concurrently, Matilda, was travelling across the Nullarbor Plain to WA as part of our National Tour. On Monday 30th March we made plans to divert to Exmouth to provide vital expert veterinary treatment and care. However, we were left on stand-by in Perth for over a week waiting for government and local authorities to grant us permission to enter the region.

A Brown booby killed by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Narelle, Exmouth, Western Australia. (Image: Alexander Forrest)

On April 4th, we were finally given the green light to head north to Exmouth. With the generous support of private benefactors, our vet team were flown up to provide immediate support and treatment for any cyclone-affected wildlife in care, as well as assisting in on-ground searches for remaining survivors. They were joined 2 days later by “Matilda”, WRA’s mobile vet hospital.

Unfortunately, with so much critical time passing since the cyclone’s impact no affected survivors were found. Along with compassionate volunteers, nature had, however, begun its own clean-up process through natural predators like silver gulls and crabs.

When we launched our National Tour 5 weeks ago, our goal was to advocate 📋 for a National Framework for wildlife, where state and federal governments commit to funding wildlife rescue, treatment and care across the country.

The neglect for stricken wildlife, including species threatened with extinction and the reliance on volunteers to help them, demonstrates the critical the need for this framework. Australia cannot afford to see wildlife continue to be decimated in natural disasters.

📲 Add your name to support a call for a National Framework for Wildlife- isupportwildlife.com