Wildlife carers in south-east Queensland busy caring for injured, exhausted animals after cyclone
By Lottie Twyford and Jessica Ross
ABC Sunshine Coast
Topic:Animals
24m ago24 minutes agoFri 14 Mar 2025 at 12:02am
a baby bird in a box
The Twinnies are caring for a Spoonbill hatchling blown out of its nest. (ABC News: Jessica Ross)
In short:
Wildlife refuges in south-east Queensland have been "inundated" with injured and exhausted animals in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
That includes seabirds which have been blown more than 100 kilometres inland by rough conditions.
What's next?
Members of the public who come across injured wildlife are urged to contact their local animal wildlife hospital or carers.
Injured and exhausted seabirds have been blown more than 100 kilometres inland by rough seas and windy conditions caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
It has kept wildlife carers on the Sunshine and Gold Coasts busy responding to calls for help, sometimes in unusual locations.
At Twinnies Pelican and Seabird Rescue on the Sunshine Coast, Bridgette and Paula Powers have been alerted to injured seabirds turning up in paddocks in towns as far inland as Nanango and Kingaroy.
injured birds in a cage
The Twinnies have dozens of injured seabirds in their care following Tropical Cyclone Alfred. (ABC News: Lottie Twyford)
The identical twins said it broke their hearts to see birds found in such weak conditions.
"They've been coming in very exhausted and thin as well,"
they said.
"It's because the ocean's getting roughed up and they're finding it hard to find food."
Even albatrosses knocked around
The Twinnies likened conditions at sea to "being in a big washing machine", which had knocked even the toughest birds off course.
a woman wearing a pink top feeds a fish to a shy albatross
The Twinnies have a Shy Albatross in their care after it was knocked about by wild winds. (ABC News: Lottie Twyford)
They said a shy albatross found in the Brisbane suburb of Nudgee was one of those generally hardy birds that was now in their care, getting some much-needed TLC.
"He's usually good with rough seas, but the cyclone has knocked the poor shy albatross,"
they explained.
"We're going to try rehabilitate him as quick as possible so that he can go back out there because he might have a partner."
two identical twins wearing pink scrub tops
Bridgette and Paula Powers — known as the Twinnies — have been busy caring for injured and exhausted seabirds. (ABC News: Lottie Twyford)
Other birds that have come into the care of the Twinnies recently include species like tropicbirds, black-winged petrels and cormorants.
The sisters are also caring for pelicans and a week-old spoonbill hatchling, which arrived with them at just a day old, still with a bit of eggshell attached after being blown from its nest.
Birds cared for, but not all will make it
The Twinnies plan to keep the birds in their care until they get their waterproofing back and are able to preen themselves again.
"When the sea bird gets sick, their waterproofing drops because they can't preen themselves due to weakness … and then they they water log," they said.
The sisters have been picking birds up from the RSPCA and the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital while also receiving calls from members of the public who have come across injured seabirds.
They were not able to put a number on how many but said they have been "inundated" with birds.
Despite the Twinnies' care not all of the birds will survive and be able to be released back into the wild.
But they said those that did not make it will do so "peacefully" in a warm bed.
seabird keeping warm
An injured seabird keeping warm at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. (Supplied: Australia Zoo)
At the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital up the road, "blown off course" seabirds are also being cared for.
Veterinarian Ludo Valenza agreed it was unusual to see seabirds so far inland and away from their food sources.
She said around 60 animals had been brought into the facility following the impact of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
"They tend to be very wet and weak and because the storm lasted for a few days, the animals weren't able to be foraging and looking for food,"
Dr Valenza said.
The team has been putting the stronger of the storm-affected animals on IV fluid and keeping them warm in humidicribs.
It is hoped the majority of them will be released back into the wild.
Gold Coast animal carers also busy
koala is operated on by vets
An injured koala is cared for by the team at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast. (ABC News: Danielle Mahe)
On the Gold Coast, a similar situation has been unfolding at the Currubmin Wildlife Hospital, which has experienced an influx of injured native animals.
About 100 animals were brought in by wildlife rescuers and members of the public on a single day earlier this week.
High admission numbers are expected to continue as the damage from fallen trees is assessed.
petrel bird in a box
Injured seabirds have also ended up in the care of the team at the Gold Coast facility. (ABC News: Danielle Mahe)
'A lot of your tree-dwelling animals, your koalas, your possums, have really suffered and of course, your birds," senior veterinarian Michael Pyne said.
"We've had huge numbers of those, many with really nasty injuries.
"Those deep sea birds are being blown in … petrels and shearwaters, and I expect on the beaches there'll be a lot more birds and freshwater turtles starting to turn up that need to be admitted."
Members of the public who come across injured wildlife are urged to contact their local animal wildlife hospital or carers.
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Posted24m ago24 minutes agoFri 14 Mar 2025 at 12:02am
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