Factsheet

Be careful around wildlife: protect yourself

Wildlife can carry diseases that are harmful to people, such as Australian bat lyssavirus, Q fever, salmonella infection and psittacosis.

When animals are sick or entangled in netting or powerlines, they can become distressed, aggressive, confused and tired. Some animals will bite, scratch or experience seizures because of heat stress. When people help distressed animals, there is a higher risk of diseases spreading from animals to people. Some diseases are very rare but they can be dangerous.

Do not touch wildlife unless you are trained and wearing protective clothing such as gloves and a mask.

Never try to handle snakes, marine mammals, bats or flying foxes as these animals must be handled by trained professionals.

Last updated: 19 January 2024

What should you do if you find sick, injured or orphaned wildlife?

Do not touch the animal unless you are trained, vaccinated against common animal diseases, and wearing protective clothing, as they may be distressed.

You should contact any of the below organisations for advice:

Local wildlife rehabilitation groups.
The local council
The nearest NSW National Parks area office (1300 072 757) if the animal is located on NSW National Park land.

The Environment Line (131 555) to report suspected poisoning.

The RSPCA (1300 094 737).

Contact details for local wildlife rehabilitation organisations can be found at the NSW Department of Planning and Environment wildlife rehabilitation website or download the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) wildlife rescue app.

Contact the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline(1800 675 888) to report a suspected outbreak of animal disease. This hotline is not for general animal advice.

If you must handle wildlife:

wash your hands with soap and water before and after touching the animal
wear gloves, a face mask and long-sleeved clothing
use a towel, blanket or shovel to create a barrier between yourself and the animal
keep the animal in a warm, dark and quiet spot until you can get it to a wildlife group
do not feed the animal or give it water
keep children and pets away and do not let them near surfaces the animal may have touched
if bitten or scratched, immediately wash the injury with soap and water for at least 15 minutes and apply an antiseptic. Seek medical advice as soon as possible.

Speak to your doctor and consider vaccination if you have regular contact with animals. Rehabilitating native animals requires licensing and authorisation. A license is also required to keep most native animals as pets.

What should you do if you find dead wildlife?

Dead wildlife can still carry diseases harmful to people. Do not touch dead wildlife.

Contact the following organisations:

The local Council for advice on safe disposal or removal.
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service for dead animals on NSW National Park land.
The Environment Line to report deaths resulting from suspected poisoning.
The Emergency Animal Disease Hotline to report unusual signs of animal disease such as mass death. This hotline is not for general animal advice or to report individual animal deaths.

If you must handle dead wildlife:

ensure you are safe (away from a road or ledge)
check for signs of life (breathing) before going near the animal
wear gloves and a face mask
use a towel, blanket or shovel to create a barrier between yourself and the animal

wash your hands with soap and water before and after handling the animal
wash any clothing or throw away any materials that may have touched the animal
keep children and pets away and do not let them near surfaces the animal may have touched.

Look after your wellbeing

Seeing sick, injured and dead animals can be upsetting and impact on your mental wellbeing.

For mental health support:

Call the NSW Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511. It’s free, open 24/7 and staffed by trained mental health professionals.
Visit the WIRES Mental Health Support website.