Elyse Knowles Currumbin Wildlife Hospital

Mum & I had a truly heartwarming experience yesterday. Visiting the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital (@currumbinsanctuary), was an experience I definitely aim to repeat soon ... especially after the devastating fires in QLD & NSW. Seeing these incredible little animals made me realise how much important work lies ahead in terms of saving their natural habitats. So much has been lost (and continues to be lost), so it's time for the whole of Australia to get moving & rebuilding. To donate now - please hit the button below :) Trust me, no donation is too small! I’ve asked Josh to make my Christmas present this year a donation to Currumbin … another good idea if you’re looking for pressies!

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This hospital is one of the busiest wildlife hospitals in the world & the team admits over 11, 000 patients every year, a service provided free of charge to the community (amazing right!). As we learned throughout the tour, the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital vet staff work tirelessly to treat sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife for release back out into the wild day after day. These guys are modern day superheroes.

I have to admit, it was pretty alarming to see such helpless animals requiring so much help from the staff. Even the simple act of breathing proved to be a struggle for many. The animal's vulnerability was obvious from the get-go, as were their severe injuries. Seeing an animal hurt & in pain is absolutely gut wrenching ... but watching the lovely staff care for them was reassuring to say the least.

One of the many amazing things about the Currumbin Wildlife staff is that as I mentioned above they work off donations & a lot of them work for free. It's impossible not to admire people like this. They open your eyes to what really matters in life.

Candice was our lovely host for the day & her story was remarkable. She was previously a TV host for a kids program, as well as holding many other various hosting roles. Candice has even interviewed me at a few jobs (small world!).

It has always been clear that she’s had a true passion for animal welfare - particularly when it comes to koalas. So after her years working in TV, Candice just decided one day that she wanted to give back & spend her time caring for animals. On top of this, she became really passionate about spreading much needed awareness on how others could do the same. It can be far too easy to forget just how much ongoing attention & care our wildlife needs in Australia. In the back of our minds it’s easy to assume that all of the animals are ok out there in the wild! But as the world changes (especially in terms of our crazy climate conditions & changes), they really do need our care.

Learning about Candice's story was pretty incredible and I admire her guts for making the brave leap into a career path that she knew deep down was the right direction for her. She is someone lead by passion, heart & fearlessness. We all stand to learn so much from people like this!

There are SOOOOO many individuals just like Candice at Currumbin who have swapped careers (including moving states), to dedicate their lives to the wildlife. And what they get back in return is very special. The Australian animals saying thank you. Magic or what? They might not be spoken words, but you just have to look into their sweet little eyes to see that they're saying to the staff, "thank you for saving my life."

It was hard to see the tiny wallabies (like the grey kangaroo), on the operating table with broken legs - have a look at the photos below to get a clear idea of the hospital set up. The poor little things were obviously in discomfort & distress. Thanks to the staff however, they calmed down very quickly and you could sense they felt safe and in good hands. It was very heartwarming to learn that the wallabies will regain their ability to walk in just a short time thanks to the existence of this hospital. Fending for themselves in the wild is not always the best option for these little guys - especially in the current harsh heat.

During the day, mum & I also met some of the koala patients in their rehab pens. With their feet wrapped up & burns on their arms and noses - it was not an easy sight to witness. I'm sure that a lot of you have seen the horrific animal injuries in the media (which can be quite disturbing), so to see it up close really hit home. These little guys need help & homes for a while yet. Again - thank god for Currumbin!!

Despite some of the sad stories - the culture of this animal hospital was SO inspiring. Feeling the passion held by every single person in the centre was such a joy and a reminder of how important it is to show a little selflessness from time-to-time (or as often as possible!). I can’t wait to go back!

If you have a passion for animals & their welfare, then I assure you that this is the organisation you need to know about. Animals don't have voices. They can't yell out when they're in need like we can - so we have to be on the front foot ALL of the time - especially at this time of year when bush fire alerts are so constant. The Currumbin Wildlife Hospital needs as many hands on deck as possible so if you have the time (or you know someone who does), please get in touch (see below for all the details you’ll need). They'd be over the moon to hear from you. Also, if you ever find an animal who seems to be hurt in this part of Australia - the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital is the place you need to take them too. The staff will then work with other caring facilities once the animal has been checked out & properly assessed.

My final note to you all ... if you ever see a dead kangaroo on the side of the road, as disturbing and sad as it can be, please check their pouch. Because just like “Skip” (a little roo I named), there might just be a helpless little joey inside that needs your help. And it's ALWAYS a good day to save a life.

Below is a whole list of info, facts, stats & resources for you all. At this time of year when we are all thinking about Christmas parties, food, presents & stressing over silly things - an amazing way to "reset" your priorities and clear the mind is to find some perspective and focus on something more important and more meaningful. Yesterday's outing was truly amazing & I hope you can all experience it or something very similar in the near future. Make it your New Years Resolution!

One urgent thing I’d encourage you all to have a look asap this week, is their Go Fund Me page. The hospital is really pushing this campaign this week to keep up with the extra pressure placed on the hospital. They’ve had a fantastic response from people all over the world so please do what you can & head to the linked page here … https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-our-koala-bushfire-victims

Elyse x

LINKS

Donation Link (please share these with your nearest & dearest)

https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-our-koala-bushfire-victims

AND/OR;

http://bit.ly/38tuses

Quick Facts

Currumbin Wildlife Hospital is one of the busiest wildlife hospitals in the world.
The goal is to treat, rehabilitate and release sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife.
The hospital relies on community donations and support to keep the hospital running.

The following statistics identify the current pressure on Currumbin Wildlife Hospital:

Koala admissions have increased 22% to date.
2008 = 27 koala admissions | 2018 = 477 koala admissions | 2019 = 500+ koala admissions
The Currumbin Wildlife Hospital treats 11 500 wildlife animals per year.
Since the start of the recent Australian bushfires, the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital has seen an extra 500 cases. The hospital expects the high admissions to rise further as the dry conditions continue to impact native wildlife.

Social Media Information: