Wildlife can carry diseases that are harmful to people, such as Australian bat lyssavirus, Q fever, avian influenza, 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. Heat stress may cause some animals to bite, scratch or experience seizures. Sick animals may not show symptoms and dead animals may still carry harmful diseases.
Disease spreading from animals to humans does not happen often but the risk increases when people handle sick, injured or dead animals.
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.
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:
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:
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.
Dead wildlife can still carry diseases harmful to people. Do not touch dead wildlife.
Contact the following organisations:
If you must handle dead wildlife:
Seeing sick, injured and dead animals can be upsetting and impact on your mental wellbeing.
For mental health support: