FAWNA NSW INC

Rare Tularaemia infection from possum scratch prompts warning [NSW]

20/05/2010 NSW Health Media Release:   “NSW Health is urging people to avoid touching possums following the first probable case of the rare disease tularaemia in a NSW resident.

The woman was bitten and scratched by a ringtail possum in a Northern Sydney suburb in early March, and since developed symptoms including swollen lymph glands, fatigue, and a sore throat. Further testing is continuing to confirm the diagnosis. NSW Health’s Acting Director of Communicable Diseases, Ms Keira Glasgow, said that while the disease is highly contagious, most people fully recover with appropriate antibiotics.

For many of us the world is a state of uncertainty and change at the moment. For some of us this may have been more recent with the Corvid-19 crisis but others within our wildlife community have been living in a heightened state for many many months as a result of the bushfire crisis. It’s the latter for which my heart goes out strongly with a voice saying ‘you are not forgotten’.

The critical role of volunteers within the wildlife rehabilitation sector is challenging and supporting the physical, mental and emotional wellness of these volunteers is vital. Many wildlife volunteers are drawn to the role because they prioritise the needs of animals, but it’s important to also remember that taking care to give care, means you also care for yourself so that you can care for wildlife for longer.

Two Green Threads has prepared the Take Care to Give Care guide with the purpose of helping build resilience for individuals and the wildlife volunteer sector as a whole. It first took shape during an earlier crisis but the prompts and tips are relevant not just in current times of crisis but also when the world returns to normality and the service of wildlife volunteers continues to be needed.

This guide offers information and prompts to help wildlife volunteers balance their care of wildlife with care for themselves.

Please note that due to the Covid-19 recommendations for separation we have decided we can’t safely ensure people at training courses adhere to the 2 M separation.

All forward training courses are postponed to be rescheduled at later dates to be announced.

We will obviously consult with those involved with training, catering, etc. first before we book venues and reschedule.

Current bookings will be cancelled, but we are taking expressions of interests in . They are:

1. The Rescue & Immediate Care Course
2. The Macropod Training Course
3. The Possum & Glider Course

People that have made bookings will be notified via email.

Thanks
The FAWNA Management Team

Here is the FAWNA wide map of our #Food4Wildlife collection points – well done all involved.  this will be a work in progress as new sites are added and perhaps some removed.

The individual maps for each area are still available at the following links:

• Kempsey LGA – https://www.fawna.org.au/food-4-wildlife-food-stations-kempsey-lga/
• Port Macquarie-Hastings LGA https://www.fawna.org.au/food-4-wildlife-food-stations-port-macquarie-hastings-lga/
• MidCoast Council LGA https://www.fawna.org.au/food-4-wildlife-food-stations-midcoast-lga/

Please click the marker to get the address of the marker.