Spring Newsletter 2024

Welcome to the FAWNA Autumn Newsletter for 2024.

The FAWNA Team welcomes our new FAWNA members to their rescue and care journey. 24 new inductees from 20 households attended the RICC and nearly all have applied for an Authority.

Our March Macropod training day attracted 23 members, including one refresher. Thanks to Cheryl Winner who joined me in presenting this one day training. At our February General Meeting we had a nice gathering of 35 to socialise over a light meal and share our wildlife rescue and care experiences, meet new members and put faces to names. Previously only known via the FAWNA phone, Cynthia Allan from South West Rocks will now recognise Jenny Edwards from Old Bar next time their paths cross.

Since the Queensland Flying-foxes intake, FAWNA carers received a bunch of orphans affected by the Sydney and environs starvation and heat stress events. WIRES agreed to assist FAWNA’s endeavours with a donation of 15kg of Biolac Flying-fox milk and a further $500 credit for fruit to our fruit supplier Hanks Growers Market. We value this contribution towards the added cost to FAWNA of rehabilitating these extra orphans. The pups are all in crèche now and will soon be moved to the release facility . Not all could be thumb banded at their initial crèche intake; a banding session of the smaller pups took place on 10th March. Amanda commented how those smaller bats’ forearms had all grown very much alike during that month in crèche. Crèche Manager, Gail Stevens, has been cutting up to 21.5 kg of fruit nightly by hand. Whew! Congratulations to all FAWNA’s bat carers for a job well done this season.

64 members expressed interest in the on-line WIRES Lizard and Turtle Training Grant and some have completed the course and sent in their Certificates for recording. Valued at $2800 this grant is a helpful adjunct to FAWNA’s training program.

Thanks go to our hardworking committee and the Fundraising Team for their efforts arranging our first fundraising Trivia Night.

Let’s hope Autumn quietens down somewhat and gives us a chance to regroup and recharge.

Kind regards,
Meredith Ryan,
President