Wildcare relies on donations to continue our conservation efforts and have partnered with Gordon River Cruises to create the Wildcare Penguins cause.

Through your donations to this cause, we have been able to provide $3,500 to the ‘Penguin Rehabilitation and Release’ Wildcare Branch to rehabilitate little penguins rescued in northern Tasmania and increase the sustainability and capacity of the rehabilitation facility.

This rehabilitation involves:

  • raising chicks to a developmental level suitable for their release to the wild;
  • caring for birds until they have recovered from injuries and/or regrown or grown the
    necessary waterproof feathers for swimming to feed themselves;
  • providing swimming and other therapies to assist birds to overcome trauma and to build the stamina necessary for successful release to the wild.

Since opening in November 2018, the Penguin Rehabilitation and Release facility has cared for 27 penguins (including nine chicks orphaned by a dog attack at Doctors Rocks which killed 45 penguins). Some penguins remain in care for several days or weeks, while others remain for several months, and the facility expects more penguins (up to another 30) to come into care from October 2019 to March 2020.

The Wildcare Penguins Cause has also provided $2000 to the Friends of Doctors Rocks Penguins to provide a Penguin Interpretation Guide at Stanley where a penguin viewing platform has recently been completed to accommodate the nightly parade of over 100 humans expected over the viewing season.

$5,000 also went to fund a guide at the Low Head penguin colony, following a donation made by the Low Head Pilot Station volunteers.

If you would like to contribute to Wildcare through our Gift Fund, visit this page – our online system is set up to accept donations from $2 up to $10,000.