Volunteer wildlife emergency response
Know our wildlife.
Know when to help.
We attend injured and distressed native wildlife, respond to road trauma, perform pouch checks and transport viable animals to vets and carers.
Rescue • Respond • Transport
Local wildlife knowledge
Wildlife Guide
Identify an animal from a photograph or search by name without leaving the BWR website.
When wildlife is injured
One clear response pathway
Your safety comes first. Call BWR, share an exact location and follow the instructions of a trained responder.
Call BWR and share the exact location
Call BWR as soon as it is safe to do so. Tell us what has happened, what animal you can see and whether there are any immediate hazards.
Text BWR without GPSMake the scene safe
Put your hazard lights on and, if you are in a vehicle, park fully off the road in a safe position. Do not stand in traffic or approach frightened wildlife.
If you can do it without moving closer or placing yourself at risk, take a photo of the animal and its surroundings and text it to BWR. A wider photo showing the roadside or nearby landmarks can be especially useful.
If you cannot wait for a rescuer
Before leaving, note anything that will help a volunteer find the exact spot: road names, street signs, property numbers, distinctive trees, fence lines, driveways, culverts or other landmarks.
If it is safe and appropriate, leave a simple visible marker near the location, such as a piece of material tied to a fence post or tree, and tell BWR exactly what you left and where. Do not enter traffic or move the animal just to mark the location.
Follow BWR's instructions
A BWR representative may be able to assess the situation with you by phone. Depending on the species, injuries, location and safety risks, we may dispatch a trained volunteer or give you other instructions.
If it is safe and suitable, BWR may ask whether you are able to transport the animal to the nearest appropriate vet. Do not handle or transport wildlife unless BWR specifically advises you to do so.
What BWR actually does
Response, rescue and transport
Much of our work involves road trauma. Outcomes are not always easy, but every attendance matters, from checking the pouch of a deceased macropod to rescuing a viable joey, freeing healthy wildlife from danger or ensuring an injured animal does not suffer unnecessarily.
Trained response Vet and carer transport Humane outcomes
Wildlife on our roads
Explore our incident map
See where recorded wildlife incidents have occurred. Zoom in, move around the map, or select a cluster to explore local concentrations. Data from 8 April 2023 to the present.
Portal 536 Historical 3,969
Shows recorded incident coordinates only. Case information and sensitive locations are withheld. Historical records may have varying GPS accuracy.
Community and advocacy
Rescue works better as a network.
Connected response
Working alongside vets, carers, other rescues and Wildlife Victoria.
Community awareness
Helping people understand road trauma, pouch checks and safe wildlife response.
Practical advocacy
Using real incident evidence to pursue safer hotspots and stronger rescue capacity.
BWR Wildlife Sounds · Free to play
Can you recognise the call?
Listen to real Australian wildlife sounds, test your knowledge and unlock animals in your personal field guide.
Support local wildlife response
Support BWR in the way that suits you.
Direct donations, fuel savings and container refunds can all help BWR continue responding to wildlife across our community.
Donate directly
Help keep trained rescuers on the road.
Make a donation through GoFundMe or transfer directly to Bannockburn Wildlife Rescue.
Direct bank transfer
- Account name
- BANNOCKBURN WILDLIFE RESCUE LTD
- BSB
- 633000
- Account number
- 222426991
Official UP Community partnerFuel your community
Save on fuel and support BWR at the same time.
Join BWR's free UP Community fuel discount and use it at participating United service stations.
2¢ per litrediscount for you
2¢ per litrerebate to BWR
- Open BWR's official UP Community page.
- Choose Apply now and complete the free registration.
- Use your United app fuel discount when you fill up at a participating United service station.
Official information: United Petroleum UP Community.
Registered donation partnerContainers for wildlife
Turn eligible containers into wildlife rescue funding.
10¢ per eligible container
Bannockburn Wildlife Rescue is registered with CDS Vic as a donation partner. Instead of keeping your refund, you can direct the value of eligible containers to BWR.
- Most eligible drink containers are 150 mL to 3 L. Check for the 10c refund mark.
- Take them to a CDS Vic refund point. Use the app for the zone where that point is located.
- Choose Donate and search for BANNOCKBURN WILDLIFE RESCUE LTD. At supported refund points, you can also enter its Donation Partner ID if you have it.
CDS Vic's apps are operated by Visy in the North Zone, Return-It in the East Zone and TOMRA Cleanaway in the West Zone.
Official information: CDS Vic donating.