What is Wildlife Assist?
Animal Food, Water and Shelter station monitoring
Wildlife Assist is a digital tool for tracking and monitoring the provision of Food, Water and Shelter resources for wildlife as a response to natural disaster or species preservation initiatives.
Download the App for free on Google Play and Apple stores.
Why the App?
Wildlife Assist was developed by Taronga Conservation Society Australia as part of an Australian Federal Government bushfire response initiative in the wake of the 2019/20 'Black Summer' Bushfires which had a devastating impact on wildlife populations across Australia, particularly in the regional areas of NSW and Victoria.
A need was identified to better track, monitor and manage the three main types of care provided to animal populations in natural-disaster affected areas.
TCSA Veterinary Scientists & Ecologists inspect habitat desctruction after the 2019/20 Australian 'Black Summer' bushfires.
Wildlife Assist App Features
Plot Stations
Plot and record wildlife food, water and shelter stations for the locations where you are adminstering resources for wildlife recovery in the field.
Monitor Resources
Monitor food, water and shelter resources for each station. Check a station's data and observe resource levels updated by previous users.
Record sightings
Record animal sightings and provide observational data on body condition and animal behaviour at a wildlife resource station.
Register Groups
Register wildlife recovery groups and observe group activity and data within the App. Locate where members of your group have been most active.
Locate Guides
Consult professionally written guides on wildlife nutrition and feeding, curated by Zoo Nutrionists and wildlife experts; updated regularly.
Receive Alerts
Receive important alerts and updates from Group and App administrators about managing wildlife recovery operations in disaster affected areas.
The Importance of Food, Water & Shelter for Wildlife Recovery
Food for Wildlife
Starvation of animals in areas impacted by extensive bushfires and prolonged droughts have led to a widespread public and governmental response to provision wildlife. It is assumed that carefully considered supplementary feeding supports the recovery of individuals and species in situ. By reporting your feeding activities in Wildlife Assist, you are directly involved in the research to assess the effects of feeding on native species and help shape the recommendations for future intervention.
Water for Wildlife
Prolonged drought and bushfires have prompted huge interest and action by the general public and wildlife professionals in providing supplementary water to wildlife. Such efforts may assist in the recovery of individuals and populations after these catastrophic events. By reporting provision of water in Wildlife Assist, you are directly involved in the research to assess its effects and help streamline future interventions.
Shelter for Wildlife
Around 300 animal species rely on tree hollows in Australia, including birds, mammals, frogs, reptiles, insects and spiders. Changes to the landscape from urbanisation and agriculture not only reduce the amount of trees and shrubs, and shelter for animals, but also create big gaps between the remaining habitat. Nationally, hollow-using species include at least 83 mammals, 114 birds, 79 reptiles, 27 frogs and many insects and spiders. Of these, at least 64 species (22%) are listed as threatened with extinction. Of course, providing Shelter goes beyond nest boxes and includes coarse woody debris, rocky debris, and a range of variations of these to provide habitat in which animals can shelter. Shelter is fundamental for our native wildlife across Australia (e.g. Key Threatening Process).
Download the App
Download the User Guide
Get the most utility out of Wildlife Assist and learn more about the Apps by downloading the user guide below. This guide contains step-by-step instructions and how-to videos.