22
ND REPORT
IFAW’s continued work to rescue and protect animals around the world — ABOVE: Nania enjoying a mud-bath
with her sheep friend Whisty in the background before her translocation. Photo: Melanie Mahoney / IFAW
Despite the unprecedented obstacles the COVID-19
IFAW’s Beijing Raptor Rescue Centre had 28 raptors
pandemic has presented, the International Fund for
receiving specialised care for injuries when COVID-19 hit.
Animal Welfare’s work never stopped. IFAW teams
Within a matter of days, the team’s protocols changed
around the world adapted to a new way of working to
completely as they quickly adjusted to new shutdown
best help animals and support our local communities as
orders and precautions. To minimise the risk of infection
they overcame COVID-19 hardships. Through it all came
and practice social distancing, IFAW’s staff of four divided
incredible stories of triumph and perseverance.
into two different teams, each working 7-day on and
IFAW’s Disaster Response team deployed to the hardest
7-day off shifts to ensure they didn’t cross paths.
hit areas of New South Wales, the Australian Capital
This year was monumental in IFAW’s search to locate
Territory and Victoria in January 2020 to help partners
rescued elephant Nania’s native herd in Burkina
rescue and rehabilitate injured wildlife during the
Faso. Nania is on a specialised rehabilitation journey to
catastrophic bushfires. The team provided hands-on
prepare for life back in the wild, and most recently, dung
support to individuals caring for rescued koalas, wallabies,
samples collected from wild elephants travelling nearby
flying foxes, birds, and kangaroos. IFAW supplied partners
are pushing the team one step closer to finding a DNA
with much-needed items like enclosures, medical supplies
match to her exact family!
and fire gear. USC x IFAW’s koala detection dog, Bear, became a global sensation as he helped locate and rescue koalas injured by the bushfires.
In Quintana Roo, Mexico, IFAW was involved in the first successful rescue, release, and rehabilitation of a jaguar. Struck by a car while trying to cross a
Following the bushfires, IFAW commissioned a report
highway, authorities transported the young jaguar
highlighting the devastating impact of climate change
to the Payo Obispo Zoo, where he embarked on
and bushfires on koalas across New South Wales. The
a specialised rehabilitation plan with help from IFAW’s
results were staggering - at least 6,382 koalas perished in
Dr. Erika Flores and Joaquin de la Torre Ponce. The team
New South Wales. Following the release of the report,
monitored his behavior for three months before deeming
IFAW nominated the koala to be listed as Endangered on
him fully recovered and ready to return to the wild. The
an emergency basis in New South Wales. This followed
day of his release was an incredible moment for everyone
a federal nomination for koalas to be up-listed in
involved.
Queensland, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory.
From the August explosion in Lebanon, to wildfires in California, to Hurricane Delta off Central America, and
Across the ocean, IFAW was part of a team of
now an earthquake in Indonesia, IFAW continues to
experts convened by the US National Oceanic and
respond to disasters by deploying trained and properly
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to perform a first-
equipped rescuers to help animals in distress.
ever emergency medical treatment to a free-swimming right whale calf to help save its life after injury from a
REBECCA KEEBLE / IFAW Oceania Regional Director
likely propeller strike. With only about 350 right whales left in the world, each individual matters for the species’ survival. leonardjoel.com.au | 21
