NEWS DESK
Possums die during four days of heat Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au WILDLIFE rescuers have been stunned by the hundreds of native animals killed during last weekend’s searing heat. Australian Wildlife Protection Council secretary Eve Kelly said wildlife shelter volunteers, vets and residents did the best they could to ease the animals’ suffering. However, they were powerless to prevent the “terrible suffering of ringtail possums as they struggled to cope with the relentless temperatures” over four days of high temperatures. “Many possums simply dropped out of their nests, unable to survive the scorching heat; others made their way into the sea trying desperately to cool down,” Ms Kelly said. “Mass deaths were reported by rescuers along the waterline on Somers beach. Similarly heat-affected animals could be found of the other side of the peninsula at Capel Sound, Fingal and Gunnamatta beaches, on streets in Mt Martha and along the Frankston Freeway. Scores more were hit and killed on the roads throughout the peninsula.” Ms Kelly said residents could play a bigger part in easing the animals’ suffering. “In a heatwave it is really important to leave shallow dishes of water out in your garden for local wildlife, keep your pets away from wildlife in distress and if you come across wildlife in distress call wildlife rescue groups for help and/or advice,” she said.
ROADSIDE rescue: A heatdistressed ringtail possum is given a drink on the side of the road. Many possums were hit as they lay on the searing bitumen or tried to cross roads in search of water (Picture: Debbie Molenkamp Facebook). Inset: Help came too late for these dead ringtail possums gathered by rescuers on Somers Beach.
“If you come across a ringtail possum on the ground you can place a towel over its head and the rest of the body, place it in a cardboard box and bring inside. Also, place a small dish of water in the box, do not try to force it to drink, and keep it dark and quiet.
“If the possum seems to have recovered by the evening and the temperature has cooled down, it should be OK to release it back where you found it, but please ask for advice if unsure. “If you come across a dead possum always check to see if it has young on its
back on in the pouch and call for help.” Organisations to call: Wildlife Victoria 1300 094 535, 7.30am-7pm Monday to Friday and 8am-6.30pm weekends. Animalia Wildlife Shelter 0435 822 699, 24 hours Frankston. AWARE Wildlife Rescue 0412 433 727, 24
hours. WHOMP 0477 555 611 based on the peninsula. Crystal Ocean Wildlife Shelter 0407 787 770, Rye. The Snake Catcher Victoria 0408 806 7062 or 597 504 81 specialises in assisting injured reptiles and relocating snakes 24 hours.
Air and land effort to fight blaze MORE than fire-fighting appliances, as well as three Elvis air cranes and two helicopters, tackled a fast-moving bushfire at Shoreham, Thursday 28 February. An emergency warning was issued for people living south-east of the blaze about 1.45pm, however this was downgraded to a watchand-act about 4pm. A CFA spokesperson described the fire in a plantation off Punty Lane, between Shoreham and Mornington-Flinders roads, as a “dynamic scene” confronting firefighters on the ground and the helicopters operating out of Tyabb Airport. She said the fire was threatening homes on Tucks Road and moving south fanned by fresh northerly winds towards Western Port and Flinders. No cause for the blaze had been established “at this early stage”. Ground crews stayed overnight to keep an eye on possible flare ups. Shoreham Road resident Richard Whitehead said he had urged the CFA earlier in the week to declare Thursday a Day of Total Fire Ban. “The fire came close to us,” he said. “At 11am it was south of our property. We were worried about a wind change from the south.” Friday’s weather made the situation equally unnerving. “It’s getting hot, there’s a dry wind getting up and any spark could do it,” he said. Stephen Taylor
Into battle: The Elvis air crane empties its load over the Shoreham blaze after refilling its water tanks off The Pines beach. Pictures: Yanni
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