December 4th, 2025Hepburn Wildlife News
The invention and continued use of barbed wire is a casual cruelty that people continue to inflict on the animal kingdom. The use of barbed wire in suburban and urban areas is restricted so that it cannot cause harm or injury to people and animals, but this restriction does not apply to rural areas.
Rural properties are commonly bordered by new and old barbed wire fencing. Brand new or fallen into rambling disrepair barbed wire fences are dangerous hazards for wildlife as they navigate a landscape of ever-increasing obstacles.
Last week a beautiful, mature, female kangaroo and her pouch joey were admitted to the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter because mum had a terrible, jagged tear to the bottom of her pouch. Her pouch had been torn open by barbed wire as she tried to jump over a fence.
This is a frequent injury for female kangaroos weighed down with large pouch joeys as they find it difficult to easily clear the many fences in their way. If these beautiful mums are not found and rescued, both mum and joey will suffer prolonged pain, fly strike and infection, eventually leading to death. Sadly, this mum’s injury was badly infected and she died, leaving her orphaned joey in the care of the shelter. It will take two years for this joey to be returned to its land and full independence.
The wildlife friendly fencing website (wildlifefriendlyfencing.org) states that as many as 75 different species of our native animals have been found trapped on barbed wire fencing. Nocturnal animals are particularly vulnerable as wires can be difficult to see. Wings and gliding membranes are caught on the barbs and animals are then unable to free themselves. They twist and struggle in the fencing, knotting their flesh around the barb and tearing open muscle. It is very painful and very distressing, and many animals die still caught in the fence.
Often animals arrive at the shelter entangled in pieces of barbed wire strands as it can be very difficult to extricate distressed animals safely and without further injury. Over the years the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter has treated kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, boobook owls, tawny frogmouths, magpies, kookaburras, sacred kingfishers, cockatoos, ravens, various raptors, grey headed flying foxes, little red flying foxes, microbats and sugar gliders for injuries caused by barbed wire entanglement.
The Hepburn Wildlife shelters admits about 50 joeys to the shelter every year. It costs about $1000 over two years to raise a single orphaned joey.
The little rescued joey, now named Stitch, is still very young (8-9 months old) and will require feeding at least four times a day. Stitch will become part of the mob of orphaned joeys that the shelter has saved, for the years it will take for the joey to reach an age where she is self-reliant. Image: Stitch | Barbara Davies
Dr Marita McGuirk is a field ecologist and environmental scientist, and a volunteer at the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter. Marita writes monthly columns about the shelter and the animals it cares for. If you would like to donate or volunteer, or just to find out more information, head to www.hepburnwildlifeshelter.org
