Information collected from wildlife rehabilitation volunteers about the animals they rescue and rehabilitate helps us understand and appreciate the positive impacts of this work. It can also provide insights into the threats to particular species and help prioritise actions to minimise those threats.
NSW Wildlife Rehabilitation dashboard
The interactive dashboard shows data from wildlife rehabilitation providers around New South Wales. It can be used to explore trends for selected species, including threatened species. You can also filter records by local government area, the recorded reason for rescue, and fate. Data is current as of 30 June 2022.
Data is updated after receiving annual reports from wildlife rehabilitation providers in September each year and needs to be quality assured before updating the dashboard. Generally, this will mean the data visualised will not include the current year.
You can use filters and 'drill' buttons (arrows) or click on elements you are interested in to see the relevant data displayed across all elements of the dashboard. Use the 'Reset filters' button to start again.
For more information about using the dashboard, click on the 'Help' button within the dashboard.
Tips on how to use the dashboard's accessibility features, including keyboard navigation, are in the accessibility guide.
Go to NSW Wildlife Rehabilitation dashboard
Record keeping
All wildlife rehabilitation providers must maintain records of the animals they rescue and submit them to the National Parks and Wildlife Service annually. These records are to be provided in a standard data collection spreadsheet.
Download data collection spreadsheet (XLS 3.3MB)
The key data fields identify the species, date of rescue, where the animal was found, the likely reason for rescue, and its fate.
Wildlife rehabilitators should read the Data reporting instructions for the volunteer wildlife rehabilitation sector for further information.
Each year these records are prepared for upload to BioNet and SEED, where they can be used to inform future research, planning assessments and conservation management programs such as Saving our Species and the NSW Koala Strategy.
Annual reports
Each year volunteers rescue about 118,000 sick, injured and orphaned native animals across 500 different species and report this information to the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Our annual reports give an insight into the work of wildlife rehabilitation volunteers and observed trends in volunteer membership numbers and the rescue and rehabilitation of injured, sick and orphaned wildlife. The data is acquired from reports submitted by each volunteer wildlife rehabilitation provider in accordance with their Biodiversity Conservation Licence and our Codes of Practice.
Podcast – One Animal at a Time