Wildlife

If you find a sick, injured or orphaned animal please contact Bonorong Wildlife Rescue on 0447 264 625 at any time.

Bonorong Wildlife Rescue is a privately run, volunteer-based rescue service operating Tasmania-wide.

To report roadkill on council owned roads please contact us on 03 6217 9500.

To report roadkill on state highways and roads please call the Department of State Growth (Transport) on 1300 135 513.

Report abandoned ducks

Unfortunately, many of our waterways where native ducks live are common dumping areas for abandoned domestic pet ducks.

Abandoning domestic ducks is a form of animal cruelty. It is inhumane and illegal. If you see abandoned ducks or know of anyone dumping domestic pet ducks in the wild, you should report it.

You can report this to us via our online general inquiry and reporting form or call 6217 9500.

If you have ducks that you need to rehome, see the options below:

• Southern Tasmania Poultry Club hold several amnesty events every year to assist with rehoming of unwanted poultry. Information about these events can be found on the Club’s Facebook page, or they can be contacted via Highveld@activ8.net.au
• The Raptor Refuge in Kettering will accept unwanted roosters if they have capacity, for a small fee.
• We also have a Tasmanian Devil wildlife carer in Sandford who accepts donated birds, which will be euthanised and used for wildlife food. He can be contacted via phone on 0409 998 774.

To help protect the Pacific Black Duck we run the Invasive Duck Removal Program, where we remove all invasive ducks from our waterways. These ducks can often not be rehomed, sometimes ducks are available for rehoming. If you would like to offer these ducks a home, please fill out our online general inquiry form to register your interest or call 6217 9500.

More duck resources

• If you need help identifying if a duck is native, a domestic mallard or mallard hybrid, you can send a photo to Pacific Black Duck Conservation Group at pacificblackduck@landcaretas.org.au or visit their Facebook page.
• Learn more about native ducks with the free Ducks of Tasmania booklet.
• Information about living with ducks can be found at Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania
• We also have our educational resources, including:

If you come across a snake, stay a safe distance away and do not disturb it. If you are bitten by a snake, call 000 immediately.

If you come across a snake of concern on your property and need it removed, contact Reptile Rescue Incorporated Tasmania 0499 116 690.  This is a volunteer network of fully insured snake handlers.

You will be asked to keep an eye on the snake from a safe distance until they get there to make the capture quicker.

To report a snake found in a council facility, such as a playground or amenities building, contact us on 03 6217 9500.

If you see a deceased marine mammal (whale, dolphin or seal) or seabird on one of our beaches, along the coastline or in a waterway, or find a bird or marine animal that has become entangled or stranded, please report it directly to the State Government’s Marine Conservation Program (MCP).

The MCP is responsible for monitoring and conservation of marine mammals and seabirds in Tasmania and determine what, if any, action may be taken in respect to marine life. 

City of Clarence is not able to take any action in respect to marine mammals or seabirds without the prior authority of MCP.

It might seem kind to feed wild birds but it’s best to let them find their own food in their natural environment.

Feeding any type of food to wild birds can affect their nutrition and natural behaviours. It also encourages more birds to gather in one area, leading to an increase in poo, and an increased risk of disease.

This includes all wild birds, including ducks, geese, gulls, swans, and cockatoos.

With the current risk of H5N1 avian influenza, it is really important that we do not encourage wild birds to gather around food and water sources.

The best things we can do to keep wild birds healthy are:

• do not feed wild birds

• do not leave water out for wild birds

• keep pet ducks, chickens, and other poultry safely contained

• keep pet bird food and water away from wild birds.

Some birds swoop during breeding season to protect their nests and young. This behaviour is usually temporary and usually only lasts a few weeks.

Stay safe by:

• avoiding the area where possible
• wear a hat
• stay calm and move through the area quickly without running
• cyclists should dismount and walk
• don’t approach nests or disturb birds.
  
  Report a swooping bird
  Spotted a swooping bird in Clarence? Report it through our contact us form. Include the location and details of the incident so our team can respond.