I need to report an injured or dead animal!
If during your survey — or at any other time — you find a threatened bird of prey that might have been electrocuted, call the TasNetworks fault line (132 004). For other potentially electrocuted species, call the number or fill in their online form.
More information on TasNetworks’ efforts to protect threatened birds.
Several specialist wildlife parks can advise and assist with injured birds and other animals:
Brighton – 0447 264 625
Mole Creek – 03 6363 6162
Kettering – 1800 727 867
North West – 0418 369 967
A bird of prey, or other animal that has died, can provide valuable information to researchers about the threats that the species is facing, and about wildlife health in general. Museums are always interested in receiving animal carcasses, for a huge range of research purposes — including the Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery — TMAG.
A dead animal (in suitable container only) can be dropped off at TMAG’s Rosny Collections and Research Facility by prior arrangement. Please provide details of the date, location and collector’s name at the time of submission.
Note that permits are required to hold or display the remains of Tasmanian wildlife.
Important! Do not approach an eagle’s nest during the breeding season! A breeding eagle may leave its nest if you come even within hundreds of metres of it (however well-meaning you are). Find out more and how to recognise eagle nests, on the Threatened Species Link.
Outside the breeding season, it is extremely helpful to record the location of a nest for the Tasmanian Government’s Natural Values Atlas. Standard environmental assessments (e.g. for development, forestry or other potentially disturbing human activities) include a check of information on this publicly available database. Nests are legally protected under Tasmania’s Nature Conservation Act.
Email your information to the Natural Values Atlas (support@naturalvaluesatlas.tas.gov.au). You’ll need to provide the date of your observation, precise details of the nest location, your name, any information on which species has used the nest, and preferably a photograph of the nest.
It’s not possible to detect population trends from reports of incidental sightings (sightings of animals whenever you happen to notice them), since numbers of reports vary greatly with people’s interest over the months and years, and with region. The gold standard for monitoring is for us all to follow the same survey method across Tasmania each year, and then see how the proportion of surveys that detect eagles changes over time. This is what we’re doing for Where? Where? Wedgie! (See Science).
Some NatureTrackers have developed a fantastic knowledge and familiarity with certain species from observations of individuals and families on their own properties. BirdLife Australia may be interested in your sightings, especially if you are willing to do their systematic surveys. Get started with BirdLife Australia’s Birdata web portal.
Seen a raptor or white cockatoo anywhere in Tasmania, but not within the standard 10-minute surveys? There are options to report these as part of Where? Where? Wedgie! using Section 4 ‘Other observations’ in the Where? Where? Wedgie! datasheets.
Alternatively, you can report your sighting through iNaturalist. See Apps for more information.
Many of us enjoy sharing our own incidental sightings. These could be useful in the case of:
You can report any incidental observations of plants and animals through iNaturalist. You can record crayfish chimneys for Claws on the Line this way, too.
If you have photos and videos you’re happy to share, they can also be a wonderful inspiration to future NatureTrackers and also help people learn to identify species. Please email us the full size files with details of how you are willing for them to be used. You might also like to share them on NatureTrackers’ and other social media pages.
