World Class Wildlife Hospital Under Threat Of Closure In Byron Bay

BYRON BAY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 03: "Sprout", a baby (joey) Swamp Wallaby whose mother was killed in a car accident where she survived by being thrown out of the pouch and onto the road on June 03, 2024 in Byron Bay, Australia. An all-species wildlife hospital reliant on donations and sponsorship is at risk of closure as a 70% increase in patients drives up costs. The Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital is the only multi-species wildlife hospital operating in the richly biodiverse north of the state of New South Wales in Australia. Opened in 2020, it operates 7 days a week and has treated almost 7000 sick, injured and orphaned native animals, including hundreds of threatened species patients. Custom-built inside a 22-wheel semi-trailer truck, the wildlife hospital can also be deployed to a natural disaster like a bushfire or flood to treat impacted wildlife. The registered charity's services are provided free of charge, and it receives no government funding. It is seeking tax-deductible donations and sponsorship to continue operating. (Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images)