Wild North Veterinary Hospital

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Wild North Veterinary Hospital Darwin’s only dedicated exotic pet and wildlife hospital.
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25/07/2025

Hook free and home 🏡 🐢 💜

* Story in previous post

🎣 Another day, another fish hook…Over the past few weeks, we've seen a sharp increase in wildlife injuries caused by fis...
25/07/2025

🎣 Another day, another fish hook…

Over the past few weeks, we've seen a sharp increase in wildlife injuries caused by fishing hooks and line entanglements. This spike has coincided with the Dry Season and school holidays — a time when more people are out enjoying our waterways.

In this case, a Northern Snapping Turtle (Elseya dentata) took the bait — literally — and was accidentally hooked. When the fishers couldn’t safely free him, they did the right thing and called Darwin Wildlife Sanctuary. Nalani responded quickly, collected the turtle, and brought him in to us at Wild North.

The hook was lodged deep in his oesophagus, just far enough to make removal tricky. Thankfully, with the help of a rabbit dental gag, we were able to retrieve it safely through his mouth — avoiding the need for invasive surgery through the neck.

A full clean-up and endoscopic exam followed to assess the damage, and the turtle spent a week with us recovering, receiving antibiotics and pain relief. Once he was back to full strength, he was released to swim another day. 🐢💚

Please fish responsibly — and dispose of fishing gear thoughtfully. It only takes one hook to cause a lot of harm.

💙🪶🪝 An Epic Story of Teamwork, Dedication, Rescue and Recovery: A Black-Necked Stork’s Journey 💙🪶🪝Recently a Black-necke...
21/07/2025

💙🪶🪝 An Epic Story of Teamwork, Dedication, Rescue and Recovery: A Black-Necked Stork’s Journey 💙🪶🪝

Recently a Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus), aka Jabiru, was spotted at East Arm by concerned boaters. He was seen with fishing line trailing from his mouth and wrapped tightly around his neck.

Darwin Wildlife Sanctuary sprung into action. Over five days, a team of dedicated carers and rescuers led by Nalani worked tirelessly to assess the situation, monitor the bird, and plan a safe capture. Weakened but still able to fly, he was gently coaxed into a specially designed net setup.

Once captured, he was rushed to Wild North Veterinary Hospital, where our team began immediate stabilisation. He received intravenous fluids for rehydration and pain relief, along with blood tests and radiographs to locate the hook and plan surgery. The fishing line was carefully removed from his neck and mouth.

The next day, he underwent surgery. The hook had lodged in his oesophagus just beyond the thoracic inlet, a difficult area to access. Using a guided tube and precise dissection, we successfully removed the hook with minimal trauma. The stork recovered beautifully from the anaesthetic.

Over the following 12 days, he received intensive care, fluids, antibiotics, pain relief, and vitamin B supplementation. He was fed small fish (mostly pilchards) to avoid stretching the surgical site, and he was sprayed daily with sea water to stimulate preening and keep his salt glands functioning.

Once strong and feisty again, he was ready for release. Yesterday, a team from Wild North and Darwin Wildlife Sanctuary returned him to his home at East Arm. Without hesitation, he soared straight into the sky, and did not look back!

👏A huge shout out to everyone involved in this stork’s epic journey from the first sighting to full recovery and release. The rescue team, Nalani, Anita, Alex, Ashia, Harley, Alex, Ally, Jaclyn, Amy, and Simona for their dedication and perseverance and nurses Jaimee, Lana, and Kacey for their expert surgical and post-operative care.

Fantastic effort all round. We couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome.

🙏 And a reminder to please dispose of fishing line and hooks responsibly. Wildlife depends on it. 🪝 🚮 ❤️

🌿 Backyard Baza Rescue 🌿This stunning Pacific Baza (Aviceda subcristata) was recently rescued by the wonderful Anita fro...
19/07/2025

🌿 Backyard Baza Rescue 🌿

This stunning Pacific Baza (Aviceda subcristata) was recently rescued by the wonderful Anita from Darwin Wildlife Sanctuary. She was found dazed and disoriented in someone’s backyard, likely after a collission with a window or car.

Thankfully, there were no fractures, just a mild concussion. With a few days of rest, pain relief, fluids and good food at Wild North, she quickly bounced back.

Once recovered, Anita returned her to a safe release site close to where she was found. Off she soared—strong, alert and ready to take to the skies once more! 💚

She is a stunning model so we took lot of pictures for you to enjoy ☺️ 🦅 💜

*Release video in the comments

🐍 Happy World Snake Day! 🐍Today we’re celebrating the beauty, diversity, and ecological importance of snakes.5 reasons w...
16/07/2025

🐍 Happy World Snake Day! 🐍

Today we’re celebrating the beauty, diversity, and ecological importance of snakes.

5 reasons why snakes are awesome:

🐭 Natural pest control. Many snakes eat rodents and insects, helping control pests and reduce disease spread.

🌿 Key to healthy ecosystems. Snakes are both predators and prey, playing an essential role in food webs.

😲 Amazing anatomy. Their flexible jaws and skulls allow them to swallow prey much larger than their heads.

💉 Venom with medical value. Snake venom is used in developing treatments for conditions like high blood pressure and blood clots.

🌍 Masters of adaptation. Found almost everywhere on Earth, snakes thrive in deserts, forests, oceans and even cities.

Here’s a few pics of some of the beauties we’ve had the pleasure of working with recently.

15/07/2025

And he’s off! 🌳💜🌳

This Northern Brown Bandicoot (Isoodon macrourus) came to us after being hit by a car.

Thankfully, he had no broken bones, just a mild concussion. After a short stay for rest, pain relief, and some good food, he made a full recovery and has now bounced back to the wild where he belongs.

Please take care when driving, especially at dawn and dusk, when our native wildlife is most active.

Sake and Goku’s gender reveal 🦜💙🩷Recently, Goku, Nico, Luka, and Tuki, all Green-cheeked Conures, along with Sake, a Cri...
13/07/2025

Sake and Goku’s gender reveal 🦜💙🩷

Recently, Goku, Nico, Luka, and Tuki, all Green-cheeked Conures, along with Sake, a Crimson-bellied Conure, came in with their mum Ally for their annual health check.

Each bird received a full physical examination and a faecal test to check for parasites. We also collected feather samples from Sake and Goku for DNA s*x determination.

Many parrot species, including conures, are not s*xually dimorphic — meaning you can’t tell their s*x just by looking at them. Instead, we use a feather or blood sample to determine their s*x through DNA testing.

And the results . . .

It was a pleasure seeing this super cheeky little flock again!

🪿 So Long, and Thanks for the Fish! 🐟A Pelican’s Recovery ❤️ 🐟 🌊 Recently, we had the pleasure of caring for an Australi...
12/07/2025

🪿 So Long, and Thanks for the Fish! 🐟

A Pelican’s Recovery ❤️ 🐟 🌊

Recently, we had the pleasure of caring for an Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) who was found wandering around East Arm, unable to fly. Thankfully, he was rescued by the wonderful Anita and Keira from Darwin Wildlife Sanctuary and brought straight to us at Wild North.

On admission, he was stabilised with intravenous fluids and pain relief. Diagnostics included full-body radiographs, blood tests, and a faecal exam. Results showed a high intestinal parasite load, mild anaemia, and an inflammatory leukogram – characterised by a heterophilia and eosinophilia – indicating a significant infection and worm burden.

Seabirds with high parasite loads are at risk of serious gastric infections, as worms can damage the stomach and intestinal lining, leading to ulcers, abscesses or even perforation.

He was treated with a course of antiparasitics, antibiotics, ongoing fluid therapy, and an enormous amount of fish! A huge thank you to the amazing community who donated, caught, and delivered fish to support his recovery.

After two weeks of dedicated care, his blood results returned to normal, his strength improved, and his feathers were waterproof – an essential test before release.

Today, we’re thrilled to report he has spread his wings and returned to the ocean, soaring back to join his pelican colony.

🐟💙 Safe travels little pelican, and to our community thanks again for the fish.

🪝 Eastern Reef Egret – Fishing Hook Injury 🪝This Eastern Reef Egret (Egretta sacra) was found by a concerned member of t...
06/07/2025

🪝 Eastern Reef Egret – Fishing Hook Injury 🪝

This Eastern Reef Egret (Egretta sacra) was found by a concerned member of the public who noticed fishing line protruding from her beak. The bird was easily captured and contained indicating she was severely debilitated.

On presentation to Wild North Veterinary Hospital, she was extremely weak, markedly dehydrated, and in poor body condition. Under general anaesthesia, a fish hook was found lodged in and perforating through the wall of the stomach.

Due to her critical condition, the anaesthetic was challanging, so the procedure was kept short. She experienced an apnoeic episode and required assisted ventilation. An intravenous catheter was placed in the cutaneous ulnar vein to administer fluids, glucose, and antibiotics.

Following a period of stabilisation, she underwent surgery the next day. The hook was cut below the barb and carefully removed via the oral cavity. The hole in her stomach was surgically repaired, and the stomach was lavaged to reduce bacterial contamination.

Post-operatively, she has shown steady improvement and is now voluntarily eating small pieces of fish. She remains under intensive care and will require ongoing rehabilitation to restore her body condition and flight capacity.

🎣 We currently seeing a large number of wildlife with fish hook injuries. Please always dispose of fishing waste responsibly. Discarded hooks and line pose a serious risk to our native wildlife. 🐟 🪝

03/07/2025

Home ❤️ 🐢 💜

01/07/2025

📣 Callout for help from our local fishos! 🎣

We currently have a gorgeous - and hungry! - Australian Pelican in intensive care with the incredible team at Wild North Veterinary Hospital and we are reaching out to our amazing community to help get fish for our feathered friend!

If you are a keen fisher, or know someone who is, who could help out with a few fresh fish that would be amazing! Or perhaps you have a few whole fish hanging out in the freezer you could send our way - please do!

All fishy donations can be dropped directly to Wild North Vet in Winnellie between 7:30am and 5pm Monday to Friday 🐟🐟🐟

Please note - frozen fish is fine as pelican food, but it must be human-grade - not fishing bait

🎆 Territory Day is nearly here! 🎆While fireworks can be fun for us, they can be terrifying for our pets. Not just dogs a...
28/06/2025

🎆 Territory Day is nearly here! 🎆

While fireworks can be fun for us, they can be terrifying for our pets. Not just dogs and cats. Rabbits, reptiles, birds, rats, and guinea pigs can all get frightened by the loud noises and flashing lights.

When scared, animals may panic and even escape. That’s why we recommend microchipping all pets – even the unusual ones – so they can be safely returned if they get lost.

Here are some simple ways to help keep your pets calm and safe:

🐰 Rabbits & Guinea Pigs

*Bring out door animals inside before dark.
*Keep them in a secure cage or pen in a quiet room.
*Add extra soft bedding or towels, so they don’t hurt them selves if they get spooked.
*Cover part of the cage with a towel or blanket to give them a sense of security (just make sure there’s still airflow).
*Avoid too much handling during fireworks as they may bolt or become more stressed.

🦎 Reptiles

*Double-check that tanks are secure and can’t be knocked over.
*Cover enclosures to reduce light flashes.

🐦 Birds

*Move cages away from windows.
*A light sheet over the cage can help reduce flashes and sudden sounds.

🐭 Rats & Other Small Mammals

*Offer extra nesting material so they can burrow and hide.
*Keep them in a quiet space, away from the action.
*Familiar scents or treats can help with comfort.

🎶 Playing calming music or leaving the TV on can help all pets feel a bit more relaxed. And don’t forget – they’ll take their cues from you, so staying calm yourself can really help.

If you need advice, want to check your pet’s microchip details, or need to get your pet microchipped give us a call.

Stay safe, and have a happy Territory Day from all of us at Wild North 💚

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Opening Hours

Monday 07:30 - 17:00
Tuesday 07:30 - 17:00
Wednesday 07:30 - 17:00
Thursday 07:30 - 17:00
Friday 07:30 - 17:00

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+61879268909

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