Starting this Thursday, visitors to Victoria’s stunning Phillip Island will have the unique opportunity to tour the region’s Nature Parks Wildlife Hospital.
The tours, open to groups of 20 (over the age of 12) will be held each day and reveal what goes on behind the scenes to nurse sick, injured and orphaned wildlife back to health. The wildlife hospital provides veterinary treatment and support to injured wildlife, helping rehabilitate them so that they can be released back into the wild.
Each year the PINP Wildlife Hospital treats 300 sick or injured penguins, possums, wallabies, raptors and large seabirds. The hands-on displays allow visitors to learn more about wildlife rehabilitation techniques, how rescuers handle an oil spill and the impacts of oil spills on wildlife. The tour includes a night viewing of the famous Penguin Parade from the Penguins Plus viewing platform and a hot drink.
Adding to the experience, visitors can also enjoy the new Phillip Island Bird Tour which includes a day of bird watching across Phillip Island’s bushland, wetland and coastal habitats.
Led by eco-accredited rangers with excellent knowledge of the local fauna, this promises to be a wonderful up-close encounter. It is little known, but Phillip Island is home to over 200 bird species and an IUCN Special Bird Area, with approximately one million Short-tailed Shearwaters calling the island home in spring and summer, and migratory birds including Bar-tailed Godwits, Curlew Sandpipers, Whimbrels, Red-necked Stints, Swift Parrots, Flame Robins and Swamp Harriers.
The tour begins at dawn and concludes with premium penguin viewing at the Penguin Parade at dusk.
For information and bookings, call 03 5951 2800 or visit www.penguins.org.au.
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