Wildlife

Wildlife emergencies

Contact the department to report wildlife emergencies relating to:

• cassowaries
• crocodiles in Queensland
• incidents where a person has been bitten or scratched by a bat or has had bat saliva or neural tissue come into contact with their eyes or other mucous membrane surfaces (e.g. inside the mouth)

To report all other wildlife emergencies such as sick, injured or orphaned animals, marine animal strikes or strandings, contact the RSPCA Qld.

Flooding and potentially dangerous wildlife

Flooding of waterways and low-lying areas can temporarily increase the mobility and distribution of potentially dangerous wildlife – particularly snakes and crocodiles – and as such these animals may be present in areas they do not usually inhabit. 

All crocodile sightings in Queensland should be reported to the CrocWatch hotline on 1300 130 372. The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection records and investigates all crocodile reports made by the public and will take appropriate action based on the potential safety risk posed by the animal. A summary of all current crocodile sightings and declared crocodiles of concern is available on the department’s CrocWatch page. Always remember that no natural waterway in crocodile country is ever 100% risk free, and the public should remain 'croc-wise' at all times when in and around crocodile habitat. 

Snakes found on premises can be removed and relocated by private snake catchers authorised under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. Contact details of local snake catchers can be obtained through the Yellow Pages or via the internet.

And somewhere nearby... there's wildlife

Whether it’s your backyard or a remote national park, one thing is certain: there is a native animal somewhere nearby. It may be as inconspicuous as a tiny spider tucked up in the corner of your ceiling or something more imposing like a three metre carpet python coiled around a roof truss in your carport.

We cross paths with wild animals throughout our lives—from our first encounters with storybook animals to those chance meetings with wildlife in the wild places where they live.

These encounters are most likely to be with animals that attract our attention: the colourful, the big, the unusual—and the few that find ways to annoy us or even put our safety at risk.

But there are the many animals we don’t notice and these are often the ones that are so common that they simply blend into the background noise of daily life. These animals are just waiting to be ‘discovered’ — all you have to do is stop and look. Curiosity and wildlife go hand in hand.

This part of the website is all about learning: learning how to understand and appreciate the wildlife around you and, more importantly, how to live safely alongside it.

Learning starts by asking the right questions:

• Where can I find out about Queensland’s native wildlife? 
• What wildlife is living around your home? 
• Are any of them dangerous?
• How can you learn more about your ‘wild neighbours’ and how to live alongside them?
• Where can I see wildlife?
• Are there any threatened species facing extinction right on your doorstep and what are we doing to ensure their survival?
• What threats do our wildlife face? 
• What happens if you find a baby wild animal on its own, or one that’s sick or hurt?
• What native animals can I keep, use or collect?
• What can you do to protect the wildlife living in Queensland?

This website will help you answer these questions. But no website has all the answers and, when it comes to learning about wildlife, you will need to link up with other ‘sites’… like your backyard, your local bushland, or your nearest national park.

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