Wildlife Emergency Support Network

Wildlife Emergency Support Network's purpose

The purpose of the Wildlife Emergency Support Network (WESN) is to improve wildlife welfare outcomes through the development of a network of trained and accredited individuals from across the veterinary and wildlife welfare sectors who can be deployed as part of wildlife emergency response activities for bushfire and extreme heat events.

Image: Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

WESN background

Under the Emergency Management Act 2013 (EM Act) and the State Emergency Management Plan (SEMP), the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) is the lead agency for responding to wildlife welfare arising from a declared emergency, including bushfire and extreme heat events.

DEECA's approach to managing injured wildlife during emergencies is to, while maintaining human safety, minimise harm and suffering and ensure that animals are treated humanely. Critical to the successful implementation of the response arrangements are partnerships across agencies and with non-government organisations, communities and individuals.

The WESN was established to assist during emergency response activities for bushfire events where wildlife is impacted. It brings together non-government organisations, wildlife rescuers, rehabilitators and wildlife transporters, general practice veterinarians and veterinary nurses, wildlife veterinarians and veterinary nurses and zookeepers.

The WESN is a partnership for the targeted recruitment, training, accreditation and pre deployment coordination of veterinary services and wildlife rehabilitator or rescue volunteers, who can assist DEECA in undertaking response activities when requested.

The WESN assists with the supply of trained and accredited veterinary professionals and volunteers to be deployed into defined wildlife emergency roles at the request of DEECA, including:

• Veterinarians (field or triage unit based)
• Veterinary nurses
• Triage assistants
• Wildlife volunteers (wildlife rehabilitators, rescuers or transporters).

Watch the video below for a closer look at WESN's first bushfire deployment.

Coordination of the WESN

Drawing from experiences is 2023-24, a new model for the WESN partnership will be delivered to better reflect DEECA and Zoos Victoria's complementary areas of expertise. DEECA remains the lead agency and from 2024-25 will now manage the WESN Coordination functions to respond to wildlife welfare issues caused by fire in Victoria. For further information, please contact us at WESN@deeca.vic.gov.au.

Zoos Victoria will support the WESN in an advisory role, bringing expertise in the clinical assessment of wildlife impacted by emergencies.

WESN timeline 2024

The following activities will be undertaken this year to strengthen and prepare the WESN to help wildlife impacted by bushfire emergency events.