We are an office of animal lovers. Features editor Alley Pascoe follows more dogs on Instagram than people, managing editor Lulu Dougherty can often be found at her desk watching videos of clever kittens and fashion director Jana Pokorny has been known to style her Boston terrier Banjo in a Dior necktie.
When we came back after the Christmas break to the news that over a billion animals had perished this bushfire season we, like the rest of the world, were heartbroken and when we saw the adorable face of Tink the Koala Joey – our favourite new cover girl – at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and Hospital, we knew we needed to do something to shore up her future.
In February we have pledged to donate $1 of every issue sold to charities who assist in the recovery and conservation of our native wildlife. Below are the four charities we have chosen to support.
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and Hospital
Located in QLD the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and Hospital is one of the busiest wildlife hospitals in the world, home to a population of some 1000 native wildlife species (including Tink!), participating in over 16 wildlife conservation projects and experiencing a 20 per cent increase in admissions since the bushfire season started in November 2019. Your donation will be used immediately to help treat and care for the wildlife patients admitted to Currumbin Wildlife Hospital every day.
For more information visit https://currumbinsanctuary.com.au/
WIRES
WIRES (NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service Inc.) has been rescuing and caring for wildlife for over 30 years and is the largest wildlife rescue organisation in Australia, operating 365 days a year assisting the community to help native animals in distress. With the fires destroying unprecedented amounts of habitat, food shortages have increased and lack of suitable habitat will be a significant long-term challenge for surviving wildlife. Your donations help WIRES to rescue and care for more native animals, provide more wildlife information and education to the community, to protect and preserve native animals and to train and support more volunteer rescuers and carers.
For more information visit https://www.wires.org.au/
Wildlife Victoria
Wildlife Victoria is a not-for-profit charity connecting sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife in Victoria with the help they need. Their primary function is responding to community reports of distressed wildlife and facilitating the care needed. With no government funding, donations are needed to Keep the Wildlife Emergency Response Service operating 7 days a week and to train and support more volunteer rescuers and transporters to attend wildlife emergencies around the state. As the bushfire crisis continues to present major challenges to native wildlife more funding and support is needed to facilitate the rescue and rehabilitation of injured and in danger animals.
For more information visit https://www.wildlifevictoria.org.au/
Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park Fund
The Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park fund has been set up to care for the significant number of koalas and other native species that have been injured in the Kangaroo Island fires. It is reported that the koala population on the island has dwindled from 46,000 to 9,000 since the bushfires started. The park has been treating new koalas as they come in each day with pain relief, antibiotics as well as building new infrastructure to provide a new home for the wild animals as they are rehabilitated before they can be released back into the wild.
For more information visit https://kangarooislandwildlifepark.com/
On behalf of everyone at marie claire, the charities receiving your donations and our fury friends like little Tink, thank you for your support.
