2025 Eco Centre Wildlife Rescues (Wrap Up)
Over the years, our Eco Centre has been fortunate to be involved in some truly memorable wildlife rescues. Surrounded by Tangalooma’s rich diversity of animals, our team occasionally encounters wildlife in need of a helping hand. Thankfully, our passionate and dedicated Eco Rangers are always ready to assist, and they’ve put together a wrap-up of some of their rescue efforts from 2025.
During the year our team assisted with a wide range of rescues, including a baby sugar glider, several species of sea turtles, sea and shore birds, and even sea snakes. Many of these animals were transferred to Brisbane to receive the treatment they needed. We also work closely with Marine Parks and National Parks, who often bring stranded animals to Tangalooma so we can help coordinate their care. In addition, we work closely with the Twinnies which is an incredible sea and shore bird rescue organisation.
While we’re proud of the work we do, the reality is that many of these rescues could have been prevented. Rubbish and discarded fishing line remain two of the biggest threats to wildlife in our area. Plastic waste can be mistaken for food, while fishing line and hooks can cause serious lifelong injuries. Simple actions make a powerful difference, so please always place rubbish in bins, dispose of fishing gear responsibly, and reel in lines when wildlife is nearby. By caring for our land and marine life, we help ensure these animals remain a thriving part of Tangalooma for generations to come.
Rescue Stories:
Baby Welcome Swallow:
A guest alerted our team after finding a fledgling Welcome Swallow outside the Beach Café, alone and unable to fly. The young bird was brought to the Eco Centre, where it was taken care of to help restore its strength. Once stabilised, our rangers returned the fledgling to the area where it had been found, hoping its parents were still nearby.
The outcome couldn’t have been better! Almost immediately, the fledgling became more alert and began calling out, soon attracting the attention of its parents. The young swallow managed to leave the box on its own and flew straight to them, where it was promptly fed. Over the following days, the fledgling was spotted flying with its family — an amazing outcome and a perfect example of why reuniting young wildlife with their parents whenever possible is so important.
Cormorant:
Cormorants are a challenging bird to rescue, requiring a great deal of patience and precision due to their tendency to fly off if disturbed. As they are often found with fishing gear entanglements, our Eco Rangers conduct daily observations in case any help is needed. During one of these routine observations, our team spotted a cormorant with a fishing hook embedded in its chest and fishing line tightly wrapped around its back. Our Eco Rangers gathered the necessary equipment and waited for the right moment to intervene.
Thanks to the skill and calm approach of one of our rangers, the bird was safely caught without causing further stress or injury. The barb of the hook was carefully cut, allowing it to be removed safely, and all remaining fishing line was cleared away. With no ongoing injuries, the cormorant was released back into the wild on site — a fantastic outcome made possible by teamwork, patience, and experience.
Plover:
What began as the discovery of a single, lone plover chick soon developed into a much larger rescue effort. Over several days, our team became aware of four separate chicks that had been found without adults nearby. After careful monitoring and persistence, our staff were able to locate the parents and successfully reunite all four chicks with them.
Further investigation revealed an unexpected cause — the plovers had chosen to nest on the roof of a nearby building. Once the chicks hatched, they fell from the edge of the roof, which is when guests began finding them. This behaviour is highly unusual, as plovers are typically ground-nesting birds. Unfortunately, in this case, the unconventional nesting site didn’t work out as planned. Thanks to the quick actions of staff and guests, however, the chicks were safely returned to their parents, resulting in another positive outcome for local wildlife.
Pelican:
One of our staff members spotted a pelican with a fishing hook lodged in its bill. Acting quickly, our team was able to safely capture the bird and successfully remove the hook. The rescue was made more challenging by the curiosity of nearby pelicans, who gathered closely to investigate what was happening. Despite the distraction, the hook was removed without further injury, and the pelican was able to be released shortly after.
Turtle:
Throughout 2025, our team responded to multiple sea turtle rescues. Sadly, many of the turtles that wash up on our beaches are suffering from what is known as floating syndrome, a condition most commonly caused by the ingestion of plastic. Affected turtles become excessively buoyant and are unable to dive properly, placing them at serious risk of boat strikes, starvation, and dehydration.
When a turtle is brought into our care, our primary focus is to keep it calm, comfortable, and stable while we coordinate transport to specialist facilities in Brisbane. There, the turtles can receive the veterinary treatment they need, giving them the best possible chance of recovery and eventual release back into the wild.