6/18/2019 0 Comments HELP- DONATE 2 BUY ASAPWe have found our local Aldi has these super sized boxes of Sensitive Laundry powder in stock. They are just $15 and we are sure, they won't last long!
We would love to buy boxes to donate to busy shelters. Each box can help do more than 70 loads of towels, pouches and bedding! Carers do many loads of washing and if we can buy some of these to donate- it means they can use their money towards fuel, joey milk, formula, feed etc. If you live near Diamond Creek and want to buy them and drop them off, you can leave them in my yellow donation bins at 16 Parook Court, Diamond Creek If you can't get to the shops or me- you can donate the money and I will buy them. CLICK HERE to buy online.
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5/13/2019 0 Comments Pet Bed DonationsA BIG...HUGE THANK YOU to everyone that supported my call for pet beds over the weekend. I was blown away by the response and am so very thankful to everyone that donated money to buy them OR delivered them to my donation bins. Stay tuned over the coming weeks to watch where they get distributed too. I am sure that the carers will be VERY happy and their joey's will be even more happy, warm and snuggly in them. I honestly can't believe the response. We got............ 36 beds in total with a couple more being donated this week. I really can't wait to give them out and to share them with everyone. Thank you to Krysti from Rescue Rehabilitate Release for this beautiful example of a joey in a pet bed. 5/13/2019 0 Comments Meeting Dr Jane GoodallWatch Libby's Presentation - CLICK HERE4/8/2019 0 Comments Dutch Thunder April DonationDONATION MADE!
Yesterday Libby spent her first day up at Dutch Thunder Wildlife Shelter volunteering once again. She was sooooo excited to be able to surprise Kylee and James with some massive donations! THANK YOU to everyone that makes these donations possible. Together we ARE making a difference for our wildlife and in particular- our koalas. So here is what Libby donated-
If you'd like to know of ways you can support Libby's work- please visit her website. There are MANY ways you can help! 3/20/2019 0 Comments Pretty Foundation Awards 2019About the Pretty Foundation: Empowering women and girls with the perspective, skills and support to develop and nurture a positive body image for themselves and others. Libby was nominated by one of her followers- Judy. It was an honour for Libby to be chosen as the winner of the Pretty Pioneering Award. Read about her entry HERE A thank you from Libby-
I would like to thank the Pretty Foundation for choosing me for the “Pretty Pioneering” award and recognising my work. I’d like to congratulate all the other amazing and inspiring award winners in their categories. It was a fantastic night. I’d really like to thank Judy who nominated me and for helping support my cause. Without wonderful people like Judy supporting my work I wouldn’t be able to do what I do. I don’t do any of this work for awards but when I am lucky enough to have my cause recognised, I use the opportunity to share my work and the plight of our koalas and wildlife with others. Koalas are my passion as is all wildlife but koalas especially need us with habitat destruction being a major threat. In New South Wales and Queensland, koalas could be extinct in the wild by 2050 if we don’t start doing something. if we don’t start helping to save our Victorian koalas, we could lose them all as well in years to come. At the moment I am spreading awareness that koalas need us. Victorian koalas are suffering due to Sarcoptic mange in the north and habitat loss (and its ripple effects) everywhere else. Our koalas have no government protection, so I do what I can to spread the message that they need help. At the end of a market day I don’t think about how much money i have raised but I reflect on how many people I spoke to and how many people I taught something new to or inspire, because at the end of the day it’s our voices that are going to help our wildlife the most. I try to show kids that you don’t have to be an adult to do something. I’d like to thank all of my followers and my community because they all encourage me to do what I do. They have all helped so much from whether it be donating money or linen or just motivating me with their encouraging words and messages. Together we are doing amazing things for our wildlife. As we celebrate international women’s day today and with these awards, I would like to thank the women in my life that have supported and inspire me. There are lots of people that i have in my life but I have three that I would like to mention today. Kylee (from Dutch Thunder Wildlife Shelter) Janet (from Macarthur) and Krysti (from Rescue Rehabilitate Release). They are my biggest supporters, my biggest cheerleaders and inspire me. They share their stories with me, have opened up their lives to me, have shared their passions, have encouraged me and inspired me to use my voice to inspire others and help our wildlife. Finally, I would like to also thank the people who have supported me since the day one They are my biggest supporters, who have given up so much of their time to support me through everything. They have given me the best opportunities in life and I am so thankful for everything that they have done for me. They are my family. The have encouraged me to follow my passion, be a leader and to inspire others by the work that I do. None of the work I do would be possible if it wasn’t for my followers, those that I meet in the wildlife world, my mentors and my family. Thank you to everyone who has helped spread my message that No voice it too little, no hands are too small, to help save our wildlife. because it is our voices, passion and motivation that will save them. Thank you Libby 1/30/2019 2 Comments Cobram CourierI was excited to be asked to comment about my time at Dutch Thunder Wildlife Shelter. Holly from the Cobram Courier saw the video of the rescue Kylee and I did and contacted us for comment. I was thrilled to see that they used photos of me to promote the work that Dutch Thunder do and that they shared a bit about what I did on my visit and what Kylee thought of me.
I was so happy that I was invited up to Dutch Thunder Wildlife Shelter to see James Leonard and Kylee Donkers receive their Australia Day Citizens of the Year Awards. It's amazing that their work and dedication was recognised. Thank you to the people that nominated them which has bought more awareness to the work that they do. It was also awesome that the Koala Project and the wildlife work that the shelter and the volunteers do was recognised with the Australia Day Community Organisation of the Year and with this article, more awareness will be raised within the community. Spreading the message and raising money for this cause is very close to my heart and I am happy to be a part of raising awareness. Thank you Holly for these amazing articles and helping us get the word out. If you would like to help me support the work that Dutch Thunder do, you can donate to my online fundraiser- EVERY dollar helps! xx Libby https://chuffed.org/project/libbys-koala-crusade-2019… 1/22/2019 0 Comments First Koala RescueI am currently staying with James and Kylee at Dutch Thunder Wildlife Shelter in Koonoomoo (Northern Victoria). On Sunday, January 20th, we got a call out for a koala sitting in the river. We quickly grabbed some equipment and jumped in the car. When we got there we could hardly see this koala. It was very lucky that a farmer had seen her and made the important call that helped get her out. I still can't believe that I was a part of this rescue and I am so thankful that Kylee asked my mum to film this for her and that it went so smoothly. In the video you can see the green laundry basket that we used to put the koala in. I was so happy that Kylee used this basket. Thank you to Home Leisure in Mulgrave, Victoria who donated 20 of these baskets to my cause. Rescuers use these for all kinds of rescues or transporting of wildlife. We all think they are just for laundry but they are valuable pieces of equipment for wildlife rescuers- not just to hold the loads and loads of pouches and blankets that they wash each day. I donated 16 of these to Dutch Thunder to use for rescues. Unfortunately this koala didn't survive. We bought her into care. Checked her for Sarcoptic Mange (which fortunately she didn't have) and Kylee gave her a check over, some fluids and left her in a quiet enclosure with some leaf. She didn't touch her leaf at all and I found her the following day on one of my many "koala rounds" deceased. She didn't die in a river which I am thankful for. I just wish we could have done more for her. But a HUGE thank you to the man that noticed her and called her in. This phone call helped this koala spend her final hours being loved and cared for. 1/12/2019 0 Comments Macarthur Visit Jan 2019
In July 2018, we met Janet in Werribee and gave her two sets of scales that I purchased for her. They were $350. She was so happy and couldn't wait to use them. Finally on January 5th, mum and I were able to make the near 4hr drive down to Macarthur and spend a weekend with Janet. It was AMAZING! She couldn't wait to show us around her new treatment room! Its incredible and has changed her life and the way she can treat koalas. How amazing does it look! With the help of her local Men's Shed, it didn't cost her the world. With my donations through 2018, I was able to help build this room. It was not all koalas on the weekend. Janet's daughter Jade, took me out for a ride on one of her horses. It was so much fun- i Loved it! was very sore but it was worth it. We also got to be "tourists" and got to go see the beach. I LOVE the beach! We got to go out with Janet and see what threats koalas in her region are facing. The main threat is harvesting in Blue Gum Plantations. Blue gum Plantation Koalas Koalas cannot move through plantations once they have been harvested. The ground is covered with slash (timber, bark, chips from the harvesting) and they don't feel safe or sometimes are physically not able to move through it. They strip the trees they are in until there is nothing left. They are more vulnerable to predators both on ground and in the sky and are exposed to more weather and wind with no shelter from the "forest." Whilst harvesting, they are not always detected in trees until they are harvested causing death or life threatening injuries. There needs to be more laws to protect them in plantations and more effort in ensuring they are protected when harvesting. They are not given any habitat corridors within coupes and it is expected that they will simply move to other trees. This is NOT possible. Koalas are territorial and have a home range- even in plantations. Koalas are forced to move and in doing so, - cross roads and are hit by cars - they wander onto farmlands and into backyards where they are attacked by dogs or trampled by livestock. Young koala in a formally harvested plantation Stranded koala in harvested plantation We need to increase protection for them. We need to ensure they have habitat saved if they are found in coupes prior to harvesting. They need wildlife corridors within coupes and surrounding coupes. They need safe passages between trees in harvested coupes (clearing the land of slash immediately). They need more protection. What can you do to help?Use only environmentally friendly toilet paper, tissues, paper towel, PAPER- ANY paper products. These trees are being made into paper. Either here in Australia or being shipped through our ports to China to be made into paper products. This is NOT being made into building materials - its been made into PAPER. The more paper you can use that is made from recycled products- the better! If you are buying timber- only buy timber that is ethically sourced. 'Well managed' according to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) principles. Found adjoining a plantation Found IN plantations I had the most amazing weekend at Macarthur. I learned lots, had lots of fun and was inspired to help Koalas in other ways. Thank you Janet and Jade for having my mum and I. We can't wait to come back again SOON!
10/13/2018 0 Comments October DonationsA very big THANK YOU to everyone that came to my recent Wildlife Exhibition. For those of you that missed it- i made a short guided tour video to show you around. I am still working on it and hope to upload it soon. During the 3 weeks of my exhibition i spoke to LOTS of people and got the message about ways to help save our wildlife, out there. People were surprised to learn lots of things- from a wombats pouch that faces backwards, that a "sprayed" dead animal does not mean that council are coming (it means that it has been checked for a pouch or young baby), how wombats are treated for mange and most importantly- that koalas need our help and are listed as a VULNERABLE species. I was also lucky enough to raise $1,233.70 for my 3 koala groups. Since my exhibition closed I have also raised some more money and tonight- I donated $1,801.98. You can help me to raise money for these groups by donating to my online fundraiser- CLICK HERE Here are some updates from my 3 groups Janet- MacArthur Western Victoria
Dutch Thunder Wildlife ShelterDutch were very lucky to have recently received a grant BUT, they still need to raise $30,000.00 towards getting researchers to come to the area to study how scabies is affecting the koala population. There is NO treatment or cure for Sarcoptic mange (scabies) in koalas and they are dying in alarming numbers from this. They are working really closely with Melbourne University, Sydney University and Tooronga Zoo's Infectious Disease Department. Read more about Dutch Thunder HERE They have started a Koala Sighting page to try and keep up with their koala populations and hopefully their health. MURRAY RIVER KOALA SIGHTINGS so if you are along the Victorian/NSW border and happen to spot a koala- share your sighting. Australia Zoo - Wildlife Visionary Warrior
Thank you everyone for helping me to SAVE OUR KOALAS!
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HAPPY WORLD WOMBAT DAY This is a great image that shows how much at risk our wombats actually are. Did you know how endangered the Northern Hairy Nose wombat is? Next time you are talking to someone about wildlife- maybe mention this? If you are doing a project on an animal- maybe look at choosing an australian animal that is endangered to raise some awareness for it. We often think of international animals when we think "endangered" but there are so many of our own animals that are at risk of extinction! |
Watch this video to see how fast a wombat is- I bet you didn't think they were this fast! CLICK LINK
Also disease. I have collected milk caps to go onto wombat mange treatment flaps. It is treatable in wombats (but not in koalas) so if you see one that's effected by mange- call it in. Wombats all over Australia need our help- here are some links to groups that you can support that help our wombats. Click on name for websites- |
Author
My name is Libby and I am 13 years old. I am a Koala Crusader- raising money and awareness for our VULNERABLE koala's and spreading messages about our wildlife that we are lucky enough to live WITH. These are stories written by ME!
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