The SMWS team is always ready to assist any animal in need. They have experience helping a variety of creatures, from injured koalas to orphaned joeys, providing essential care for wildlife.
However, sometimes a situation calls for a quick and simple solution – just a little assistance to help the animal get back on its feet (or in this case, back on all fours and its tail!).
Recently, they were contacted about a unique case. A lace monitor, a large lizard, was seen up in a tree with an unwanted accessory – a white plastic ring tightly wrapped around its neck.
The problem? Thrown-away garbage. The brave lace monitor stumbled upon a plastic oil drum ring during its adventure and, sadly, the ring got stuck around its neck.
This was a big danger to the lizard’s health and safety. Thankfully, a group of skilled professionals were prepared to handle any wildlife emergency.
Among them was Kobie, a reptile expert who was always ready to help. He rushed out to locate the troubled lizard.
When Kobie arrived, he saw the lace monitor sitting on a tree branch, too high for him to reach. He knew he had to climb up there to rescue it!
So, he skillfully made his way up the tree and carefully grabbed the lizard. After safely bringing it down, he removed the plastic ring that was stuck around its neck.
After a checkup, he found out that the lizard was healthy and had no lasting injuries from the plastic.
Even though the rescue went well, it was a clear example of how much humans can affect animals. Trash that is left behind can be dangerous to animals, leading to injuries and fatalities.
So, the rescuers took the chance to talk about the importance of throwing away trash properly on their Facebook post, mentioning:
“This is a timely reminder to please make sure we keep rubbish in bins and out of waterways, parks and streets where native wildlife could find themselves in a bit of mischief. Not all rescues have a happy ending but a quick response, knowledgable volunteers and help from members of the public makes all the difference.”
Thanks to nice folks like Kobie and the whole crew, this lace monitor was given another opportunity.
They are really good at what they do and it helps these poor animals a lot. We should all pitch in to keep our surroundings tidy and make sure these cool creatures can live happily!