Protecting our wildlife

Our campus grounds are home to a wide range of native wildlife.  

We're committed to protecting these species by maintaining natural habitats and food sources.  

Most of the time, animals and humans co-exist peacefully. Occasionally, the balance is disrupted. When this happens, animals can become: 

  • overly dominant or assertive, especially when food is involved – this most often happens with birds, including crows and ibises, both of which are prevalent in many areas of South East Queensland
  • sick, injured or orphaned, and might need our help. 

We can all play our part in protecting native species on campus. 

What to do if you find injured wildlife 

If you find a sick, injured, or orphaned animal on campus: 

  • assess whether the animal needs rescuing, is in immediate danger, sick or injured – young birds on the ground are often still being cared for by their parents
  • do not attempt to handle animals, especially those that can cause serious injury or disease such as bats or snakes
  • do not offer food or water as feeding an animal in shock can be fatal. 

Report injured wildlife

  • St Lucia – Call PF Assist on (07) 3365 2222 (8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday – Friday) 
  • Gatton – Call UQ VETS Small Animal Hospital on (07) 5460 1788 (7am to 10pm daily) 

Outside business hours or at other campuses  

Contact the RSPCA or a local wildlife carer organisation. 

Report injuries or safety concerns 

If you're injured during a wildlife encounter or need to report a safety concern, contact Security. 

Staff should also notify their Health Safety and Wellness representative to log a UQSafe incident. 

How you can keep wildlife safe 

  • Don’t feed wildlife. Feeding native animals can cause them to become dependent on your food source. This means they can become aggressive towards people as they lose their ability to forage for natural foods and instead learn to achieve a food reward through attacking and taking food. 
  • Dispose of food scraps in the appropriate bins to avoid animals accessing the food. 
  • Never feed introduced animals such as feral cats, this can increase their population and devastate native species. 
  • Dispose of all rubbish and don’t litter to prevent harm to wildlife. Plastics and other rubbish can lead to choking or can get tangled around animals’ bodies. It can also interfere with their living spaces and sources of food and water. 
  • Respect wildlife habitats – avoid disturbing animals or their young. 
  • Move away from problem areas rather than confronting animals. 

How we respond to wildlife issues 

Many campus animals are protected species under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.  

There are laws around what we are all allowed to do, and how we must manage and interact with Australian native wildlife and protected species. 

When we become aware of safety concerns or other problems with wildlife on our campuses, we do our best to restore the balance in that environment. Our approach includes: 

  • erecting signs and distributing warnings when aggressive wildlife is reported 
  • using stickers in dining areas to alert people to problematic wildlife 
  • engaging wildlife experts and implementing management plans to relocate animals if needed 
  • managing invasive species using approved and humane methods.