Fruit tree netting

Unsafe fruit tree netting can trap and kill flying foxes and birds. If you want to protect your fruit with netting, you must only use wildlife safe netting. Netting with a mesh aperture (hole size) of 5mm X 5mm or less when fully stretched is safe. If you can poke a little finger through the net it is not wildlife safe.

A good alternative to netting a whole tree is using net bags or fruit socks to protect bunches of fruit or individual branches. Leave what you don’t need to share with wildlife. Remove old netting that is not protecting fruit and check netted trees every day to ensure the nets are not loose and that no animals are trapped.

If you see netting that is not safe for wildlife, you can print off the letter from Wildlife Victoria and put it in the letterbox.

Poisons and baits

Avoid using poisons and baits as these may kill non-target animals. Rat poison may kill owls and other native animals, while snail pellets will kill blue tongue lizards. These products pose a risk to children as well as pets.

Safe Cat, Safe Wildlife

Keeping your cat indoors or in an outdoor enclosure will keep them and wildlife safe. For ideas on keeping kitty happy visit Safe Cat, Safe Wildlife. 

Fishponds and pools

Water in your garden may attract frogs and birds, but make sure anything that falls into the water has a way to climb out again. You can use rocks and branches or a “frog log” in your pool. Find out more information on how to build a frog pond.

Water for wildlife

Put water out for wildlife in summer.  Make sure anything that falls in can climb out again (use stones and sticks), and change the water regularly to prevent mosquitoes breeding.

Slow down on the road

Wildlife are at risk on our roads. Observe speed limits and slow down in wet weather and when it is dark, dawn or dusk. If you hit a bird or mammal, stop and check. Call Wildlife Victoria for help. A possum or kangaroo may have a surviving joey (baby) in its pouch that can be saved.