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Read moreIFAW supports evacuations and rescues in Australia amidst Cyclone Alfred
IFAW supports evacuations and rescues in Australia amidst Cyclone Alfred
7 March 2025
Tropical Cyclone Alfred continues to defy weather forecasts and has slowed down just off Australia’s east coast, near the border between Queensland and New South Wales. This has extended the event, with already flooded areas now still expecting at least another 24 hours of heavy rain and strong winds.
A wet koala hanging to a branch in the wind during Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Photo: © Olivia Katz
IFAW’s preparedness work over the last few years in the affected region is coming to the fore. We have guided many groups, taken the lead in several activities, and ensured disaster responders in the area ready to take action at a moment’s notice.
Since Black Summer, IFAW has led the Northern Rivers Wildlife Network’s (NRWN) emergency preparedness and response, with the aim of coordinating resources and information sharing. Organisations involved include:
- Friends of the Koala
- Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital
- Northern Rivers Wildlife Hospital
- Northern Rivers Wildlife Carers
- Australian Seabird and Turtle Rescue
- Tweed Valley Wildlife Carers
- WIRES Clarence Valley and Northern Rivers branches
- Vitality Vetcare
Through NRWN, we have already helped facilitate evacuations of animals from carers in low-lying, flood-prone areas and have more than 40 personnel on standby.
We are already seeing wild animals impacted by the weather, including a koala who was rescued after being blown out of a tree from high winds. Rescues are currently paused while teams hunker down for the impacts of the cyclone.
In New South Wales, we are also helping draft frameworks for safety assessments for wildlife personnel operating in floods and cyclones, as well as guidelines for evacuations of animals in home-based rehabilitation.
In addition, we are liaising with wildlife disease groups to investigate concerns and procedures for possible HPAI from cyclonic winds blowing pelagic birds on-shore. HPAI H5N1 is not present in Australia but has recently been detected in a nearby Antarctic island.
Many of our project partners are within the cyclone’s reach. We are in regular contact to ensure they are supported through this disaster. Potentially affected include: Friends of the Koala; Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital; Northern Rivers Wildlife Hospital; Ngunya Jargoon Indigenous Protected Area (IPA); Detection Dogs for Conservation, University of the Sunshine Coast (which have evacuated); Great Eastern Ranges (GER) and alliance partners along our ‘Bunyas to Border Koala Climate Corridor’; Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast; and Port Macquarie Koala Hospital.
‘Team Bear’ is on standby for koala search and rescue in aftermath of cyclone.
IFAW on standby during Tropical Cyclone Alfred in Australia
6 March 2025
Tropical Cyclone Alfred is forecast to make landfall today or Friday morning on the eastern Australian coast, with damaging wind gusts and heavy rainfall expected to impact a large warning zone spanning Queensland and New South Wales.
IFAW coordinates the Northern Rivers Wildlife Network’s emergency preparedness and response teams, located in northern New South Wales, an area predicted to receive the worst of the weather, from the southern flank of the cyclone. We have put all assets—three wildlife hospitals and four wildlife rescue/care groups—on standby.
A kookaburra chick in rehabilitation after being rescued during tropical Cyclone Jasper which hit far north Queensland in December 2023. Photo: Sally Donalds / © Far North Queensland Wildlife Rescue
Some organisations are already preparing to evacuate, and we have offered our support, including deployment.
We are working with government agencies on wildlife response during floods, putting our prior planning into practice. IFAW has also offered support to several wildlife rescue organisations in Queensland.
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