Tracy and David care for rescued animals

Tracy Hirst and David Hall, of Woy Woy, are acting head carers for Wildlife Animal Rescue and Care (ARC), a group that relocates and attends to sick native animals.

At any given time, the couple have about 15 animals in their shed.

Currently, they have about five blue tongue lizards, a jacky dragon (lizard), a shingleback lizard, a tiny newly-hatched long-neck turtle, a 10- foot diamond python and a red-bellied black snake.

Tracy is head carer for amphibians and David for reptiles.

ARC also has carers who look after marsupials, macropods (large footed animals, such as kangaroos), flying foxes, monotremes and even stingrays.

ARC attempts to nurse the animals back to health and then to return them to their original home.

Some animals cannot be released unless the area they came from is known. Some of these are used in educational visits to schools.

Tracy became involved with ARC about five years ago.

"My dog attacked a blue tongue lizard in my backyard, which made me feel very bad," she said.

"I rang the ARC line and an old friend answered the telephone.

"Now I couldn't picture myself not being around reptiles.

"Some animals take a year to recover, but there's nothing like getting them to the release stage.

"You shouldn't get attached, but sometimes I do.

"At my first release, I didn't want to say goodbye.

"I still get a bit teary."

ARC has been going for 12 years and exists only on the Central Coast.

The group currently has about 140 members.

David said ARC was always looking for more involvement from the community and the group holds regular open days on how to handle, treat and care for animals.

The open days are free and attract up to 30 to 60 people.

ARC has a 24-hour telephone number, 0500 551 121. It may be used for animal rescues as well as general inquiries.

Carl Spears, April 20