A new training course on the WomSAT platform is changing the way wombat caregivers tackle one of the most deadly threats to these iconic Australian animals — sarcoptic mange. This amazing program allows ordinary people to have the tools and education needed to perform essential field care, which goes a long way towards wombats being saved all across the country.
Combating a Deadly Threat
Sarcoptic mange, caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite, is a major cause of the wombat disappearing along with being run over on roads. This crippling disease not only has devastating effects on the health and well-being of wombats, but is also hampering efforts to protect them as a species.
The WomSAT (Wombat Survey and Analysis Tool) platform — a collaboration between Western Sydney University and Charles Sturt University — has a systematic strategy to fill this critical gap with human-resources in the form of an extensive training package. The revolutionary Course trains and qualifies wombat carers at the coalface to manage sarcoptic disease, creating a unique workforce field-ready for sarcoptic disease.
Sustaining the Wombat Warrior Community
The driving force behind the wombat warrior communityWomSAT has been enabling anyone can contribute to helping researchers protect wombats since 2015. The initiative has encouraged INaturalist users to submit a total of 23,000 wombat sightings and burrows across Australia, forming a valuable resource for the ongoing identification and management of threats facing these iconic creatures.
A new dedicated training course now aims to complete this next level for the wombat rehabbers, providing them with both the skills and accreditation to undertake on-ground treatment of sarcoptic mange. The training program will improve the care of the affected wombats in the immediate term, by increasing awareness and skills retention within these committed people, provide data on prevalence and treatment of this fatal disease that international conservation strategies rely on for effective outcomes.
Conclusion
The recent launch of a dedicated new training course has come a crucial step closer to winning the battle against sarcoptic mange in wombats and, most importantly, into providing change for our endangered wombat populations. This initiative will have considerable impacts on the conservation of this iconic Australian species, by enabling wombat caregivers with essential fieldcare treating skills and accreditation. Thanks to the overwhelming support of folks like you, and organizations such as Wombat Protection Society of Australia, there is brighter future ahead for wombats.
