“Rolling With Those Punches”

Report Back from the WReNNZ Wildlife Conference - 11 and 12 July 2026

The online WReNNZ conference has recently wrapped up. It was a fantastic event, though we haven't had much time to let it sink in. It was quickly followed by the arrival of HPAI in Aotearoa, with two birds discovered just days after the conference. That certainly sharpened our thinking about safety at our rescue facilities. We have had to roll with those punches!

HPAI takes centre stage

The focus of the conference was HPAI / H5N1. Four international speakers shared their experiences and learnings from the arrival of H5N1 in their countries.

Dr Gonzalo Godoy, Associate Veterinary Surgeon, spoke about Chile, at a time when their knowledge of the developing virus was still evolving. He showed videos of sick birds, large flocks of them, and sea lions, and spoke about preparing Safari Park's rescue response for the outbreak while it was still unfolding, and how they somehow managed.

Dr Colin Salter, Policy Lead at WIRES, spoke about the volunteer wildlife rescue and rehabilitation sector in Australia as they grapple with the recent arrival of HPAI there. He discussed the challenges for the sector at both a policy level and on the ground. The NSW government advice for the rehabilitation sector identifies four roles: support early reporting and ongoing surveillance; prevent the spread by ensuring sound biosecurity; keep yourself, your family and community safe; and stay informed and help raise public awareness. He also spoke about the difficulties of multiple agency involvement without a single governing body to coordinate.

Dr Joanna Mihr is a Senior Clinician at RSPCA in Norfolk, UK. She discussed the RSPCA's approach to mitigating disease outbreaks in wildlife rehabilitation centres. What stood out most from her talk was how important triage at the gate is, while acknowledging it's unlikely to stop every bird with HPAI from coming into the centre. They run two quarantine facilities: one is used for two weeks for new admissions, then the other takes over for the following two weeks, with strict biosecurity protocols maintained between the two. Any symptoms of HPAI missed at the gate should become apparent within that two-week window. She also discussed the pros and cons of different tests, calling the quick SNAP tests unreliable, and noting that PCR tests take five days for results.

Dr David Roberts is a Clinical Veterinarian in Cape Town, South Africa, specialising in seabirds including African Penguins. I missed his talk, unfortunately, as some people dropped off a kotare that had been ducking and diving between the wheels of vehicles on a busy road. The blessings of having an online conference where one can review the talks later!

Vets, rehabbers, and the rules that guide us

Dr Sam Hurley, Avian Veterinarian, and Jemma McLean, Avian Rehabilitation and Bird Health Consultant, are the co-founders of Avian Empire, an avian telemedicine and bird health service. They spoke about the relationship between bird rescuers and their vets under the Veterinary Services Standards and the proposed Backyard Poultry Medicine guidelines. WReNNZ has written a response to the guidelines to the Vet Council, and it appears it remains business as usual for rehabilitators for now, with the usual restrictions around specialist medications like antibiotics and pain relief.

A closer look at avian eyes

Dr Richard Sim, Head Veterinarian at Hamilton Zoo, talked about avian eyes in great detail: eyes filling with blood, which may resolve over time but can still cause visual impairment, and cloudy or deflated eyes with a range of possible causes. Bird rehabbers are advised to base decisions on how functional that eye is for the species concerned; hunting prey, for example, requires two functional eyes.

Case studies from the ground

Celine Campana, Veterinary Nurse at Auckland Zoo, talked about an underweight bittern admitted to their facility, describing the process of rehabilitating the bird until its release into a natural habitat. It's always helpful to hear good practice standards and compare them to our own.

Lynn Miller, General Manager at Wildways, hardly needs an introduction. Lynn explained avian anatomy by carrying out a necropsy on a seagull, done sensitively and respectfully, and there was a lot to learn about avian anatomy and how to approach necropsies.

Associate Professor Steven de Grey spoke about the Massey University Emergency Response Team, which rescues animals in emergency situations like large floods, offering treatment and distraction techniques. It was great to hear about another type of animal rescue work.

Botulism in the spotlight

Botulism was another key theme. Olivia Flynn, Founder of the Hawkes Bay Bird and Wildlife Rescue Trust, talked about how her team manages botulism cases. Professor Ngaio Beausoleil, Professor of Animal Welfare Science at Massey University, explained the complexity of avian botulism and the multi-agency response it requires. Responses to avian botulism in New Zealand have so far been reactive and inconsistent, and she is planning further research to explore this complex health and welfare issue.

Online or in person?

I was asked whether I preferred the conference online or in person. The online format kept the price reasonable for everyone, which is a clear advantage, and let me duck out to the rehab room every break to check and feed the birds. In-person conferences, on the other hand, allow for networking and exchanging ideas and contact details, which is so valuable. I personally prefer a rotation between the two.

Rolling with the punches

And that wraps up a great conference. It was well balanced, covering topical issues alongside good practice standards, and it gave us all plenty to think about and reflect on in our own practices.

Now, let's roll with the punches and get our facilities ready for HPAI. I look forward to seeing you all at the monthly support meetings for updates on how you're rolling!

Article written for WReNNZ by

Marleen Verhoeven

Hunua Bird Life

Kotare conference patient