Wombat mange heroes
Mange treatment training was conducted on Saturday 3 July at the Cooma Car Club. LAOKO’s mange team co-ordinator, Elena Guarracino said she was really pleased to see the increased interest in helping wombats with mange from LAOKO members and landholders.
Elena said the Cooma Car Club is an excellent training venue, and was really pleased with the number of people who attended the training and put their hands up to join the mange treatment team effort. The team has about 40 members now and the training provided a comprehensive overview of mange treatment to ensure best practice and results.
Elena and Marie Wynan, director of the Wombat Protections Society Australia presented on the day. The training included information about the mange mite life cycle and how Cydectin®, a cattle pour-on, used to treat mange, works and the appropriate dose rates. Some myths were addressed and the safety of Cydectin® was emphasised.
Elena said that in winter wombats with severe mange can succumb to hypothermia and pneumonia, so rapid, safe treatment is needed. In summer, flystrike is the real risk and wombats will die very quickly from that as well.
Improved coordination of mange reports and supplies
A private LAOKO mange team Facebook group was established in June to provide ongoing information for mange team members. A mange team Facebook chat group is also combined with the LAOKO phonies to assist in a rapid mange response and coordination. This is working really well.
Mange team training… socially distanced of course!
NEW Permit
LAOKO is authorised to treat mange using moxidectin (active ingredient in Cydectin® and other cattle pour-ons) On 9 August 2021 the Wombat Protection Society of Australia (WPSA) received a new permit from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicine Authority (APVMA). PERMIT PER9009. Under the permit system, LAOKO is authorised to use moxidectin through WPSA and Elena attends regular WPSA meetings and keeps WPSA informed of our work and results with mange.
Southern mange coordination
Laura Vagne is now co-ordinating mange supplies and mange team members in the Jindabyne area and the resorts. Laura joined the mange team over two years ago and has been working with landholders around Moonbah, Jindabyne and the resorts and members of the mange team living in those areas.
After hours mange supplies
Mange team member and treasurer Robyn George is providing an after-hours pickup for mange supplies in Cooma as well. People are asked to contact her through Facebook to make arrangements for pickups.
Mange supplies are still available during business hours at the Cooma Pet Shop – thank you Kylie Clifford. Shorter hours apply during these COVID times.
Anyone who would like to help can contact the mange treatment coordinator (Elena Guarracino) at laokomange@gmail.com or 0427 853 533, or by calling LAOKO on 02 6456 1313.
L-R: Elena Guarracino, Robyn George, Lisa Petroff, Marie Wynan and Laura Vagne
Monday September 20, 2021
Photo at the top: Mange team member and southern area mange coordinator, Laura Vagne rode her snowboard from Perisher to Guthega with NPWS Environment Liaison Officer, Marion Battishall to treat a wombat with early signs of mange.