Member spotlight! Andrew Hill

This month the spotlight the exciting work of our member Andrew!

Name: Andrew Hill Institution: Currumbin Wildlife Hospital                                       

Andrew at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital

Year and type of graduate student program(s)/additional training:

• 2005 – BVSc (Hons), University of Sydney

• 2008 – MVSc (Wildlife Health), Massey University, New Zealand

• 2009 – MANZCVS (Avian Health)

• 2024 – Churchill Fellow

What is it that attracted you to work on wildlife originally?

I grew up on the NSW coast, watching the local bushland shrink under pressure from development, bushfire, and floods. We were often first responders, but there was frequently very little we could do.  When I realized that veterinary training could allow me to genuinely make a difference for wildlife, it quickly became the focus of my professional life. I have always been particularly curious about Australian native species, and early on I was struck by how many gaps existed in our understanding of their veterinary care. I waded in the deep end, and twenty years later I am still happily working away at those same questions. 

nvestigating respiratory disease in a carpet python at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary in 2005

What has attracted you to focus on wildlife rehabilitation?

Wildlife care is a challenging and often resource-limited field, but it has enormous potential to create positive change for animals and communities alike. Wildlife hospitals are increasingly contributing beyond individual cases—supporting prevention, building knowledge, and helping to shape real-world solutions.

What keeps me engaged is the genuine and ongoing need for better services and science to improve outcomes for wildlife and people. Wildlife medicine and rehabilitation are surprisingly people-focused professions, and I am continually encouraged by the opportunity to learn from, and contribute to, these diverse and passionate communities.

Conducting health checks during a Great Spotted (Roroa) Kiwi translocation while a resident at the New Zealand Wildlife Health Centre in 2006.

How can WDA-A members find out more information about this field?

Start locally—get to know the wildlife in your area and the challenges that they face. Connect with the people and organisations already making a difference and consider how your skills or time could support them. Volunteering or working alongside rehabilitators and wildlife hospitals is one of the best ways to build strong foundations.

There are also increasing opportunities to network and learn through professional bodies like the WDA, Wildlife Health Australia, and the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC). For a broader perspective, my Churchill Fellowship report provides a snapshot of some overseas institutions working in this space.

Koala medicine has advanced considerably (as have our ultrasound machines) with admissions from injury and disease becoming increasingly common.

 What are some key reflections for you about your work in the wildlife health field in Australasia?  

Foremost is the amazing and supportive nature of our wildlife health community. It is hard not to be optimistic working alongside such a talented and dedicated group of professionals, and this is fortunate as collaboration is the key to long-term success.  

Second is that wildlife health issues are changing, often rapidly, and there are ongoing needs to improve knowledge, resources and funding to ensure we are intervening appropriately.

With the right team (Allison and Kate), anaesthetising Eastern Bristlebirds to attach radio-transmitters in the field can be a lot of fun - even when they weigh less than a golf ball!

What types of day-to-day decisions would be beneficial for conservation in Australia?

Most wildlife impacts are anthropogenic, so meaningful conservation requires collective action. Reducing impacts requires informed, science-based decision-making at every level, even in our backyards.  

For wildlife professionals, acting collectively includes recording and sharing knowledge, collaborating across sectors, and prioritising preventative rather than purely reactive involvement. While we are trained problem-solvers, we are rarely the ones implementing large-scale solutions ourselves—so we need to package ideas in ways others can engage with, own, and act upon.

 As community members, simply promoting the value of wildlife can go a long way. In the long-term, one of the most impactful decisions can be encouraging someone else on their conservation journey.

Currumbin became the ideal place to combine avian and wildlife medicine, with no shortage of lorikeets. The facilities have developed over time, but so to have the threats to urban-dwelling parrots.

How has being involved in the WDA-A section helped you during your career and what advice might you have for prospective students?

Being involved opens doors to connections and opportunities and provides some perspective when you start out. A significant portion of wildlife medicine still exists in people’s heads (rather than written down), so being part of a network provides access to shared knowledge, resources, and just as importantly—fun, laughter and support. My advice is to get involved early, ask lots of questions, have fun, and value the people around you as much as your end goal. 

Even on busy days, the hustle and camaraderie of the treatment room is infectious. Andrew and Renee assess a pelican admitted for fishing hook injuries.

What is your favourite non-scientific activity and how do you find time for it?

I try to balance working with unwell animals and ecosystems by spending time in healthy ones. Hiking with family and friends is particularly restorative, and a good reminder of what we are working to protect. The beaches at Currumbin are a short walk from the hospital so we have no excuse not to take a break.

Treating  koalas is a rewarding challenge whether they are in the wild, in Australian zoos or overseas.

It is easy to get bogged down when considering the future for wildlife, what helps you stay motivated and positive in this field?

Despite regularly seeing the worst of our impacts on wildlife, I remain overwhelmingly optimistic. Maintaining clarity, curiosity, and community are what help me to continue moving forward.

A clear and realistic vision for the future helps frame the big picture and provides perspective on difficult days. Staying curious about each patient and problem creates learning opportunities and can turn failure into progress. My community of wildlife veterinarians, nurses, keepers, rehabilitators and volunteers—who are a wonderfully joyful, eclectic and inspiring group—make it hard not to enjoy our work. Find an infectious community and hold onto it. 

Imping a blue and gold macaw as a native species at CETRAS, Sao Paulo, Brazil, on the first stop of a worldwide Churchill Fellowship in 2025.

Anything else you want to highlight/talk about? Favourite WDA-A memory?

It is such a great time to be involved in wildlife health, whether you are seeking tools, support, connections or a voice. Partnering with others is essential—not just for opportunities and longevity in the field, but as the positive glue that keeps you going. Reach out and build those connections throughout your journey.

My favourite WDA memory is the combined international conference on the Sunshine Coast in 2015. Seeing seemingly disparate projects align in ways that were genuinely useful for the Australian context - and meeting veterinarians from overseas who were tackling similar challenges - was both inspiring and affirming.

Andrew joins Dr Nic Masters at Toronto Zoo to discuss zoo-based conservation facilities in 2025.