AGL please reopen AMWRRO

The AGL power plant at Torrens Island in Adelaide, has shut down the Australian Marine Wildlife Research & Rescue Organisation Inc. (AMWRRO) which has been operating successfully for 21 years on the AGL property. During that time AMWRRO has been saving, treating and releasing thousands of animals and birds at their purpose built, world class facility. This facility includes a 1100 square metre wetland facility, recovery clinic, individual areas for seals, penguins, sea birds, turtles, etc with their own pools, and structures to house koalas injured in bushfires. 

AMWRRO is run by Aaron Machado and volunteers, including marine mammal vets, student vets, marine biologists, and caring members of the public. The expertise of this team is highly renown and has interstate facilities, and international facilities calling on AMWRRO for help and advice. Now after 21 years of saving wildlife, AGL has shut this facility down. 

The reasons AGL has shut down AMWRRO are unclear despite asking them for explanations. Regardless of these reasons, South Australia needs AMWRRO to reopen and continue to save our wildlife. There is no other facility like this to continue this important work. 

Please sign this petition to AGL to reopen AMWRRO and keep saving our wildlife.

Following is my letter to AGL, my personal plea to them to reopen AMWRRO.

To AGL

Dear Mr Damien Nicks,

and to the AGL board of directors,

I am writing to you to please reconsider closing down AMWRRO. AGL is seen as the big power company in South Australia and also the company with a big heart because they have supported AMWRRO for nearly 21 years. 

AMWRRO has saved, treated and released thousands of sick and injured animals over the last 21 years. This is an incredible achievement for AMWRRO with thanks given to AGL all those years for their generous support.

I volunteered at AMWRRO for a couple of years back in 2013, and since then I have dropped off injured sea birds and animals to your office at the front gate. The people at that front office always greeted me with a smile and showed care for the injured animals I was bringing to AMWRRO. In many ways, the great work by AMWRRO equaled the great support by AGL. And that's how I have always seen the connection and cooperation between AMWRRO and AGL and that is what I have always said to people in the community and social media.

I am deeply saddened by the announcement AGL is forcing the closure of AMWRRO. While I am not privy to the full details of why this is happening, I can't help but hope there must be ways to sort out the issues to keep AMWRRO running and to keep saving the many sick and injured animals into the future. It is extremely important South Australia continue to have AMWRRO save and treat our incredible wildlife. Our marine animals are suffering a lot of stress with the effects of Climate Change and need a helping hand now more than ever. The Port River Dolphins have suffered with the population in decline. Over the last 12 years their numbers have dropped from 40 resident dolphins to only 7 resident dolphins.

When the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary rangers asked AMWRRO to rescue and disentangle a little dolphin calf in the river covered in fishing line, it was a very swift and successful operation. I watched this operation from the Garden Island jetty. While AMWRO caught the mum and calf in the fishing net, I couldn't believe my eyes because the dolphins were fishing instead of showing signs of stress. When they held the mum close to the calf as the fishing line was being removed, the mum was talking to her calf with squeaks and whistle sounds. Both dolphins were completely relaxed. And after the fishing line was removed and the dolphins released they calmly swam off. Not only was this a very successful operation, but it was better than any text book procedure.

The above example of the work AMWRRO does, is one of many professional and successful outcomes. AMWRRO has been saving our beautiful marine life, the marine life which is what makes our country so unique and special. Interstate facilities turn to AMWRRO for help and advice. International facilities turn to AMWRRO for help and advice. This remarkable volunteer based organization needs to keep saving and treating our beautiful wildlife.

Solutions to the current conflicts and concerns must be attainable.  Two big important SA giants such as yourself and AMWRRO have made it work for 21 years. There must be a way forward to resolve all issues to keep AMWRRO open for many years to come.

Please keep AMWRRO open.

Yours truly,

Jenni Wyrsta