43 carolling magpies, CPR on a blue tongue lizard and Claire's animal ambulance
The first sound Claire Smith heard when she landed in Australia from the UK was the carolling song of a nearby magpie. That was enough to make her fall in love with Australian wildlife. Very quickly, Claire poured all her energy into looking after injured animals, which seemed funny for a girl who grew up in the English countryside the daughter of a hunting dog master. She began volunteering for wildlife rescue groups, and caring for animals at home, where at one stage she had 43 baby birds in her garage. Claire went on to build the first kangaroo hospital in Queensland, and created the state's first volunteer-run 24-hour wildlife rescue service. Claire Smith has been named the 2025 Local Hero for Queensland, in the Australian of the Year Awards. This episode of Conversations touches on conservation, the environment, wildlife carers, kangaroos on the road, what to do when you hit a kangaroo, birding, birds, foxhunting, hunting, native wildlife, pests, animal husbandry.