Youth Action For Wildlife

14/06/2026

Wouldn’t it be good if we needed no pesticides on our crops and managed to achieve this in Australia. Cut out the APVMA who currently regulates our pesticides that are banned in most other countries!!

They may look like a canvas of cotton candy, but these rainbow nets are actually a brilliant form of pest control.

Stretched over crops, the kaleidoscope of colors confuses insects like aphids and whiteflies, scrambling their ability to locate the plants underneath. Some farmers have cut pesticide use by 25‑50% without losing yields.

The nets also act as shields against harsh sun, heavy rain, and wind, regulating humidity and reducing plant stress. It's a simple, sustainable trick that lets farmers protect harvests without dousing them in chemicals.

Practical science, painted in every color of the spectrum. 🧑‍🌾🌈

13/06/2026

Please get behind this action by writing to the Ministers to end forest mining… urgent signatures needed

lol imagine

13/06/2026

Shame on Woolworths!!! They are NOT using up old stock before the ban in June… this is a new type of packaged SGAR….alias wildlife poison. SGARs back on the shelf in Woolworths Cottesloe… how disappointing… surely you don’t need the money that much!! You are no better than Bunnings!

24/05/2026

Join the conversation… people power!

Join the conversation about what it will take to protect nature and bring so many of our unique and threatened species Back from the Brink, at this upcoming report launch of ‘Back from the Brink: A Protection Agenda for Nature’.

With limited spots, make sure you RSVP soon https://www.ccwa.org.au/brinklaunch

11/04/2026

North Country Wild Care
Poison is NOT the answer. ☠️🐾

When it comes to dealing with rodents, it might seem like an easy fix, but rodent poisons don’t just affect rats and mice. They create a deadly chain reaction in our ecosystems.

Wildlife like hawks, owls, foxes, and even bald eagles are being poisoned after eating contaminated prey. In fact, studies have shown that the vast majority of tested wildlife had been exposed to rodenticides, especially the long-lasting types that build up in the food chain.

And here’s the hard truth:
👉 There is no such thing as a “wildlife-safe” rodent poison.

🌿 So what CAN you do instead?

Safe, effective alternatives include:

✔ Sealing up entry points around your home
✔ Securing food sources (trash, bird seed, pet food)
✔ Removing nesting materials
✔ Encouraging natural predators like owls
✔ Using deterrents instead of poisons

These methods don’t just protect wildlife, they often work better long-term by addressing the root of the problem.

🐾 Why this matters

Rodenticides don’t stay where you put them.

Animals eat the bait directly
Predators eat poisoned rodents
Scavengers consume contaminated carcasses

This ripple effect harms countless non-target animals and is something we see far too often in wildlife rehabilitation.

💚 Be part of the solution

Choosing safer alternatives helps protect:

Local wildlife
Pets
The balance of our ecosystems

Poison might seem like a quick fix but in reality, it comes at a devastating cost to wildlife, pets and even children.

If you share one post, please let it be this one. So much information that needs to be shared!

03/04/2026

Sorry to see Mitre10 in Dunsborough has not followed the lead of the Coles and Woolies that I’ve visited and just taken the SGARs off the shelf but are continuing to sell them for as long as they can (with the new labelling that makes it all OK 😤). They do have a good range of FGARs however so if you must poison animals then use these. Mitre 10

26/03/2026

Over 10 yrs ago the EPA in the USA banned SGARs from public sale and restricted their use to professionals and tamper proof bait boxes - sound familiar? This wonderful organisation in Connecticut sees the effects and the deaths everyday. Murray Watt - Senator for Queensland Julie Collins MP Dr Brad Pettitt MLC Kate Chaney MP

26/03/2026

Thanks for all the support PLC Perth - it’s been a big team effort with particularly Owl Friendly Margaret River Region Capes Raptor Centre Kanyana Wildlife and BirdLife Australia. Now we move on to the pest controllers. If you use a pest controller who wants to put poison down in your property quiz them as to what they’re using, ask them which chemical it is - we’ve found several who say “it’s wildlife friendly” when it’s the worst type of SGAR! Of course most of us don’t need to use poisons - just make your house less attractive to rats and mice; advice on our website.

After years of determined advocacy, lobbying, and campaigning, Poppy (Year 11) has helped achieve a significant milestone in the protection of Australia’s native wildlife, with major retailers removing second-generation rat poisons from their shelves. These products, known as second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs), have long been linked to the unintended poisoning of owls and other native species.

Poppy’s journey began in the Junior School. As a Year 5 student preparing for her Year 6 Exhibition, she followed a line of enquiry into rat poisons and was struck by the devastating impact they were having on wildlife.

What began as a project quickly became something more. In Year 7, Poppy founded Youth Action for Wildlife (initially Wildlife Warriors), an initiative dedicated to raising awareness and protecting native animals.

More recently, Poppy has extended her advocacy by working alongside organisations including BirdLife Australia and Owl Friendly Margaret River, continuing to campaign for meaningful change. These collective efforts have contributed to a landmark decision by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to ban second-generation rat poisons from retail sale.

She has now turned her attention to an important next step – addressing the continued use of these poisons in commercial settings, where pest management companies are still permitted to use SGARs. It is a complex challenge, but one she is approaching with the same determination that has defined her journey so far.

Closer to home, Poppy’s advocacy has already led to meaningful change within the College. She was the catalyst behind PLC moving away from these harmful poisons and instead adopting more environmentally responsible rat control methods, demonstrating how student voice can influence real, tangible change within a community.

This outcome is significant. It reflects years of persistence, courage, and the belief that young people can influence real-world decisions.