Get involved

Caring about biodiversity is easier when you're part of something. These guides cover ways to get involved, from recording wildlife for science to helping injured animals, photographing wildlife responsibly and making everyday choices that add up.

Guides in this section

• Citizen science iNaturalist, FrogID, the Aussie Bird Count and the Atlas of Living Australia.
• Helping injured wildlife Safety first, containing animals and who to call.
• Wildlife photography ethics Getting the shot without harming the subject.
• Everyday actions for biodiversity Lighting, pets, plants, waste, water and more.

Citizen science

Members of the public contribute huge numbers of wildlife observations in Australia. BirdLife Australia's Aussie Bird Count asks people to spend 20 minutes in one spot counting birds; in 2026 it runs from 19 to 25 October. The Australian Museum's FrogID app lets you record frog calls for experts to identify, and iNaturalist lets you share photos of any wild organism. Many records flow into the Atlas of Living Australia, where scientists and planners can use them.

Helping injured wildlife

If you find a sick or injured native animal, put your safety first. WIRES advises that snakes, goannas, bats, large macropods, adult wombats, koalas and raptors should only be handled by trained rescuers. For smaller animals, cover with a towel, place in a ventilated box and keep it warm, dark and quiet, and don't offer food or water unless a rescuer says so. In NSW, WIRES runs a 24/7 line on 1300 094 737; elsewhere, save your local rescue group's number.

Photographing wildlife responsibly

If an animal changes its behaviour because of you, you're too close. Use a longer lens, protect nests, avoid baiting and call playback, and be careful about sharing locations of sensitive species.

Everyday actions

The federal environment department's light pollution guidance explains that artificial light can disrupt turtles, birds and nocturnal animals. Using warm, shielded lights only when needed is one easy step. Keeping cats contained, planting local, reducing chemicals, picking up litter and using wildlife-safe netting all help too.

Join a group

Bushcare, Landcare, Coastcare, friends-of-parks groups, field naturalist clubs and wildlife rescue organisations welcome volunteers. Groups offer training, company and the satisfaction of seeing habitat recover over time.

Getting started

Pick one thing: download a citizen science app, sign up for the Aussie Bird Count, save your local wildlife rescue number in your phone or swap an outdoor globe for a warmer one. Small, consistent actions add up across communities.

Respect and safety

Whatever you do, put safety first, follow park rules and local laws, respect private property and cultural sites, and never handle wildlife unless trained.

Choosing what suits you

If you enjoy being outdoors, try a bird count, frog listening or a bushcare working bee. If you prefer to stay home, record garden visitors, transcribe museum specimen labels online or make household changes. If you'd like hands-on work with animals, ask a wildlife rescue group about training. There's a role for every level of time, fitness and experience.

Making it a habit

Small regular actions add up. Some people record garden birds every Sunday morning, listen for frogs after rain or join a monthly working bee. Keeping a simple log of what you've done and seen helps you notice change and stay motivated.

Sharing what you learn

Talk to neighbours, schools and your council about what you've learnt. Shared enthusiasm often grows into street plantings, school projects and local groups.

Questions we hear often

People often ask whether one household can really make a difference, whether native plants are always better than exotic ones, and whether it's safe to help wildlife themselves. In short: yes, small actions add up across a suburb; local natives generally support local wildlife best, though not every exotic plant is harmful; and with wildlife, your own safety and a call to a trained rescuer come first. Each guide in this section goes into more detail, with links to the official and expert sources behind it, so you can read further and check the facts for yourself.

Five things anyone can do

1. Plant local natives in layers, with flowers across the year.
2. Add clean, shallow water and leave some leaf litter and logs.
3. Keep cats contained and dogs supervised, especially at night.
4. Use warm, shielded outdoor lights only where and when you need them.
5. Record what you see with citizen science apps such as iNaturalist and FrogID.

About these guides

Biodiversity is an independent information site about Australian wildlife, plants and habitats, and what households can do to help them. We aren't a government agency, museum, charity or rescue organisation, and we don't recommend particular businesses or products. Our guides are general information written in our own words, with expert and official sources listed on every page. Rules about wildlife, pets and plants vary between states, territories and councils, so always check locally.

How we keep these guides current

We review each guide against its sources and show the date it was last checked. Official figures, such as threatened species lists, are updated over time. If you notice something out of date, please tell us through our contact page, and we'll check and correct it.

Try the habitat checker

Our free habitat checker asks about eight simple features of your garden or balcony and suggests three next steps. It runs entirely in your browser, and nothing you tick is sent anywhere.