Why you should think twice before rescuing a wild animal

Imagine you’re driving down a windy road when you spot an injured possum. Your instincts might tell you to hit the brakes, check what’s wrong and bundle it into your car. Research shows many of us want to help wild animals in distress. This may be out of empathy, obligation or simply wanting to do the right thing. But as Australia rapidly responds to its first cases of H5N1 bird flu, authorities are urging the public to avoid contact with sick or dying wildlife. This conflicts with our innate…