Work on the wild side its own reward for vet

Veterinarian Tony Malthus was last night named as the 2009 Coastal Otago Conservation Award winner at a function in Dunedin. Rebecca Fox talks to the man who has helped save and care for some of Otago's most threatened native wildlife.

Helping injured wildlife return to their habitats is very satisfying, Dunedin veterinarian Tony Malthus says.

Mr Malthus has worked with the Department of Conservation and private wildlife managers for more than five years providing specialist veterinary care to threatened native wildlife.

As a vet in St Kilda, he was used to treating the occasional seagull or shag, but in deciding to help out Doc, he was soon treating much larger wildlife.

"It can be quite satisfying to see them come right."

Doc programme manager David Agnew said, in his nomination of Mr Malthus, species that had benefited from his professional care included hoiho, kereru, the Fiordland crested penguin, the albatross and the sea lion.

"Without the donation that Tony makes of his time, many of these injured animals would not receive such specialist attention. It would be beyond budget capacity."

Since there were very few vets around the country who regularly worked with penguins, albatrosses and marine mammals, much of Mr Malthus' work involved taking risks and breaking new ground.

"Tony's work in this field has contributed greatly to public and private conservation."

He was also very willing to share his knowledge and assist other vets confronted with similar situations.

"Being in Dunedin and so ready and willing to help with wildlife health issues, [he] is a wonderful asset."

Mr Malthus, a vet for about 30 years, said most of the injuries wildlife presented with were cuts and bites - trauma type injuries.

Yellow-eyed penguins often needed stitching up after being bitten in the abdomen or flipper while at sea, he said. He also regularly treated wood pigeons which had flown into windows.

"Technically, the treatment is just the same. The difference is the bird has no owner."

The St Kilda clinic had also treated ducks and a brown owl with broken limbs.

He had also been involved in the programme to tag sea lions, discovering young sea lions just wanted to play.

Mr Malthus did not charge for his time for the work, just for the patients' medication and hardware needs.

While most of the wildlife were not used to human beings, "amazingly", they were not usually fazed by people, he said.

"They don't really try and bite you. A yellow-eyed penguin will peck at you."

It was work the other vets at St Kilda Veterinary Clinic helped out with as well. The clinic's nurses also enjoyed working with wildlife, he said.