A new web portal for the public to report sick wombat sightings could help the fight against wombat mange in the ACT.

Wombat mange, a disease caused by the parasitic mite, is a problem in wombat populations across the ACT and can be potentially fatal for wombats.

Via the portal, launched today (November 12) by the ACT government, community members can report sighting’s of sick and injured wombats.

Using the information on the portal, volunteers working with ACT Wildlife and Wombat Rescue are able to come to the aid of sick wombats.

Minister for the environment, Rebecca Vassarotti, said the portal is part of a larger project to attack wombat mange in the ACT.

“Our native wombats are precious native animals, but they are susceptible to a debilitating skin infection caused by parasitic mites that burrow into the skin, often killing them,” Ms Vassarotti said.

“Until recently, there hasn’t been dedicated, targeted funding for community groups to help the plight of wombats in the ACT, so I’m delighted to provide $30,000 funding as well as providing Canberrans with new resources at their fingertips to help target wombat mange.”