Casper the rare, all-white leucistic kookaburra was rejected from his nest – and saved by Hills Wildlife Sanctuary

There are plenty of kookaburras across the country, but you’ve likely never seen one like Casper before. 

Even Dr Katrina Warren, who is a veterinarian and has built a career around her love for animals, had never seen a bird like him before. 

“I’ve never seen an all-white kookaburra before, he’s stunning,” Warren tells 9honey.

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As a chick, Casper the kookaburra was lost and alone on the ground after being kicked out of his nest. 

He had been born with a condition called leucism, meaning he has a striking all-white appearance and impaired vision.

“It’s kind of like an albino, leucistic animals are all white but they don’t have red eyes,” Ben Dessen who is the CEO of the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary tells 9honey. 

Because of his condition, Casper had been booted from his nest.

“Often what happens is the parents if they have a chick that’s a little bit different like that, they just throw them out of the nest and don’t bother raising them because they often know they’re not going to survive,” Desson explains. 

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Thankfully for Casper, a member of the public had found him on the ground and called wildlife rescue for help.

He was brought to the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary where the wildlife carers and volunteers have hand-raised the young chick.

That was three years ago and now he lives a very comfy and happy life at the wildlife sanctuary. 

“Because he has been hand-raised he is super friendly and we use him as an education animal so he’s become a bit of an ambassador and a bit of a celebrity as well,” Dessen says. 

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“He’s had millions of views online and lots of people interested in his story because kookaburras are such an iconic bird, but most people have never seen a snow white kookaburra before so he’s a very special boy.”

Dessen tells 9honey Casper is a very confident little bird. 

“He asserts himself and he’s the most confident kookaburra in the aviary,” he says. 

“He absolutely loves his food and he’s got a really sort of cheeky personality. 

“If you’re in there trying to clean the enclosure and feed the other kookaburras, he’s always under your feet and always trying to be the center of attention. So he’s got a big personality for sure.” 

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Casper seems to be living large at the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and it’s a life he would not have if he hadn’t been found and brought into care. 

Recently Dr Warren made a visit to the wildlife sanctuary and had a chance to meet the unique bird.

“He would not survive in the wild, because he has impaired vision,” she tells 9honey.

“So I’m very grateful that he was found when he was a baby, out of his nest and brought into care.”

Casper isn’t the only one who has benefited from the kindness and devotion of wildlife carers like Dessen. 

“I am grateful for wildlife carers and people who devote their life and their time to caring for our Aussie animals,” Dr Warren says. 

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“Obviously it’s not just kookaburras, they look after possums, reptiles, everything and without them Casper would not be here and neither would many other animals.” 

Looking after Casper and the many other rescue animals like him doesn’t come cheap and while most of his carers are volunteers, the cost of food and medical treatment adds up. 

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Dessen says the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary is hoping to find a sponsor for Casper which will go towards funding his happy life in the sanctuary and helping his 

“We’re hoping that there’s a business out there or an individual that would love to sponsor him and his friends,” Dessen says. 

“We’re a small charity that’s fully volunteer run so every dollar counts.” 

Dr Warren also says she’s made it her “mission to find a sponsor for Casper”.

For more information about Casper and the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, you can head to their website.

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