Our Kotupna shelter is privately owned and operated by Deb Fowler. Deb specialises in all mammals, particularly macropods, possums, gliders and bats. The shelter facilities accommodate all mammal species as well as many bird species. 

Deb is experienced in active wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, release, injury assessment and veterinary treatment of native wildlife. Deb is an experienced handler of mammals and has a special interest in Flying-foxes and Microbats.

Deb grew up in Melbourne, Victoria and as a child spent all her school holidays on her grandparents farm in Mia Mia, Central Victoria. During her stays she spent the days exploring the farm, often finding all sorts of animals which she would bring back to her grandmother who would help her care for them.

As Deb grew up, she found herself always looking after local stray animals and also had an interest in assisting people who were in need of help. 

In 1991, Deb moved to Nathalia where she met a wildlife shelter operator who introduced her to the local wildlife. After caring for her first Kangaroo joey, she was hooked and wanted to learn more. Deb became a foster carer under local wildlife shelter operator, Monica Schutze, who became a mentor and later became her own wildlife shelter operator in 2004. 

Deb now resides at Kotupna, where her Bohollow Wildlife Shelter now exists. Deb has continued to improve and expand her shelter facilities to provide optimal rehabilitation enclosures and to meet the demands of the ever increasing numbers of wildlife cases which pass through the shelter.