FEBRUARY 2008

Rarely do we receive this species in to care, so I am sure you can imagine the excitement when one comes in. They are now so rare, caring for them is such a privilege, and at the same time a responsibility taken very seriously, as each one that can be saved at released back in its natural environment may make the difference in the long term of this species survival.

As you can read on our facts page re this species, it faces severe threatening processes.

This little fellow was found next to it's dead mother in a paddock, and brought in to a Police station. It is in good condition as such, it was very dehydrated on arrival possibly having spent some time before being found, unable to feed from mum.

We hope to release him back where he has come from in time, he is approximately 6-7 months old, so his time in care will be some months yet before he is old enough to fend for himself. He will grow up with a number of other joey's in care, different species, but wallabies do not mind that they are of different species, they all interact and help each other along the way, all learning from each other.

 

Update April 2008

Black Stripe has now been in care for almost 2 months, he is growing well, and have a made a strong bond with a Swamp wallaby in care, similar development stage as Black-Stripe.

 

 

 

Watching this joey run at full speed is interesting, as Black-Stripes are different to other wallaby species by the way they hold their arms when hopping at full speed. He holds his arms stretched out in front, or stretched out to the side, I can not help laugh when I see this, as it looks so different when used to watch the others.

 

Update August 2008

 

This magnificent animal was released mid August after spending 6 months in our care.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we did not know exactly where hel had been found we sought help from the Threatened species unit of NPWS who referred us to to Kyogle NPWS for information on where this species was still to be found. NPWS were very helpful and we were able to release him in a territory where he will find others of his kind.

He is seen here about 1 month before his release.

More images can be found here

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NOVEMBER 2006

In November 2006 we received in to care a small joey , very different to any other we had previously had in care. As she was only just growing her fur, no markings were yet visible. We took measurements of her feet and tail, and all indications were that she was a Black Stripe wallaby, now considered rare, and listed on the threatened species list.

She was found just in time, her Mum had been killed on the road by a motor vehicle, the person driving had not bothered to check the pouch, had they done so they could not have missed this joey in the pouch.In Australia "road kill' become food for many other species of animals, such as Raptors, Goannas, in fact any meat eating creatures make use of the dead animals along our roads. I see this as a good thing, at least they do serve a purpose, even though they lost their lives due in many cases to human carelessness.

This wallaby was now being consumed by Crows. Unfortunately the little joey in her pouch was very much alive, now fighting a loosing battle to stay in mums pouch safe from the hungry beaks of the birds .Kylie was driving along the road where this all took place, and stopped when she saw something move amongst the birds, and what she found was this little joey.

Her nose had small chunks of skin missing, her tail was bleeding missing the last bit, consumed by the birds. Kylie carefully removed the terrified joey from Mums pouch, wrapped her securely, and called for help.

The joey was taken to the vet and examined for any permanent damage, but there seemed to be nothing that would permanently disable her, and she was brought in to care.

We treated her for shock and her injuries were treated over a period of time, she recovered well.

Soon she was interested in her surroundings, and started to interact with the other joey's of similar age in care, looking out of her pouch, even ventured out to try her long legs in the nursery pen. Her fur was growing through, and we could finally start to see the markings on her face and the black stripe on her back.

 

 

She became ill very suddenly just before we were to celebrate the new year, her breathing was labored, and my first thought was that she had Pneumonia, although there had been no indication prior to this. The first sign was late at night at her last bottle of the evening, and as the night progressed her breathing became even more labored. Early the next morning I found a paralyses tick on her throat, as wallabies normally do not get affected by ticks I did not think that this could be the reason for her breathing difficulties. I removed the tick and now realised her throat was swollen, slowly constricting her airway.

This being a Sunday, and New Years eve to boot, contacting a Veterinary surgeon was difficult, but I did eventually manage to find one that was willing to meet me at the surgery. By this time the wallaby was in big trouble and she died on the way to town.

It is hard to explain how I felt at this stage, I have lost many joey's over a number of years of caring for wallabies, and somehow you learn to accept that some do not survive, injuries sustained can be varied, but this little joey had been through so much already, and then to die from a tick, just did not seem reasonable, it seemed so unfair.

Caring for wildlife takes its toll on emotions, you can feel joy one minute, and incredible sadness the next, many times you want to stop, it is just too painfull, then you look at the others in care, and you know why you do not stop.

This little joey will have a special place in my mind for a very long time.