WILVOS enjoyed the three days at the Queensland Garden Expo, catching up with many members of the public with stories to tell. We often forget some of the rescue scenarios that have come through the 5441 6200 WILVOS Hotline. Some happy, some sad, some very funny.
One family reminded me about an echidna that was in behind their fridge. I had to rearrange the furniture a little but was able to take the echidna outside to a better environment! Another lovely lady reminded me of the injured possum they had trapped, after borrowing a possum trap from WILVOS. The possum went into the trap at about 11 o’clock the first night and these people drove it straight down to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. This saved the poor animal from unimaginable pain and suffering.
We love to keep people updated on wildlife that come into care. It is especially rewarding when we can advise them that the animal is released back into the wild, often after many months in care. It is a time of sadness and joy for wildlife carers.
This week I say goodbye to Gordon, who has now grown into a big strong Common Brushtail Possum. I won’t miss that late afternoon hour or so gathering a variety of foliage for him. Possums eat an extensive range of plants, from the normal leaves and bark, as well as fungi and plants at ground level. Because of the danger of ground predators, carers don’t encourage too much grazing out of the safety of the treetops. One area may be safe, but come to ground elsewhere and there could be a dog or cat nearby. Our WILVO possums are always released in their own possum box which they have had from a young age. This gives them a feeling of security in a new, strange environment.
It is interesting to observe the changes in behaviour of native animals when they come into care. By release time we have to ensure that they have distanced themselves from people. Yes, we introduce ‘social distancing’ with wildlife in care, but for different reasons!
Donna Brennan Wildlife Volunteers Assoc Inc (WILVOS) PO Box 4805 Sunshine Coast Mail Centre Q 4560 PH 5441 6200 www.wilvos.org.au