A swamp wallaby joey nicknamed Jules, whose mother was hit and killed by a car in Narooma is now safely in care with local WIRES local volunteer, Beris Jenkins.
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More carers like Beris are desperately needed by the wildlife rescue organisation that has organised a training course at Potato Point next month.
Jules the joey was kindly rescued by a concerned motorcyclist who spotted her when he pulled over to check the condition of the mother who had just been run over on Centenary Drive, Narooma.
Beris said she believed the joey was in the pouch when the accident happened as she sustained a broken claw and a badly grazed tail indicating they were most likely poking out of the pouch.
“The vet strapped her foot and it’s fully healed already,” Beris said. “Jules was only 748g but with bottle feeding is now a healthy 2.5kg - she’s a very lucky girl."
Little Jules now has a friend in the form of Lola, another swamp wallaby also nine months old that Beris was able to acquire from another carer so that they keep each other company.
Once the feeding of the special milk formula ends in a few months, the wallabies lose interest in their human carers, which makes it easier to let them go back into the wild. Jules and Lola will be released on an isolated, rural property west of Narooma at 12 months of age.
WIRES Mid-South Coast branch is in need of more volunteers such as Beris and is asking members of the local community to consider helping out in their spare time.
Caring for wildlife requires specific training and licensing and WIRES is holding a Rescue and Immediate Care Course (RICC) at Potato Point on Saturday, September 10. The course is fully accredited and costs $175.
Beris said WIRES gave native animals like Jules a second chance at survival and she encouraged anyone who loves animals to get involved.
“I think it’s important to support an organisation that just looks after our native animals,” Jenkins said. "I’m there for our native animals because I love them - they don’t have a voice and WIRES gives them one.
“I joined WIRES five years ago but I have worked with native wildlife for over 15 years now in different regions and have a great fondness for kangaroos and wallabies. I’ve also made some very good friends with WIRES and have a lot of support from fellow volunteers - I really love what I do.”
For more information on the upcoming WIRES RICC course please email Training@wires.org.au or visit www.WIRES.org.au
WIRES carers use special milk formulas that replicate individual species’ milk. Members of the public can help with the raising of orphaned native animals by donating to the WIRES food fund at http://bit.ly/WIRESFoodFund All donations over $2 are tax deductible.