On the first Sunday in March, a swamp wallaby was rescued from his dead mum’s pouch in a moment of sheer luck.
Local rescuer Deborah Gwyther-Jones was driving home from a day full of rescues when she noticed the wallaby on Romsey Road, Romsey.
It was a route she didn’t usually take, but one she was drawn to on the day.
“For whatever reason, I decided to [go on that] route,” Ms Gwyther-Jones said.
“I usually take different routes heading out, getting back for this very reason to find animals that have not been called in.
“I saw the mum up against the barrier… [and] he called out to me… [from] the pouch.”
Ms Gwyther-Jones then took the wallaby to a nearby shelter, but said this situation shows how important it is for people to call Wildlife Victoria if they hit or if they see an animal hit.
“The message that we need to get across is they’ve got to call them in,” she said.
This rescue was followed by a sense of déjà vu for Ms Gwyther-Jones less than a week later when she rescued an eastern grey joey from his mum’s pouch, who was dead on the side of the road.
“That joey would have been dead if I hadn’t stopped. Luckily it wasn’t a particularly hot day because they really cook in the pouches in hot weather.
“I’m just so grateful that for whatever reason my inner radar said go this way.
“I would honestly say only about 10 per cent of drivers who hit an animal actually call them in.”
If you hit wildlife or see wildlife which has been hit, call Wildlife Victoria on 03 84007300.
Zoe Moffatt
