31 Aug Karamel
I first met Karamel when I visited the volunteer wildlife rehabilitation group FAWNA (For Australian Wildlife Needing Aid) near Port Macquarie, NSW. This little joey had been found curled up amongst garbage bins beside a house. At only 7 months old, Karamel had no visible injuries, but her Mum was nowhere to be found.
In the caring hands of FAWNA, Karamel was raised, supported through her release onto the lands of one of her rehabilitators and inevitably moved off into the world of Red-necked Wallabies.
Yesterday I received this picture from FAWNA. Karamel has come back for a visit and is clearly showing a pouch bulge indicating she is now a Mum.
The work of a volunteer wildlife rehabilitator is not easy. It means rescues on the side of the road at all times of the day and night, in all weather and many times with unhappy endings. It means round-the-clock feeding, cage cleaning, load upon load of laundry and wound dressing. It can break hearts, but the rewards (like a healthy Karamel bouncing back with a baby on board) makes it all worth it.
Thank you FAWNA, and all the other volunteer rehabilitators out there, for your dedication and hard work rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing Australian wildlife.