“Banksy” the swamp wallaby was a small, pink and furless orphan when he came into the care of Joan from a Canberra wildlife care group after he discovered when his mother was hit by a car.
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Joan fostered him with devotion, along with other swamp and redneck wallabies, and it wasn’t evident until he began hopping around that one of his legs was shorter than the other!
It was surmised there had probably been a break when his mother was killed and healed itself unnoticed.
Joan’s thoughts were of Canberra Zoo when she realised he was not releasable. If released back to the wild he would be extremely vulnerable, and prone to attack from feral animals.
She decided eventually to call Potoroo Palace and it was agreed he would be happier at Cowsnest, the community farm affiliated with Potoroo Palace.
Initially he is being cared for in a small enclosure with a little shed where his fabric pouch hangs. His new carers simply adore him with his funny sideways hop.
He loves cuddles and is about seven months old now. He enjoys blackberries and roses and also has grevillea, casuarina, wattle and sweet potato in his diet. He loves his milk formula, kangaroo pellets and porridge oats too.
He will eventually be released into the five acre dam sanctuary, which has a feral animal proof fence. This could remain his permanent home.
Other wallabies who are on their way to release progress from the dam sanctuary to the 50 acre sanctuary, which is also feral animal proof, but Banksy will probably spend his life in the dam sanctuary where he can be checked daily and given treats.
By choosing to drive with wildlife awareness we can all help minimise the tragedies that occur every day on our roads.
Happy bettongs
Initiated by the late Rob High, a project to breed a colony of rufous bettongs has been in operation for the past four years at Mandini, north of Merimbula.
Due to the enthusiasm and hard work of a team of keepers, the number of bettongs has substantially increased. Listed as a vulnerable species the small marsupials have entertained over 500 visitors from here and abroad during this time.
Those successfully bred have been passed on to other educational projects where they continue to be mascots for this little-known Australian animal.
The rufous bettong was once found in the Murray Valley but has since been wiped out in the area. Now they are found in various pockets of national parks and bushland along the eastern coastal ranges.
The Mandini bettongs are being relocated from a small enclosure behind Mandini Cabins to Potoroo Palace at Yellow Pinch where they will settle in with the cockatoos, koalas, echidnas and other animals who have called this their home for years.
Visit them at Potoroo Palace and make them feel welcome.