Rocklily Slideshow About us & Being a wildlife carer
This slideshow was made to show at the recent Wombeyan Caves Festival. We made it to encourage people to do the right thing. We hope it might even inspire some to become wildlife carers, or to help out at Rocklily or other wildlife refuges. It's a bit of a mix, hope you enjoy!
Rocklily, an island in a sea of bush.
Children’s books have a lot to answer for, my son thought wombats were great to stew! (only joking)
Wombat plasticicus doesn’t often attack, despite media stories! But real, wild wombats have sharp teeth, and biting is the only defense. So, best stay away.
Wildlife care can be heart warming and heart breaking. Like this little Kate.
These probably died out as caveman made them into pets.
Wildlife camera images (except for the pussy cat) taken from around the parks of Australia, which are abound in introduced ‘feral’ animals. They all make short work of our smaller and mid sized wildlife. We wont use baits, as besides being an gruesome death, we have no proof they prevent scavenger species such as quolls and wedge tailed eagles. We actually know of one that was poisoned by 1080 locally 2 years ago. These need to be managed regardless, and in the most humane way possible.
There are no herds of wombats, just herds of people pushing the worlds animals to the brink.
When it is safe to do so get an adult to move the animal right away from the road.
Keeping an small old pillowcase, scissors and a plastic water bottle that can be filled with luke-warm water (no warmer than body temperature) ensures the joey has a good chance. Then, ring the local wildlife group. IFAW has a great app for this specifically for NSW,
Larger wild animals need proper restraint, they can bite, kick and be a great danger to the driver. Do not put an echidna in the boot or your car. Just move it to the other side of the road, use your cars floor mat to scoop it up and move it.
Wombats stay with their mum for 2 years until they are about 20kg. Wallaby joeys and kangaroos are similar in time before they make their own way. This is one of the few (under 300) critically endangered Northern hairy nosed wombats.
Email or call us, as we can help you treat wild mangy wombats.
Photo from internet. Yes, they are clever!
It’s better for your fences to make a wombat swing gate. See our PDF on how to make one of your own!
Wombats are not so silly…well sometimes they're not!
To them, your house is their burrow. So, they will become a problem for others when released.
And have their own personalities, and feelings. Like all animals.
Someones pet. She didn't make it in the wild.
Two hourly to once a day. Washing bottles, making milk, washing bags... A busy but often very rewarding job.
Cheeky wombats are stronger than you think! They can smell watermelon through a shut fridge door!
In your backyard you can care for WILD life locally by:
Whole flocks of birds die in winter by being fed honey and bread by well meaning people. They stave to death as they are too full of ‘junk food’ to eat what will sustain them. Sunflower seeds are like bird chocolate. Too many and they can't fly. Feeding possums bread changes their gut flora and they also starve to death, unable to process the leaves and flowers they should be eating.
This is what you can do.
Wildlife carers can help. Do not try and kill them yourselves. That’s the way most people get bitten.
Another fun job wildlife carers do.
By their carer, who they see as mum or dad.
Even use dummies when they're feeling stressed.
You don't need to spend a fortune.
To defuse a large kangaroo standing up on his tail, you blow in his face and squat down, he quickly sits back down. He hates having the wind in his face!
Hard work... sometimes.
Our first wombats to go through our new soft release wombatorium. We've been doing it ourselves now rather than passing them on to others, as we have over the years.
We take our wombats for walks to eat and know the surrounding area.
But, they also get tired too.
We have working bees to help us build.
Shade cloth serves as hail and shade protection, until the trees grow.
Swamp Wallaby Bob, and Red Necked Wallaby Ned.
See Ned and Bob’s stories in: "What we care for".
A rare visit from Bob, months after his release.
We try and we learn to make sure we do no harm. John the red necked wallaby had been bitten by a snake on his hand. He was doing well for three weeks, he went from blind and not smelling, to grazing and seeing us in someway. While out for a few hours, we think a dog came around and scared him over the Primary School fencing. It was the last straw and he went into full myopathy. We decided to do the kindest thing.
Working bees always having fun.
Drinks after the hard work!
A portable release pen a few kilometers down the track, giving more wombats a chance to be truly wild. We monitor them with cameras in the pen and local burrows, so know what’s happening.
More animals. More working bees.
30km, hand raised. Not released as they had no wombatorium or suitable location for them. Wildbers living wild, under our shed. But, very, very slowly getting the hang of being a wild wombat.
Softly is doing well now!
Five new wallabies and kangaroos. Keeping us on our toes.
The last three to be soft released. Lee & Ginny are Eastern Grey Kangaroo’s and Winnie is a female Wallaroo (April 2015).
Stunner, male Wallaroo, and Annie, female Wallaroo, paired up. Both released late January. We have seen Stunner a few kilometers about away 2 months after. We are so pleased!
Such a lovely pair! Now they finally are buddies, and not attacking each other!
The cameras are helping us learn what goes on.
Initially minding for a friend in another wildlife group, but things change. So, now we need to build another smaller Wombatorium, because we have too many wombats!
Our aim.