Bettina the brushtail possum.
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But through the care of Taronga Zoo vet nurse Felicity Evans, this little joey has gone from strength to strength.
– An orphaned Brushtail Possum joey is being cared for at the Taronga Wildlife Hospital in Sydney, Australia, with a little help from a soft toy kangaroo!
The possum joey is being given around-the-clock care by Taronga Zoo vet nurse Felicity Evans who has nicknamed the orphan “Bettina”.
Since receiving emergency first aid, Bettina has made a recovery.
Ms Evans said that at her age possums would still be with her mother and that the soft toy gives her something to snuggle with for comfort. “She’ll sit in the spare room next to me and call out when she’s ready to feed”, Evans said.
Bettina was found alone and it is unclear what happened to her mother, so Evans has taken on the role as a surrogate mom. She is recovering well, but misses her mother, and so has compensated by cuddling a toy kangaroo.
With many native animals suffering injuries after being hit by cars or attacked by dogs and cats, the zoo said Bettina’s story should remind people to keep a watchful eye out for wildlife.
Taromga Wildlife Hospital treats over 1,000 injured or orphaned animates ever year – ranging from wombats and wallabies to birds and sea turtles.
“These two joeys wouldn’t be alive today if someone hadn’t noticed them and brought them to the wildlife hospital”, she said.
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The wildlife hospital will continue to house Bettina until it decides she is ready to be released back into the wild.
