A reminder to stop and check pouches

Chloe the wombat. Image courtesy Taronga Zoo/Paul Fahy..

Meet Chloe. Tragically, her mum was killed by a car near Jenolan Caves in June. But a good Samaritan stopped, got out of their car, and checked the body. Inside mum’s pouch was a baby wombat.

Chloe gets a cuddle. Image courtesy Taronga Zoo/Paul Fahy..

Chloe, as she was named, was looked after by a carer and is now being hand-reared at Taronga Zoo. She requires feeds every five hours, and enjoys nibbling on shoes and exploring her environment. It is hoped that she will be independent enough to be released back into the wild in around 18 months.

Chloe has one of her many daily feeds. Image courtesy Taronga Zoo/Paul Fahy.

If you are heading off on a road trip this weekend, remember that many native animals carry pouch young. And if you are going to stop to check, do not stop suddenly – slow down, indicate, and park well out of the way.

Chloe can now walk - and even run. Image courtesy Taronga Zoo/Paul Fahy.

Oops. Stopped. Image courtesy Taronga Zoo/Paul Fahy.

Those nails are important for digging. Image courtesy Taronga Zoo/Paul Fahy.

In other news we’re off to the Dog Lover’s Show this weekend. If you haven’t yet bought a ticket, they are available at the door. And please don’t bring you’re on dog – there are some very good reasons to leave them at home for a little while.