Just recently an inspiring event took place. Three young female wombats who were victims

of the February Bushfires were released back into the wild.

Wombalano (meaning love), Alira (daughter) and Wyerieguru (fire), were found several months after the fires by Wildlife Victoria and Wildlife Rescuers Search and Rescue volunteers in the Kinglake area as they were still out recovering wildlife that had been fire affected.

These young wombats had horrific spot burns on their backs and were extremely dehydrated and starving due to the loss of their habitat.

They were taken to the Darraweit Wildlife Shelter and through the local primary school the small community of Darraweit Guim raised $740  towards their rehabilitation.  The 12 primary school students were committed to the care of the wombats and helped in naming them and regularly picked them fresh grass to help out Wildlife Victoria member and shelter owner Annie Williams.

After months of loving care and attention they were ready to go back  to the wild.

The 3 female wombats were released from the Wildhaven Wildlife Shelter north of St Andrews in hope to repopulate the area after the February fires wiped out massive populations of wildlife.  Wildhaven was completely destroyed in the Black Saturday fires, Wildlife Victoria members and shelter owners Stella and Alan Reid were left only with the clothes they had on that day.

10 months on and Wildhaven is rebuilding and regrowing. Stella and Alan recently started taking in injured and orphaned wildlife again as the healing continues with the help of their new animals in care. As the area adjoining the Kinglake National park is recovering it provides enough food and habitat for the wombats to survive.

Vacant wombat holes in the area were marked as many holes had been left empty since the fires, these will soon become the new homes and places of comfort for the trio who are eager to once again be wild.

Once released Alira scurried off to a disused wombat hole but Wombalano and Wyerieguru preferred to dig their own, with plenty of time for some rest!

Wombalano and Wierieguru were left still digging...and napping!

Hundreds of thousands of wild animals are killed, injured and orphaned throughout Australia as a direct consequence of human activities. As government resources for wildlife management dwindle, much of the work of rescuing and caring for these animals falls on the shoulders of volunteer organisations such as Wildlife Victoria.

Mr. Rob Gell

Patron, Wildlife Victoria

For all information on the Victorian Bushfires please go to the News page

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