Animals have Sue to thank

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Animals have Sue to thank

SUE Moore is giving wildlife a second chance of living.

The Tarwin Lower woman cares for injured and sick animals, sharing her home with such native icons as wombats, possums, koalas and even wedge tailed eagles. Then there’s her husband Mick.

When people report an injured animal to Wildlife Victoria, Mrs Moore is one of the carers who will be alerted. She cares for, and releases, about 230 animals a year, joined by colleague Kylie Laing of Venus Bay.

“You have got to be committed because it’s like an emergency service. The animal can’t wait on the side of the road for 24 hours,” Mrs Moore said.

“In the last six weeks I’ve had eight wombats come through from roadkills. They often have to go off to other shelters because I have not got the space for them.”

She’s nurtured a five foot goanna that ate 1.4kg of ox heart a day, and will travel as far as Yarram to collect an animal in need.

“Caring for and rehabilitating and releasing the animals is the special reward,” she said.

Calls for help can come at all hours of the night and day, but after 11 years in the role, Mrs Moore is aware of the challenges.

For eight months she cared for a koala with a maggot-infested shoulder. Four years later he was attacked by dog and had to be put down.

“It was devastating to be honest,” Mrs Moore said.

One Christmas, having just served lunch, she received a call to rescue a baby echidna. Lunch had to wait.

A baby wombat can take two years to rear, with the animal needing to weigh 25kg before being of a suitable size to fend for itself. A baby can weigh as little as 125 grams.

Speeding drivers on country road contribute to the wildlife road toll, as they are taken by surprise by animals on the road and are unable to slow down in time.

“If you do the Walkerville road and you’re doing 80 to 90km/h, you can actually pull up in time, so just that 10-20km/h slower makes a difference,” Mr Moore said.

By law motorists who hit an animal are required to move it off the road to avoid another motorist colliding with it. Doing so will also reduce the likelihood of a wedge tailed eagle feeding on the roadkill and also becoming a target for cars.

While most of her work is voluntary, she welcomes donations and was appreciative of the $5000 grant she received from the Bald Hills Wind Farm Community Fund to turn a former fernery into a shelter.

Donors are able to pay credit towards vet bills or offer a petrol voucher, or offer their properties as release sites.

Carers undertake training with Wildlife Victoria and Mrs Moore now mentors newcomers to the game.

To find out more, contact Mrs Moore on 0429 016 695.

Timo the wombat shows his appreciation to wildlife carer Sue Moore of Tarwin Lower, who dedicates her time and money to restoring sick and injured animals to health.

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Posted by on Jun 27 2017. Filed under Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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