A busy marsupial breeding season in the Peel region has prompted a local wildlife rescue group to call for more volunteers.
While Mandurah Just Joey Marsupial Care has welcomed creatures in need with open arms this season, co-founder Dot Terry said the refuge service could use a helping-hand to deal with the influx.
The 24 hour Coodanup-based service generally care for possums, kangaroos, chuditch, quoll, banicoot and phascogales.
Read more:
“We’re flat out. We’ve had about 25 ‘pouch babies’ so far this season. For this time of year that’s a lot,” Ms Terry said.
“As time goes on and more people get to know that we’re here, it’s going to get busier.”
She said people who were eager to perform the “harder chores” were in high demand.
Ms Terry said the current volunteer-base needed help conducting tougher jobs such as preparing cages, lifting heavy items and carrying out gardening task.
“Every little bit helps,” she said.
“[New volunteers] don’t have to do it full-time, they can just put a couple of hours a week in.
“We have got a good very large volunteer base. We started off small but we’re growing over time but we’re still open to anyone interested.”
Currently the service is supported by 25 volunteers, who generally work into on of the four shifts per day.
The group cover the Peel region as well as the Rockingham-Baldivis area.
The service is full equipped to support young marsupials with humidicribs, a type of incubator used for the care of premature babies, on-site.
Ms Terry said Just Joey Marsupial Care had qualified volunteers who were trained and licensed by the department.
If you see a young marsupial in danger please call Ms Terry on 0409 734 125 (Mandurah) or Trish Dixon on 0407 251 140 (Rockingham-Baldivis).
For more information about the service visit their Facebook page.
