This is Exeter News from FdA Journalism
20th April 2016
Exeters loved wallaby dies By Paige Furzer Lucky the wallaby, that was rescued last year by Kate Lewis manager of Exeter’s Crealy Adventure Park, has died. Kate was raising her at home after her mother rejected her but six months on her health deteriorated quickly, following an episode of seizures caused by a liver shunt. Kate found the wallaby cold and alone not long after the mother had given birth. Unfortunately the park wouldn’t fund the wallaby’s care so Kate decided to take matters into her own hands, raising her at home, hoping to rehabilitate her in six months time. Kate cared for the animal 24 hours a day like it was her own - feeding it every hour and making sure the wallaby was making good progress. To make the wallaby’s upbringing as normal as possible Kate made a velvet pouch to mimic her mother’s belly. “I have made it a pouch out of soft
materials- the wallaby thinks its his mothers warm pouch. We have already had to re-size it three times as she is making good progress and growing at her normal rate.” Animal lovers and family members visited lucky weekly to enjoy the unique company of the tame animal. Lucky was making great progress and plans were going ahead to re introduced her back to the other wallabies at Crealy. Unfortunately her physical state deteriorated a few weeks before.
Lucky at Three months old Kate cared for her at home hoping to nurse her back to health. A few days later, following an episode of seizures her state quickly worsened.
the following morning. “We are devastated she was like part of the family even the dog would enjoy watching her bounce across the garden for hours on end”.
Despite excellent care, with little knowledge at the local vets of such an exotic creature nothing could be done. Kate and her family were devastated yesterday to find that lucky had passed
Like many other animals wallabies have a natural instinct with their young, and although at the time there was no obvious reason as to why the mother had rejected her baby, it is more than
likely it knew she was unwell. Kate has had a memory book created in memory of the adorable kangaroo like creature and a photo collage has been displayed at Exeter’s Crealy Adventure Park.