There is a new arrival at The Australian Reptile Park winning hearts of all the staff – world, meet Lizzie the baby wombat!
Lizzie was found still in the pouch, with her mum being hit and killed by a car. Thankfully a passer-by checked the pouch and discovered Lizzie’s tiny, scared face staring back at them. Suddenly alone in the world, Lizzie was brought to the Australian Reptile Park where zookeeper Hayley Shute became her new carer and surrogate mum, providing the adorable wombat with around the clock care (including a bottle feed at 3am) and the cuddles she craved.
With the recent passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the staff at the Australian Reptile Park decided to name the strong little wombat after Her Royal Majesty as a tribute to another strong female who left a lasting impression on the entire world.
Hayley Shute says of the new addition “The first week of care is always critical with little orphans like Lizzie. It’s hard to know if they’ve been exposed to disease, are malnourished, or even injured in the accident. She has pulled through like a true champion. Lizzie is full of beans and has quickly won over everyone here at the Australian Reptile Park. She’ll follow you everywhere you go, loves cuddles and loves her bottles of milk even more!”
Ms Shute goes on to explain “Cars are one of the biggest threats to Aussie wildlife. With so many people now out on the roads with school holidays upon us, we are calling for people to slow down. So many animals are killed by vehicles each year and if we all took a little more care, we can decrease the number dramatically!”
For now, Lizzie will remain at the Australian Reptile Park for roughly 12 months. At this stage, it will be decided if she is strong enough to be released to the wild. Visitors may be lucky to see Lizzie walking through the Park with a Keeper while she’s settling in and finding her feet.
The Australian Reptile Park is accepting the Parents NSW vouchers and the Spring school holidays is the perfect opportunity to use the vouchers provided by the NSW Government through Service NSW with the promotion finishing on 9 October 2022. For those looking for an extra special experience, animal encounters can be booked with Tasmanian devil joeys, koalas, baby Komodo dragons and more! For more information on these amazing behind-the-scenes tours, head to www.reptilepark.com.au
