A possum and her joey have ‘illegally’ made their way over Mark McGowan’s hard Western Australian border, forcing them to quarantine.
The eastern bushtail possums reportedly got a trip in the back of a deliver truck in mid-January from Victoria.
WA animal rescue workers were left shocked after hearing about the pair’s journey, and the fact that they went three days without food or water.
“We were obviously concerned about the possum’s condition because it wasn’t a refrigerated truck,” WA Wildlife Hospital manager Karen Clarkson told ABC.
She added, “We got her back and she had the biggest drink… Then the vet examined her and that’s when we found a little joey in her pouch.
“Now she’s a really good size, she’s got a big fat belly and you can just see the joey, she’s very, very sweet.”
According to officials, the pair pose a significant biosecurity risk in WA.
Those who worked with the Victorian possum were forced to wear full protective equipment, and incinerate the newspapers and towels used in their cage.
Unfortunately, if no airline carrier can transport the mother and child back to Victoria, then they will have to be euthanised.
“We’re currently now trying to find an airline company that could fly her back, that can be quite expensive normally, so we are calling around to see if there are any companies that will be actually willing to do it for free,” WA Wildlife’s director of operations Dean Huxley told the publication.
Fingers crossed they find a way home!
