By Callum Ludwig
Wildlife across the Upper Yarra have found a safe haven at the Waratah Wildlife Shelter and the community has chipped in to help the shelter’s efforts.
After an appeal to crafty locals to make some possum boxes on Wednesday 12 April, within a day Raewyn Jeganathan had all the supply she needed.
Ms Jeganathan said the support has been amazing.
“It’s really nice to know that there’s support in the community and that people do want to help and appreciate what we’re doing, it’s really humbling and affirming of all the hard work that we do,” she said.
“Being a wild animal, the boxes are a massive help for them with a shortage of good tree hollows. Lots of big mature trees have come down over the past few years with the storms we’ve had and the extra water in the ground.”
Over the Easter period, local business Jay Berries also raised $534 for the shelter through a raffle to go towards animal rescue and care.
Ms Jeganathan said they want to make sure animals have adequate shelter while they transition back to the wild.
“It becomes their little home so when we release them back out into the wild, we put their box up in a tree and it gives them a bit of a home base and some security, there’s always a pretty steady stream of rescue calls in a local area and orphaned animals that need to come into care,” she said.
“I think our wildlife is the responsibility of all of us in the community, a lot of people say to me ‘I wish I could do what you do, but I don’t have time’ but you don’t have to give up your whole life to a wildlife shelter, just a couple of hours makes a difference.”
Waratah Wildlife Shelter is currently based on Gembrook Road in Launching Place but is hoping soon to relocate to Big Pats Creek with a greater capacity to take in and care for local wildlife and for volunteers to get involved.
