Plea for pals

By Monique Ebrington
BADGER Creek wildlife carer Josh Klein has been inundated with animals since the Black Saturday bushfires.
Ms Klein is currently caring for more than 30 possums alone and said running her shelter had been hard with the influx of wildlife.
To make matter worse Ms Klein has recently developed a repetitive strain injury from the increased workload that has affected her wrist, elbow and shoulder.
Feeding animals, re-bandaging injured wildlife and cleaning enclosures have taken their toll on her arm and Ms Klein said it gave out altogether a couple of weeks ago.
While she still manages regular shelter care, Ms Klein said she is behind schedule making the habitat boxes she needs to house and release animals.
“I’ve just been overloaded. Normally I have possum boxes, however most of them have disintegrated or are being occupied,” she said. “I’ve been caught out because of the larger than normal influx of possums, the heat wave and the bushfires.”
Ms Klein said she usually built her own habitat boxes, however, due to the RSI she can no longer handle a circular saw.
“The last thing you want after months of intensive care is for them to die due to lack of appropriate accommodation,” she said.
“The possums would be very grateful. It’d give them a great start.”
To volunteer materials or labour phone Josh at her Badger Creek wildlife shelter on 5962 2678.