Kate Mooney, 57, from Flinders Island, Tas, shares her story:
Blood and guts were smeared all over the road. It was a sight that made my heart sink with despair.
“Another poor wombat gone,” I muttered, making my way to work.
Since moving to tiny Flinders Island, a 35-minute flight northeast of Tasmania, I’d seen so many of these beautiful creatures hit by cars.
As an animal lover who lived alone with only cats, dogs and ducks for company, this made me sad.
So when a local man found a baby wombat still alive in its dead mother’s pouch, I was the first person he thought of.
“Can you save it?” he asked.
“I’ll do my best,” I vowed.
The little wombat was tiny, weighing just a kilo.
I knew I had to do everything I could to help.
“You need a new pouch,” I said when I got back home from work.
I named her Batski, and placed her in a felt beanie where she could be warm.
From that day on, she became my child
Feeding Batski baby formula, I took her with me everywhere I went.
While I was out in the shearing shed, I put the window down and left her in my car to sleep in the beanie.
“Mum’s going to work now,” I smiled, stroking her back.
To my relief, she continued to grow and was soon sleeping on a bean bag by the fire.
Having her around brought me so much happiness.
I was going to spend Christmas on my own so I even had a packet of rolled oats wrapped under the Christmas tree as my special present for her.
But I knew that wombats are wild creatures so I encouraged Batski to go off and explore. Even when she went away for hours on end, she always came back to me.
Then, one day, she went for a walk and didn’t return.
Credit: Sammi Gowthorp
Days passed before I had to accept she was gone.
I hoped she was happy in the bush where she belonged.
Credit: Sammi Gowthorp
Since Batski, I’ve saved more than 70 others.
They can be a handful, especially the time I was caring for 13 at once!
Only a few weeks later, another resident came to me with a baby wombat who needed rescuing.
“Why not?” I said, taking Batrille under my wing just as I’d done with Batski.
My dachshund, Orlando, was a bit jealous at first, but he’s since learnt to love the wombats almost as much as me. He doesn’t have much choice.
Trying to bottlefeed six while the other seven were running around the house kept me on my toes.
But I had to do it quickly so I made it to work on time.
Believe me, wombats are not muddle-headed! One of my babies, Tink, has even figured out how to climb into the bath with me!
As word of my work has spread, I’ve become known as the Wombat Lady.
Some people even plan trips to the island to come and visit me and my brood, especially after one of my furry charges, Derek, went viral.
It costs $300 a month to look after them all, but I’ll keep doing it for as long as I can. I can’t imagine life without them.
To support Kate’s work visit www.gofundme.com/flinders-island-wombats
