Close call for possum ‘pet’

People are being warned not to adopt native animals, after a possum was found emaciated and close to death when a Geraldton family tried to raise it as a pet.

Macy Grey the brushtail possum was found in September last year in her dead mother’s pouch, and the family who came across her rescued her.

Unfortunately, they did not take her to a wildlife carer and instead let her grow up with the family dogs, sleeping with humans in bed and becoming friendly with the other pets.

When the family left for a trip in December last year, they “released her into the wild”, putting her outside their suburban Geraldton house and leaving her to fend for herself.

Now reliant on human care, Macy was found in a neighbour’s roof 10 days later, nearly starved to death.

She was taken to a licensed carer and brought back to health, but the behavioural damage was done.

Macy now shows no interest in other possums and actively pursues attention from humans and dogs.

Greenough Wildlife and Bird Park co-owner Michelle Jones said this was dangerous behaviour that familiarised native animals with their enemies.

“In the wild, cats and dogs are a possum’s enemy and they will damage them, so when you familiarise them with that environment they lose their fight or flight response,” she said.

“It’s the same thing with kangaroo joeys — people find them, keep them in their yard, they get used to sound of barking dogs which would normally cause kangaroos to bolt off, even just the smell of a dog should cause them to run,” she said.

“These animals are beautiful, they are unusual, we love our native wildlife but people have to understand the difference between rescuing an animal for your own benefit and rescuing an animal for their benefit.

“If I kept every animal I rescued I’d have over 1000 at this point, and you fall in love with every one of them it’s true, but you have to consider what’s best for the animal.”

Ms Jones said now Macy is completely acclimatised to humans, she would never be able to return to the wild, but would become an educational animal.

“She’s literally failed every test the Department of Parks and Wildlife had to have her reintroduced in the wild,” she said.

“She’s naturally a nocturnal animal, but now she’s awake every day looking for human attention.

“I had to apply for a lot of paperwork to get her marked as an educational animal, but she will now be able to be used to teach people to care and respect our native wildlife.”

Locals who find wildlife in trouble can call Greenough Wildlife Park on 9926 1171, or take the animal to their local vet.