Hello possums

By Danielle Galvin
Wildlife warrior Andrena Francey, who runs the Bayles Wildlife Shelter, has had a busy couple of weeks.
She said that housing developments in Lakeside Pakenham were destroying the natural habitat for native animals in the shire.
“Echidnas are being pushed into town. There’s so much wildlife in the area that has nowhere to go,” she said.
The number of injured echidnas, possums and baby magpies she’s been looking after has increased since the start of spring.
She said that she had been tending to injured and displaced animals brought to her from the newer side of Pakenham, towards Berwick.
“I’ve seen an extreme number of echidnas hit by cars around Lakeside,” she said.
Late last week, Ms Francey took three possums to a veterinary clinic in Pakenham and watched as all three were euthanased.
“Two were hurt in a road accident and one was mauled by a dog,” she said.
Ms Francey said that housing developments, the new train station and the shopping district had pushed native animals closer to town.
“I’ve heard of some echidnas being seen in the ALDI carpark. I think with more housing in Pakenham, animals are being pushed into town,” she said.
Spring is often the busiest time for wildlife shelters.
“People are finding wildlife and they don’t know where to take them,” she said.
In the last three weeks, Ms Francey has tended to an unusually high number of injured baby ringtail possums.
“When developers clear trees, the baby ringtail possums get thrown to the ground. I’ve had a few tradies and workmen bringing them in,” she said.
Ms Francey said that baby ringtail possums clung to their mother’s backs.
“Tradies have noticed them after they’ve knocked down a tree and seen the possums on the ground. When the mother dies, the mother’s young are thrown onto the ground, too weak to fend for themselves,” she said.
In her wildlife shelter, Ms Francey is caring for a tawny frogmouth, an echidna, a brushtail possum and two ringtail possums.
She said it was difficult when an animal she had cared for didn’t make it.
“That’s the hard part, the part that gets you down.”
Ms Francey said that the spring and summer months were her busiest.
She’s hoping that anyone who sees an injured or lost animal will give her a call.
“There’s an RSPCA number you can call but you don’t get a great response because they often can’t send an officer out to help you.
I just want people to know that there is help, and there is someone you can call,” she said.
On Tuesday, Ms Francey took on a water dragon lizard, two possums and eight wild brown ducklings.
“I’ve got animals coming in left, right and centre,” she said.