Shivering mother possum, babies sought refuge after ex-cyclone Alfred

A mother possum and her two babies were found shivering in a Murwillumbah home, while wildlife volunteers see an influx of wounded animals following ex-cyclone Alfred. SEE THE PICTURES HERE.

A soaked, shivering and worse for wear mother possum and two of her tiny babies sought shelter on the bottom level of a Murwillumbah home as torrential rain and flooding hit the Tweed on Sunday night.

Resident Kerryn Law said the furry family was cooped up in a corner downstairs against the brickwork and the mother was “not very well”.

“Have fed the babies chopped up apple,” Ms Law wrote on Facebook.

Ms Law said she eventually brought the possums inside, wrapped them up in a warm towel and that wildlife carers were on the way to rescue them on Monday morning.

Baby possums rescued in Murwillumbah. Picture: Facebook/Kerryn Law

Baby possums rescued in Murwillumbah. Picture: Facebook/Kerryn Law

Before ex-cyclone Alfred hit, Dr Bree Talbot filled up her bathtub with water and three baby turtles. She had torches on hand so she could perform surgery on flying foxes and towels to warm shivering kangaroos.

While the rest of northern NSW bunkered down, the vet’s home became a makeshift triage room, the laundry used to heal animals injured in the wild weather.

Baby Australian White Ibis that was rescued. Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital is back open and treating Australian Wildlife that have been rescued in the floods after ex-Cyclone Alfred. Picture: Rohan Kelly

On Monday, Dr Talbot and her colleagues were finally allowed back inside a proper clinic.

“We closed the hospital just before the cyclone hit so in that time it was really difficult for carers to access veterinary care. I had a lot of animals coming to my house to try and get some triage,” she said.

Already, she and her team are seeing an influx of injured animals, all casualties from ex-cyclone Alfred.

Originally published as Shivering mother possum, babies sought refuge after ex-cyclone Alfred