Miracle survival: How wildlife rescuers found Hope after the cruelest act

A miracle wombat joey has been rescued three weeks after her still-lactating mother was deliberately mowed down and killed in a popular South Gippsland tourist town.

Rescuers named the joey Hope in recognition of her unlikely survival after a mass slaughter of wombats in Venus Bay last month, when 10 wombats were deliberately struck by drivers of three 4WD vehicles.

Wombat joey Hope survived more than three weeks without her mother, who was killed by unknown offenders.

Police are yet to charge anyone over the attacks, which have galvanised the close-knit community, but have appealed for anyone with information to come forward. They confirmed the acts were being treated as deliberate.

The attacks took place between 10pm and 11pm on February 18. The next morning Venus Bay local Mark Radley inspected the bodies of wombats scattered on roads within the town, checking for joeys and marking them. Several of the wombats had been dragged and placed into artificial positions, and several carried vehicle tyre marks.

Hope is recovering at Healesville Sanctuary.

Among the animals Radley inspected was a rare blonde adult female with an enlarged pouch – still lactating in death – with no joey nearby.

“At that point I was worried these creeps had taken the joey,” he said.

Despite his fears, Radley put bowls of water out nightly in case the joey returned.

Wildlife shelter operator Kylie Laing also checked the blonde wombat on February 18, before going on a “mission” to find the joey. She set up cameras to try to spot the juvenile wombat, and followed fresh scat along wombat trails.

“Sometimes I got very close, and I knew by the scats that she was close by,” Laing said. “Sometimes I was so close. I could tell she just laid the scats, but she was still very fast and healthy enough to disappear.”

Every night, Radley’s water bowls were drained – until one night last week. That night, Michelle Ford, team leader with the town’s volunteer Community Emergency Response Team, was driving through town when she noticed movement on the side of the road and hopped out to investigate.

“Unfortunately, I had a dog bark in the background, and then she went through a gate,” Ford said.

“I got a hand on her, and she had a little growl, and then I ploughed through some bushes after her – no idea whose house it was – but then she took off in a heap of agapanthus. So I had no hope.”

Ford called local wildlife rescuers, who sped towards town, and passersby pulled over to help. Eventually, they safely captured Hope. Laing was among the first to hold the joey – which she estimated was about 10 months old – after her rescue.

“After everything that we’ve been through, it was one of the best moments of my life,” Laing said. “And now what we need is to try to catch these people that did it. We need [Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action] DEECA to get a conviction now.”

Hope is recovering and receiving treatment for an infected toe at Healesville Sanctuary.

Common wombats, or bare-nosed wombats, are protected in Victoria. They take up to two years from birth to live independently of their mothers. People caught destroying protected wildlife face 50 penalty units or six months’ prison – or both – for every head of wildlife.

Instagram influencer Samantha Jones last week sparked international headlines and departed Australia after she grabbed a wombat joey from its distressed mother in what appeared to be a stunt for an online video.

Police continue to investigate the attacks. Anyone with information is urged to call 136 186 or make an anonymous report via Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000, or by visiting crimestoppersvic.com.au.

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