Joey's Debut.mpg

Joeys Debut
This is a sample from a soon to be released series of videos of a wallaby joeys first out of pouch experience. This will be a real time series of videos capturing events as they occur. The joey is yet to be named, and as the little one grows and develops distinguishing marks and characteristics will appear. We will introduce each of the characters as the scenes unfold, and may consider streaming live if the demand is such.

To set the scene

We live near Bowraville, in the beautiful Nambucca Valley, on the Mid North Coast of eastern Australia. We purchased the property about 10 years ago and since then have had the privilege of sharing this place with the Earth Mother and her many Kingdoms. Our main companions are 2 horses, a couple of carpet snakes, lizards, magpies, birds and the occasional unexpected harmless and dangerous fauna visitor, and of course the wallabies.

There is a mob (pack) of wallabies that have made us part of their daily migration path to and from their feeding grounds. Over the years areas around the house, studio and sheds have become a safe haven for mothers and joeys as they take their first steps out of the pouch. This is a very venerable time for both mum and babies in evading predators, which for the wallaby is based upon reflexes, speed and agility. The joeys are too big to carry in the pouch, and too small to escape capture. This period usually lasts 2 or 3 weeks. We have had the privilege many times to see this amazing event, as the young wallabies emerge and learn to be amazed at their own new abilities and skills, and the many antics and crashes that are part of this learning to hop process.

The day usually begins around sunrise with the horses arriving for their breakfast of pellets, chaff, sulphur, seaweed meal capped off with a carrot. The wallabies and magpies follow along and clean up anything the horses have left behind. The daily routine lasts for ¾ of and hour and they all disappear about the daily business. Sunset is much the same except there is only a handful of pellets for the horses.

We do not feed the wildlife or engage with them directly unless they come within our boundaries, a white tape that we have strung around the end of the veranda and small area at the front of the house.

Recently, the wallabies have become very bold and have invaded these boundaries. We noticed that one of the joeys was about to take his first steps out of pouch, rather than enforce the boundaries we have decided there will be a One Off Only opportunity to share this amazing experience with others close up.

One of the problems we faced was amount of crap they were leaving behind. We decided to spread a small handful of pellets around as animals will rarely defecate where they eat. This is only a small amount and in no way supplements or value adds to their diet in any way. We generally do not support the feeding of wildlife by people, and encourage others to consider the same, however, sometimes one must be flexible in their principles and on this occasion we feel this to be the case.

This is a special journey, a peek into the wonder world of nature that we feel humble and blessed to be a apart of. We hope you enjoy this series as much as we will do producing it.

Namaste
Mac & Meg

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Wallabies