Sunny was found alive in his mother's pouch after she was killed by a car. Now the Australian Reptile Park is raising him as their own.
Some stories start with heartbreak. Sunny the wombat joey's began when his mother was fatally struck by a vehicle, and he was found alive inside her pouch. What followed is a story of round-the-clock dedication, bottle feeds at all hours, and a little wombat who has managed to bring sunshine to everyone he meets.
Sunny is now being hand-raised by the team at the Australian Reptile Park, who have taken on full responsibility for his care following his mother's death in a road strike.
Wombat joeys require constant attention, and Sunny is no exception. He receives bottle feeds every four hours and heads home with his keepers each night, never far from the people who have become his new family.
"Looking after a joey is a full-time job, with around-the-clock feeds and constantly trying to wear the little fella out. We've definitely got our hands full," said Brandon Gifford, Operations Manager.
His name was no accident. From the moment Sunny arrived at the Park, his gentle and affectionate personality lit up the team around him. Now at the age where young wombats would naturally begin venturing out from their mothers and exploring the world, Sunny is doing exactly that, just with a few extra pairs of boots to follow.
"Sunny is already following us around at our feet, just like he would follow his mum in the wild. He's at the perfect age to come out and explore, which is keeping everyone on their toes. He absolutely loves his bottle, getting cuddles from his keepers and investigating everything around him," said Brandon.
Sunny's story also carries an important message about the toll Australian roads take on native wildlife. An estimated 10 million animals are killed on Australian roads every year, and wombats are among the most vulnerable.
"Sunny is an ambassador to his species who will stand as a reminder to how many wombats do get hit and killed by cars every single day in Australia. He will hopefully teach people to slow down and look out for all of our wildlife when travelling around Australia," said Brandon.
For Sunny, the coming months will be filled with bottles, exploration and plenty of attention from his dedicated keepers as he continues to grow. Come and meet him at the Australian Reptile Park in Somersby on the Central Coast, just one hour from Sydney or Newcastle, and hear his story from the team raising him.