Wildlife carer Justine King got the shock of her life when she checked on two of her orphaned wombats recently.
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It was a morning like any other, as she walked over to greet sleeping marsupials Lucky and Carrie in their enclosure.
An unsuspecting Justine started to film the wombats when she saw a snake, believed to be a tiger snake, rear its head out of the hay.
“Lucky and Carrie were still sleeping when I saw this thing slithering up,” she said.
“I was filming them waking up and I saw the snake flare.”
In a knee-jerk reaction, Justine kicked the side of the enclosure and the snake ran away from the wombats.
In hindsight, she said this was a decision that could have potentially backfired on her.
However all she wanted to do was protect the wombats.
“I was very frightened for my babies. I knew I had to do something,” she said.
Justine took the wombats out of the enclosure and they went inside. When she went outside later, the snake was gone.
When Justine put a video of the encounter up on her Facebook page Dimmocks Retreat Wildlife Rehabilitation and Rescue, the post received more than 280 likes and about 80 comments.
Justine said she wanted to post the video to raise awareness of the fact that snakes are around.
“I don’t want people to feel paranoia but be very vigilant. Just remain calm because you could frighten them,” she said.
“It was interesting to see the reaction [on social media]. People really love our wombats.”
Justine and her husband Greg Pointing are licensed members of Wildlife Rescue South Coast and run a small Bundanoon sanctuary.
Lucky and Carrie will be returned to the Australian bush when they are ready.
Lucky was found by a member of the public on a farm in Bundanoon with bite marks all down her back.
She was very roughed up by other wombats when she lost her mum.
She made a full recovery and the carers found another orphaned wombat Carrie to be her buddy.
The two wombats became inseparable and now walk everywhere together shoulder to shoulder.
If you see a snake do not catch and relocate it yourself.
If bitten call 000 and follow the prompts. If you suspect your pet has been bitten, call your vet for advice.
Call reptile catcher Ray McGibbon on 0400 734 225 if you have a snake in your backyard or Wildlife Rescue South Coast on 0418 427 214 if you have an injured animal.
