Hope the Rescued Wombat Joey Returns to the Wild

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: January 21, 2021 9:50 pm

hope the wombat joey Australian Reptile Park

Hope the wombat joey from the Australian Reptile Park

Photo Credit: Australian Reptile Park

It was a bittersweet day for keepers at the Australian Reptile Park on the Central Coast of Australia as they said goodbye to Hope the wombat joey who returned to the wild. Hope brought joy to millions around the world when they needed it most. She arrived as the pandemic reached its peak in Australia and the sanctuary needed to close. A global naming contest made it clear there was a most popular name – Hope.

She became a viral superstar when a video of her becoming friends with Elsa the koala becoming ‘lockdown buddies’ was seen by many around the world. The pair spent their days together and brought joy to those in lockdown.

Hope the wombat joey from the Australian Reptile Park

Photo Credit: Australian Reptile Park

As a rescued wombat though it was time for Hope to return to the wild. She has moved to Cedar Creek Wombat Rescue where she is acclimating to the wild in a large enclosure. Eventually she will be free in the wild in a safe, fenced habitat where she will live among a range of wombat friends.

These friends include George the wombat who was also raised at the Australian Reptile Park.

Hope the wombat joey from the Australian Reptile Park

Photo Credit: Australian Reptile Park

Australian Reptile Park General Manager, Tim Faulkner, says of Hope “We are sad to see Hope go, and we all miss her already! She definitely was a beacon of hope for us during a time where we all needed it, but we know it’s the best decision to return her to the wild and live out her days as a happy wombat!”

Faulkner added “Thanks to Hope and her rise to fame, she was a huge help to Australian wildlife. It is so important for Australians and international audiences to see just how glorious our native wildlife is – we are faced with the fastest mammal extinction rate in the world and Australian wildlife needs this kind of exposure to help people fall in love wildlife so they can join us by helping protect it. Hope during our closure has helped put wombats on the map!”

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Hope came to the Australian Reptile Park for care after she has a heartbreaking start to her life. Her mom was hit by a car while Hope was in her pouch, an unfortunate fate which faces many Australian animals.

Thankfully a passer by stopped by to check her mom’s pouch and found Hope’s tiny, scared face looking back at her. She was brought to the Australian Reptile Park where her ‘fill-in’ family provided her with the needed milk and cuddles she craved.