This baby Brushtail Possum was found abandoned and dehydrated on the side of the road in Mosman, a suburb on Sydney’s North Shore. Staff at Taronga Zoo have been providing round-the-clock care to the orphan, and one nurse, Felicity Evans, even named her Bettina. Since arriving at the zoo, Bettina has been making a quick recovery, and will eventually be released into the wild.
Like any baby, Bettina has formed an attachment to a soft stuffed animal, and nothing- not even dinner time- will get her to let it go.
“At this age she would naturally still be with her mother, so the soft toy gives her something to snuggle for comfort. It’s not as fluffy and woolly as an adult Brushtail Possum, but she clings to it using her claws and teeth as she would do with mum in the wild,” said Felicity Evans.
Bettina weighed less than three ounces when she was first found. She arrived at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo in September, and has since doubled in size.
Eventually, the four-month old possum will be released back into the wild. Until then Bettina’s enjoying regular bottle feeds, and cuddling with her toy kangaroo.
Watch the video below to see this precious baby possum with her new cuddly toy.
Can you believe how attached Bettina is to her stuffed toy? Share with us in the comments below.
[Featured image credit: Taronga Zoo]