AssetID: 53033830
Headline: Brush-Tailed Rock Wallaby Joey Released Into New Enclosure
Caption: An adorable wallaby joey has been introduced to its new home. Aussie Ark’s hand-raised Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby Rocket has been released into one of the organisation’s brand-new enclosures. Rocket’s new enclosure – complete with rocky mound, tree limbs and warm dens - mimics the rocky escarpment of the Great Dividing Range, which is the species’ preferred habitat. Operations Manager Dean Reid first started hand-raising Rocket in April and is thrilled with Rocket’s progress from joey into adulthood. “Today is an emotional day for me; I’m really happy but also a little bit sad,” said Mr Reid. “It’s been a long journey to get Rocket to this point, and when you’ve hand-raised an animal you get attached to them. But they belong out here, living a ‘wild’ life. This is what Aussie Ark does, and it does it really well.” Wildlife ranger Adam Mowbray helped Mr Reid care for Rocket in the final month pre-release, and couldn’t agree more. “Aussie Ark is a conservation organisation that specialises in putting endangered animals back into the wild,” Mr Mowbray said. “This has been such a conservation success story for Aussie Ark, and it’s been a privilege to be part of.” Rocket is now officially part of the organisation’s Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby breeding and rewilding program. With less than 30,000 of his species left in the wild, the program is globally significant, helping ensure the species doesn’t topple into extinction. “Once Rocket is settled we’ll introduce him to a girlfriend,” Mr Reid said. “And we hope for many more little Rockets bouncing around in the future!”
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