jackovesk
14th April 2011, 06:51
http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2011/04/14/1226039/136012-new-tonka.jpg
Down-in-dumps Wombat drops weight, just needed hugs...
WOMBAT Tonka is living proof it takes time to heal a broken heart. The two-year-old Billabong Sanctuary star has only just recovered after Cyclone Yasi forced him to live for eight weeks without the cuddles and pats he had become so accustomed to.
Shedding 20 per cent of his body weight after the storm, staff at Billabong Sanctuary spared no expense in vet checks and lab bills as they tried to work out the cause of the mysterious illness.
http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/images/uploadedfiles/editorial/pictures/2011/04/13/wombat-horizontal.jpg
Brett Flemming said after "forking out some serious cash" they found the problem.
"Tonka was hand-reared by one of our rangers and normally spends a good part of his day with people," he said.
"At Billabong he is the star. Everyone wants to visit Tonka.
"After the cyclone he missed the public - the patting, the photos, the cuddles and the endless posing for the paparazzi."
But Tonka wasn't the only one requiring a lot of attention after Cyclone Yasi, the popular tourist destination also suffered under the wild winds. Now, after shutting the doors to the public for an extended period the park is ready to re-open the gates this Saturday in time for the school holidays.
"For eight weeks we have had two people working full-time with chainsaws," Mr Flemming said.
"The park is 25 acres (10.12ha) of heavily wooded billabong and we we had 25-30 per cent of it destroyed.
"It looks really different after the clean-up but a good different.
"The gardens look really fresh."
http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2011/04/14/223241_news.html
Down-in-dumps Wombat drops weight, just needed hugs...
WOMBAT Tonka is living proof it takes time to heal a broken heart. The two-year-old Billabong Sanctuary star has only just recovered after Cyclone Yasi forced him to live for eight weeks without the cuddles and pats he had become so accustomed to.
Shedding 20 per cent of his body weight after the storm, staff at Billabong Sanctuary spared no expense in vet checks and lab bills as they tried to work out the cause of the mysterious illness.
http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/images/uploadedfiles/editorial/pictures/2011/04/13/wombat-horizontal.jpg
Brett Flemming said after "forking out some serious cash" they found the problem.
"Tonka was hand-reared by one of our rangers and normally spends a good part of his day with people," he said.
"At Billabong he is the star. Everyone wants to visit Tonka.
"After the cyclone he missed the public - the patting, the photos, the cuddles and the endless posing for the paparazzi."
But Tonka wasn't the only one requiring a lot of attention after Cyclone Yasi, the popular tourist destination also suffered under the wild winds. Now, after shutting the doors to the public for an extended period the park is ready to re-open the gates this Saturday in time for the school holidays.
"For eight weeks we have had two people working full-time with chainsaws," Mr Flemming said.
"The park is 25 acres (10.12ha) of heavily wooded billabong and we we had 25-30 per cent of it destroyed.
"It looks really different after the clean-up but a good different.
"The gardens look really fresh."
http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2011/04/14/223241_news.html