Ozzy the orphaned long-nosed potoroo loves his peanuts

Ozzy, a young long-nosed potoroo, is thriving at the Tatachilla Lutheran College eco-sanctuary in McLaren Vale, South Australia, after a challenging start to life. In January, Ozzy's world was turned upside down when his mother fell ill with a bacterial infection and had to be euthanized. At just 96 grams and barely covered in fur, the orphaned joey was still in his mother's pouch, facing an uncertain future.

A dedicated team of staff, students, and volunteers rallied to ensure Ozzy's survival. Long-standing staff member Dolores Amos, known as Ranger Dee, took on the demanding role of providing two-hourly night feeds, a commitment that involved significant sleep deprivation. During the day, other staff and volunteers continued his feeding schedule, while students contributed by crocheting specialized pouches to keep the tiny potoroo warm and secure, mimicking the comfort of his mother's pouch.

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He's grown into a very robust young male.

Now weighing a healthy one kilogram, Ozzy has made remarkable progress. Tom Hurley, the coordinator of the college's EcoSanctuary, praised Ranger Dee's expertise, stating that Ozzy has developed into a "very robust young male." Ozzy is one of 20 long-nosed potoroos residing in the sanctuary, which is designed to protect native wildlife from predators like cats and foxes. The sanctuary, established on land previously used for vineyards and sheep farming, has been revegetated with local native plants.

In what is described as his "teenage phase," Ozzy is gradually becoming more independent, moving out of the dedicated care center and exploring the 4.3-hectare eco-sanctuary. While he is learning the essential skills of being a potoroo, including foraging for roots, fungi, grubs, and insects, he still has a fondness for peanut treats, much to the gentle restraint of his caregivers. Recently, Ozzy has begun constructing his own nest under a bus, a behavior that suggests he may soon be seeking a mate among the nine other potoroos in the sanctuary, which also houses brush-tailed bettongs and tammar wallabies.

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incredibly naive