Big wombats

New information on the immense wombat-like Diprotodon optatum indicates it reached more than two and a half tonnes on average - nearly double some previous estimates.

Imagine these digging burrows in your garden.

Image: BBC

Rescues

I've just picked up a little boobook owl. The poor thing was discovered by some magpies, who then pecked at him until he fell on the ground. He has an injury over his left eye but there doesn't appear to be any concussion. Both pupils work at the same time.

The man who found the bird said it was really dopey when he picked it up. By the time I got him home the bird had become really active in the box. I had to transfer him to a proper cage, and he decided my gloves were The Enemy What Must Be Killed. So he attacked with beak and claws. I removed the gloves and dropped them with bird attached into the cage. Last time I checked... well. I needed new gloves anyway. Those ones weren't thick enough.

At least the punctures in my hands have stopped bleeding although I must admit they are still very painful. Typing is a bit difficult.

And in other news

( Another Bug )

Boobook

The little owl is more injured than I thought.The magpies had pecked so hard we could see the skull bones through a hole. He's in for some long R&R and a course of antibiotics.

I met Rexie again. She's doing well and getting fatter, but she's still small for an echidna. She seems to be enjoying her stay on the farm in the big cage.

H & R have about 28 kangaroos and wallabies, all orphans in various stages of growth. Little Clancy is a red kangaroo who stands just knee-height, while Bob (a red) and Bob2 (a western grey) stand almost 5 feet tall. They have reds, eastern and western greys, wallaroos, red necked wallabies and swamp wallabies. I also got to hold a very young brush tailed possum not much larger than my hand. She spends her day clinging to a toy teddy when she's not in the pouch. Poor little thing.

I also got to play with a whole bunch of cute little baby rats, but it's best not to get to attached to them because H&R also care for eagles and snakes.