The five-month-old wallaby that was rescued from the water in Boxtel on Sunday evening has now been reunited with its mother. The animal is doing well and is now happily jumping through the zoo in Park Molenwijk again.
Passers-by saw how the mother jumped against the fence on Sunday evening and soon discovered the animal that had fallen into the water. Moments later, the fire service pulled the striking drowning man to the side again. There, the hypothermic wallaby was quickly wrapped in heat foil.
Employees of the Brabant North-East animal ambulance later took care of the animal and brought it to the Regional Animal Shelter Ravenstein. “He came in here hypothermic and dehydrated,” says an employee there. “You wouldn’t say that after such a while in the water. But in terms of nutrition, he hadn’t eaten anything for a while.”
Nevertheless, the wallaby soon recovered, partly due to the quick action. “Of course he was not ill. We first warmed him up with hot water bottles. Once he was up to temperature, he also wanted to eat again.”
The animal has now been returned to its mother. “I understand that the municipality of Boxtel will adjust the stay a bit,” says the employee of the animal shelter. “So that he doesn’t end up in the pond again. Wouldn’t it be a shame.”