Protecting wildlife in Eastern Australia means coming into contact with some unique mammals of all shapes and sizes, with one of those mammals being the marsupial, which is only seen within the borders of the continent. The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, located in Queensland, recently found itself nursing a newborn whose size was estimated to be no larger than a paper clip.
The marsupial in question was a feathertail glider that had been brought to the hospital by someone who had noticed that the mammal had fallen from its mother’s pouch. The hospital quickly gave it a name, “Boop,” and began the process of safely nursing it.
The microscopic size of Boop was such that its weight upon arrival was just one-half ounce. Despite that small size, no injuries were sustained during the fall from the pouch, but the hospital sought to make sure that it was fully nourished before being released back into the wild.
Boop received care around the clock by individuals specifically trained to handle such cases. The marsupial was photographed by hospital staff, with the image then posted on the hospital’s social media site, virtually hidden within a small, knitted item.
The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital was opened up in 2002 by the late wildlife expert Steve Irwin and his wife, Terri. Over the past 14 years, the hospital staff has been able to help many animals regain their health and save them from potentially dangerous conditions.
Feathertail gliders are also known as pygmy gliding possums or more commonly as flying mice. That tiny size remains throughout their lifetime, since their maximum weight never reaches more than six or seven ounces.