Stories
Wal the Quoll
by Annette Colling
 Wal the Quoll in surgery with Dr Howard Ralph.  Checking for injuries.  The injuries and resulting infection to Wal's hind legs.  Carers wear protective gloves when handling quolls - they have very large and very powerful jaws.  Wal settled well into the breeding program.  Wal the Quoll had a gentle temperament and was a lovely quoll to handle and care for. | In September 2008 Walter (Wal the Quoll) was found in the office of a bush retreat at Nerriga, NSW. When an office worker entered the room, he just lay there - there was no panic as he was dehydrated, injured and ill. A NANA member that lives at Sassafras (thirty minutes away) was called and Walter was passed onto Lou Gardener a wildlife carer at Milton. He was taken to the local vet who did a basic assessment and found mostly superficial wounds which were very smelly because of infection. Lou then took Walter to renowned wildlife vet Dr Howard Ralph at Malua Bay, who did a thorough treatment on him. After a couple of months of intensive care and treatment of his wounds, Walter had recovered sufficiently and in November 2008 he was taken in at Secret Creek Wildlife Sanctuary in Lithgow NSW. Secret Creek Sanctuary runs and houses the Mainland Eastern Quoll breeding program and also have some pairs of Spotted-tail quolls. So, Walter was moved to the Sanctuary for permanent care and to be introduced to the program. Walter was placed in a small pen at the Sanctuary and was given a nesting box on the ground as he was having trouble with hind limb co-ordination. He soon progressed to a nest box on the wall and was then moved to a large pen as his mobility improved. Walter was introduced to the captive bred lady quoll at the Sanctuary, in late April 2009, the start of the breeding season. Things were going well, until..... Walter was found in his enclosure by his keeper in early July 2009, unable to move his hind limbs. He was taken to local veterinarian Julie Grant of Bowenfels Vet Clinic who admitted him and treated him accordingly. Unfortunately Walter did not regain any movement or feeling in his hind legs and was euthanased. However, Walter did leave five pouch young with his mate Wendy! His wild genetics will be a valuable addition to Secret Creek's Spotted-tail Quoll gene pool. Wal the Quoll was a pleasure to have and handle, he had a very gentle temperament and was a lovely little critter. He will be deeply missed at Secret Creek by humans and quolls alike. |