Snowy and Chris would like to say a huge thank you to Friends of the Animals Perth for their ‘Be Kind to Animals’ competition which we were fortunate to win.
Snowy Lamb received the highest number of votes and was the recipient of a $200 gift card which will procure him and his friends many boxes of Weetbix for the coming months.
Thank you!
Autumn is banksia season in the Valley, which the local nectar eating birds and insects love!
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| A gorgeous grevillea. |
We are fortunate to have a large Menzies’ banksia flowering profusely near the volunteer picnic area, together with some newly planted ‘Birthday Candles’, a low growing banksia, along the pathways.
The pin cushion hakea has just started to flower, and the everlasting daisies have germinated with the recent rains.
Mark has recently planted three large beds of leafy greens for the possums and parrots, and the poplars are showering the paddocks with their golden leaves, much to the delight of the goats!
Late last month we said goodbye to dear Paul Ram after ten wonderful years.
Paul arrived at the Sanctuary after he was collected by Rangers Araluen.
Even though Paul arrived with little eyesight, he went on to live a very love filled life with Phillip and George rams, and later Ginger the goat.
Paul’s favourite person was volunteer Greet, who never missed an opportunity to lavish him with affection and treats.
Rest in Peace Paul, always in our hearts.
It seems sweet Sophie had been carrying a very cute surprise these past months - welcome to the Valley baby Cosette!
With her mum and aunts all carrying French names, it was only fitting that the tiny arrival’s name kept with her family’s theme.
Cosette is already a favourite amongst her little herd, being tended by her mum and paddock aunts round the clock.
Having a baby born into Sanctuary is always an exciting time, and watching her mum enjoy every minute of her newborn is lovely to watch.
Aunty Frisette making sure the new baby is well groomed.
Throughout the week, Sanctuary volunteers gather an array of native flowers and foliage for the possums in care. These pickings not only contribute to possum nutrition, they also allows them to learn what is good to eat in the wild upon release, encouraging natural behaviours and enhancing both their physical and mental well-being.
The Valley’s gardens are densely planted with possum friendly food plants, including eucalypts, acacia, hakea and kunzea. Grevillea and bottlebrush flowers and fruits are also readily enjoyed, and we endeavor to grow species that have long flowering periods. Variation is key, and a bunch of mixed flowers and foliage is always an exciting addition to the possum aviaries.
In the Perth Hills area, both marri and jarrah trees are the dominant canopy species, so this foliage is especially important for animals close to release, so they are acquainted with browsing these in the treetops. For young, newly weaned possums, rose flowers and leaf tips are highly palatable and easily chewed, and while not native, are very useful when transitioning youngsters to nibble leaf material.
Eating natural foods is an absolute priority when preparing possums for release. Life in the wild is tough for hand reared animals, so ensuring they can forage successfully in forest is a crucial for their survival. Growing fauna friendly native plant species in the garden is a great way to support our wild friends!
A huge thank you to everyone who supported our Quiz Night.
Over $9000 was raised for the animals which is a fantastic result!
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| A big thank you to our quiz night volunteers! |
Too good to have just at Christmas – so easy and delicious as a side or a snack!
Ingredients
- 1 kg of washed brussel sprouts
- 1 cup of nutritional yeast
- Vegetable oil spray
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Simply boil the sprouts until soft, then place on a lined oven tray.
- Use a cup or spatula to lightly press the sprouts flat, sprinkle with nutritional yeast, add salt and pepper, then repeat on on the other side.
- Spray the coated sprouts lightly with vegetable oil and bake at 180C until the edges are brown and slightly crispy. Add more salt to taste before serving – delish!
Merry Christmas from the Valley! It’s been a busy lead up to Christmas! We had the Cat Haven Christmas Market, gift wrapping teams at Belmont forum, some very hot weather and the launch of our Christmas Hay appeal.
If you would like to donate for our hay fundraiser simply go to: https://www.givenow.com.au/cr/possumvalleyxmashay
