Staff at a Northumberland wildlife attraction have had to go the extra mile for one of its most recent arrivals.
Jolene, a six-and-a-half-month old albino wallaby, was born at Whitehouse Farm near Morpeth earlier this year. But at around three months old, staff at the farm noticed that the marsupial had been "kicked out" of her mother's pouch.
Since then, the farm's Heather Hogarty has been hand-rearing six-and-a-half month old Jolene, with the help of an Anglo-Nubian goat named Willow, who has been supplying her with milk. Heather has even made a makeshift pouch for the new arrival, which she fashioned by folding her work polo shirt and clipping in safety pins.
Read more: One in a million five-legged lamb born at Whitehouse Farm in Northumberland
Jolene has since grown and while Heather still carries her around in her "pouch," she is now too big to be pinned in! And it's still a mystery why she was rejected by her mother.
Heather said: "I have no idea why (she was kicked out), it doesn't happen very often. We're estimating she was about three months old when it happened, they'll come often out but they can hop back in, but that's at about six months.
"We're not sure if something has given the mam a fright, it could have been an accident. But at that point, they're not big enough to climb back in. We have tried to put her back but she wasn't having any of it!"
Jolene was initially kept out of view of visitors as staff weren't sure she would survive. However, after around three months with Heather as her foster mum, she's said to be thriving.
Heather continued: "We have got her a little friend now so that she realises she's a wallaby. I hand-reared an emu and we had a difficult time getting him to bed in, he must have thought he was a human!"
Hand-rearing animals at farms and zoos is seen as a last resort as it can have a detrimental effect on the animal long term. However, that has not stopped Heather from building up a bond with the creature over the last three months.
She continued: "I'm her foster mum and when she was really small I had to keep her in my home made pouch. Having feeds throughout the day and night like a human baby meant I had to take her home.
"I'm limiting contact now so that it will be easier for her to join the wallaby mob. I'll be a little bit sad, I'll have empty pouch syndrome!
"But it has to be done as it's in her best interests. I'll be really happy to see her integrate with all the other wallabies and be a normal wallaby as she should be."
Albino wallabies are rare, but Jolene is not the only one at Whitehouse Farm. Her dad is also white and will be part of a new attraction opening in the coming months, the wallaby walk.
And Jolene is not the only notable baby animal at Whitehouse Farm. Earlier this year, a five-legged-lamb captured the hearts of Chronicle readers, with name suggestions coming in from around the world.
The lamb has since been christened Vee, after the Roman numeral for five, and was in good health and high spirits during my visit, with those at the farm still consulting experts on whether the leg will be kept or removed.
For more information on Whitehouse Farm, including opening times, admission prices and how to get there, visit the website.
Are you planning a trip to Whitehouse Farm this summer? Let us know!
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