An orphaned baby wallaby named Riley lost his mother as she died of pneumonia.

Watch the orphaned baby wallaby being hand-reared in a rucksack

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Four-month-old Riley is now being hand-reared in a rucksack by wildlife carer Julia Stewart at Studley Grange Butterfly World and Farm Park near Swindon, Wiltshire.

Julia carries the baby wallaby everywhere in a rucksack strapped to her chest. Riley is only allowed to come out of the rucksack for an hour and a half a day to play with other wallabies at Studley Grange Butterfly World and Farm Park.

Julia, who has three children, says she feels like she is pregnant all over again.

Julia said: “Riley’s mum passed away so we created the pouch to care for him. He had been cold all night and didn’t have any milk so we put him in a furry kids’ rucksack.”

“At the centre, I care for a lot of animals so I have to keep him away from the otters, meerkats, and raccoons. But when I’m with wallabies I let him hop around the pen so he knows he is a wallaby.”

Riley eats milk, fruit, and vegetables every four hours and sleeps in the bag at Julia’s home.

Julia says her dogs – a collie and a labrador – also love Riley and always protect him.

She said: “My collie washes him and protects him – she worries if he goes out of sight. My labrador watches him because he wants to play but I’ve told him Riley is too small to play.”

Julia says she is likely to keep Riley in the pouch for at least three months because he is still too small and needs protection.

She said: “I’ll keep him in the pouch for at least three months because he is still very small and then we will integrate him with the six other wallabies at the centre – two of these are his siblings.”

 

 

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