A Rescue and Recovery despite problems. A Happy Life in Care.
What a lovely Art Work!

The Artwork will be auctioned with a public Auction on Facebook and by Email soon.
More details at bottom and on our Facebook Page.

Disaster!
On the 29th 0f February and 13th of March 2020 two young Hairy-nosed wombat joeys were found on the Blanchetown to Morgan road at points about a kilometre apart. Both mothers had been killed on the road, sadly, but the young were picked up by caring members of the public who contacted Wombats SA member and Fauna Rescue member Jane Budich who lives on a property North of Moorunde Wildlife Reserve near Blanchetown SA.

Jane and Phil Budich rescue and rehabilitate injured and orphaned wildlife, as members of Fauna Rescue, with particular passion for Southern Hairy-nosed Wombats. Thanks Jane and Phil! ✱

Disaster Overcome
The first joey was a male weighing only 385g (and was named “Billy the Kid”). The second was a female weighing 1.2kg (and named “Kitty Kat”). They needed to be fed every six hours at first with special milk replacement formula, then put back into their pouches, in solid boxes with heat pads to give them the best chance. With Jane and Phil’s expert care, despite being so young they adjusted well and have grown and developed as expected.

Kitty Kat on 17 May 2020.

Kitty Kat getting some love


On 12 July 2020, Karen and Chris Lane, also Wombats SA members, loved meeting the rescued wombats and Jane and Phil!

Karen Lane's heart is captured by Kitty Kat Chris Lane got a chance to meet Billy the kid.
Karen Lane’s heart is captured by Kitty Kat Chris Lane got a chance to meet Billy the Kid.

These wombats have been lucky to have a second chance at life and although they will never be able to live in the wild (being taken into care so young) without a massive rehabilitation program, they live happy, healthy lives under the care of Jane and Phil Budich.

Amazing Development – Kitty Kat
As of May 2021, Kitty Kat is now very healthy and happy and weighs 10-12 kg! Jane and Phil were concerned as she grew large enough to leave the ‘pouch’ that her back end sagged a bit. So they took her to a vet to have her x-rayed. They were surprised to find she has no bones in her hindquarters!

Despite this, she learned to walk and do everything a normal wombat does by compensating with her muscles / tendons / sinews to hold her up – Quite Amazing! She is totally mobile and certainly loves digging. Kitty Kat has her own burrow and communicates with the other wombats next door to her.

When Phil goes out to see her, she looks for cuddles from him and nuzzles her nose into Phil’s cheek. Kitty Kat may have had an unlucky start in life, but she is one very lucky wombat to have been rescued and now raised by Jane and Phil Budich. In the wild Kitty Kat may well have struggled to survive and grow to maturity in the tough conditions of the country between Blanchetown and Morgan.

Kitty Kat Photo May 2021

Kitty Kat: May 2021, growing up and Happy!

Despite having no bones in her hindquarters, she’s happy and healthy. During this photo shoot we could tell how happy she is because she was doing the snuffling call that wombats do when they’re ‘talking’ – she was so pleased to see Phil! It is definitely a tribute to Jane and Phil’s abilities as rescuers and carers!

Karen Lane was so touched by the experience that she created a painting of little Kitty Kat!

Karen has generously donated it to Wombats SA to help us raise funds to care for more wombats!

Karen Said: “On a trip to Moorunde Wombat Sanctuary we were invited to visit a local wildlife rescue sanctuary and were able to hold two rescued juvenile hairy-nosed wombats.
There is nothing to quite touch your heart than cuddling a baby wombat!

Kitty Kat Artwork Framed and Bare

Karen Lane's Kitty Kat Artwork in frame

It’s a framed pastel painting of the juvenile hairy-nosed wombat
on art spectrum acid free pastel paper.

Frame is 32.3cm wide and 44.5cm high
Karen Lane's Kitty Kat Artwork - bare

Original Artwork is 20cm wide and 29cm high

Karen Said: “I hope the sale of this painting will be able to contribute in a small way to providing a larger reserve for South Australian Hairy-nosed wombats at Moorunde.”

The Artwork will be auctioned with a public Auction on Facebook and by Email soon.
More details to come on our Facebook Page and by Email.

If you can’t join in the Auction, donations you are able to make towards our work will be gratefully received and put to good use.

Click to see our website Make a Donation page
Please contact Wombats SA if you have any questions about the Auction or the donation process.

✱ Wombats SA has other members and supporters who rescue and rehabilitate wombats and other wildlife.
e.g.
Wildwood Park Sanctuary Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation, run by Sally Arnold.
Wombat Rise Sanctuary.run by Bob Cleave.