Last month, Newhouse Wildlife Rescue (NWR) responded to what initially sounded like a routine call about an injured opossum. The adult had been struck by a vehicle and sadly didn’t survive. But when rescuers arrived, they quickly realized the story didn’t end there.
Clinging tightly to their mother were her babies — tiny joeys who refused to let go, even after she was gone.
“They were still clinging to her,” NWR shared on Facebook. “She had been hit by a car, and they were left completely helpless without her.”
With heavy hearts, the team gently removed the babies and placed them in a warm, blanket-lined carrier. Though separating them from their mother was heartbreaking, the rescuers knew it was the only way to give the joeys a chance at life.
Back at NWR’s facility, the staff assessed the litter and were relieved to find that all of the babies were in stable condition. Along with a specialized feeding plan, the team came up with a creative way to comfort the joeys and mimic the care they would have received in the wild.
“They’ve been cozy in an incubator and have a life-size opossum stuffed animal to cling to,” NWR wrote. “It’s not mom, but it will do.”
The joeys immediately accepted their plush stand-in, piling onto her back and snuggling into her faux fur as if she were the real thing.
“These baby opossums love being able to simulate what they would have been doing with their mother if they weren’t orphans,” NWR shared.
Weeks later, the tiny survivors are thriving. Though they’re still too small to be released, they’re growing stronger every day — all while cuddling up to their pretend mom.
“They’re doing very, very well,” NWR said. “Still cuddling with their new mommy.”
The rescue team looks forward to the day all six joeys are healthy and independent enough to return to the wild. Until then, they’re cherishing every moment watching the babies grow, heal and find comfort together.
While their real mother couldn’t be there to raise them, the team believes she’d be proud.
“I bet mom would be so happy to know her babies are safe and being taken care of,” NWR wrote.
To support wildlife rescues like this one, donations can be made to Newhouse Wildlife Rescue.
