This past May, an adorable wombat nearly lost her life.
Big Girl, as her caretakers eventually named her, was hit by a car. Rescuers from Narbeview Wildlife Shelter and Triangle Wildlife Support Group rushed to this precious creature's aid, as she lay completely swollen and motionless on the ground.
They shuttled her to the vet, where she stayed for a few days until her swelling subsided enough to allow for a thorough medical evaluation.
Eventually, they all learned that this brave wombat had sustained a broken collarbone, three broken teeth, and bruised lungs.
Narbeview agreed to keep Big Girl under their watchful eye until she healed completely. However, once they all returned to the rescue with Big Girl in tow, this feisty wombat began revealing her true nature.
Having never really interacted with humans before, Big Girl was aggressive — quick to snap and grunt in disapproval.
In time, though, she grew to trust that these caretakers were looking out for her best interests, and slowly let down her guard. Now, this snuggle monster spends her days cuddling her loving humans to her heart's content.
Keep scrolling to learn all about this precious wombat's rescue.
[H/T: The Dodo]
Earlier this year, one unlucky wombat had an unfortunate run-in with a car.
A car hit Big Girl, as her rescuers later named her, and left her nearly dead by the side of the road.
Upon discovering her, rescuers from Narbeview Wildlife Shelter and Triangle Wildlife Support Group swiftly rushed this injured wombat to a nearby vet.
However, her swollen state could not accommodate a thorough examination at that point in time. Big Girl and her rescuers had to wait an additional few days for her swelling to subside in order to learn what other damages this car had inflicted on her small frame.
In the meantime, Big Girl rested, safe from harm, as antibiotics began working their magic on her tender injuries.
After her swelling subsided, Big Girl's vet and rescuers learned that she had a broken collar bone, bruised lungs, and three broken teeth.
Upon learning her diagnosis, Narbeview Wildlife Rescue immediately volunteered to care for Big Girl while she healed.
However, once they brought her home from the vet to their facility, they learned that this rehabilitation was bound to be trickier than they'd originally anticipated.
Big Girl grew up in the wild. As such, she hadn't really spent much time with humans before.
She was quite distrusting of her new caretakers at first, snapping, growling, bucking, and boldly making her tastes known at every turn.
For these caretakers, while Big Girl's antics were surely difficult to navigate, they were manageable because of the important truth they supported.
This behavior was a fantastic sign that Big Girl was quite the defensive survivor in the wild and would have a great chance at survival after she healed.
As they wrote on Facebook, "This is great, normal behavior for a defensive wombat. She is doing what she is supposed to be doing, but gee, you need to be on your toes at the moment. Over time, we hope to gain her trust."
And in time, they did indeed gain her trust.
Big Girl came to accept that these people were trying to help her heal, and, slowly but surely, her demeanor softened.
Soon, she began allowing her caretakers to gently snuggle her from time to time.
A little while after that, she was venturing over and offering up kisses.
So far, this adorable wombat has been healing quite nicely.
While she no longer seems to be in pain, she does still have a long way to go before she's all set to venture back into the wild.
In the meantime, she is now enjoying as many tender moments as she can.
Big Girl's story is a wonderful reminder that, in time, diligent love and care can transform even the shakiest first impressions into beautiful, lasting bonds.
After suffering a tragic accident and being thrust into an unfamiliar setting, this little wombat has found a special place in her heart for the humans nursing her back to health.
Watch the video below to see this amazing wombat cuddling and enjoying a bottle!
What do you think of his adorable wombat's rescue? Have you ever rehabilitated a sick or injured animal? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.
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