“Dad, everything is dying”: Boy’s heartbreak after discovering dead wallaby from the bushfires
“Dad, everything is dying.”
Those were the heartbreaking words from Matthew Faulkner, as he held a dead wallaby whose habitat was destroyed by the bushfires.
His dad Tim Faulkner, who is president of NSW animal protection organisation Aussie Ark, shared the photo in an emotional video posted to Facebook as he revealed the not-for-profit’s aim to help save the brush-tailed rock wallaby.
Established in 2011, Aussie Ark began as an initiative to help save the Tasmanian devil from extinction and has since grown. They are now setting food and camera traps to feed the animals amid Australia’s devastating bushfire crisis.
Matthew found the dead wallaby when his family began to check the traps as Barrington Tops in the Hunter Region of NSW.
“Matt picked it up and said, ‘They’re all dying dad’,” Mr Faulkner wrote in the video.
“Watching him cradle the wallaby felt like I was showing him his future.
“Shortly on the drive home, we saw another. To flee the fires, they are coming closer to roads and being hit by drivers.”
Speaking to Yahoo News, Mr Faulkner said the gut wrenching moment brought him and his partner to tears.
“The wallaby looked like it just died, his mum and I were both crying It was very moving in that regard,” he said.
“Matty is really empathetic and felt like he needed to cradle and look after it.”
He said Aussie Ark was working non-stop to help save the wallaby population but was in need of help from the general public.
“Although some have died, the food drops are showing promising results,” he said.
“We are working hard to save them. We will continue until they are safe.”
OverSixty, its parent company and its owners are donating a total of $200,000 to the Vinnie’s Bushfire Appeal. We have also pledged an additional $100,000 of product to help all those affected by the bushfire crisis. We would love you to support too! Head to the Vinnie's website to donate.