A groundsman at a resort was carrying out his usual duties when he spotted a peculiar, fuzzy ball drifting in the pool. Initially bewildered, he quickly retrieved the tiny creature and placed her on a nearby deck.
He soon realized that the fuzzy ball floating in the pool was a small animal in desperate need of help. Without delay, local animal rescuers sprang into action.
When they arrived, their heart sank. The young ringtail possum appeared lifeless – cold, stiff, and motionless. One of the rescuers, Anne-Marie Howarth, shared in an interview:
“On arrival, the possum was wet, stone cold, stiff, and unmoving. To be honest, I thought [she] was dead.”
The rescuers wrapped the possum in a soft, dry towel and nestled her between two warm water bottles to bring some much-needed heat. With hope, they sped towards a wildlife rehabilitation center, the 20-minute journey that felt like an eternity.
Miraculously, as the car drove on, the possum began to stir. Her eyes suddenly opened and her tiny body twitched before she started to make faint, sorrowful cries.
Howarth was thrilled to see that this tiny soul showed signs of life, sharing:
“[The] possum started recovering. [She] began to move and make pitiful little crying noises.”
Upon reaching the center, the possum was warmed up so the animal experts anesthetized her and took X-rays to ensure there was no water in her lungs. Thankfully, there wasn’t.
In the following days, she was given exceptional care and she showed incredible resilience. Her dull, matted fur transformed into a glossy, fluffy coat and her eyes sparkled with newfound vitality.
The possum’s health steadily improved and the entire team was overjoyed and grateful for the second chance at life she happily embraced.
Once strong enough, she’ll be returned to the wild, where she’ll once again experience the freedom of her natural home, carrying with her the care that helped her get there.