Little Hannah on way to recovery

News source: The Sunday Mail
27 January 2008
By Hannah Davies

SHE'S had a rough ride so far but this baby platypus is now on the road to recovery.

Little Hannah has touched the hearts of carers at the Australian Wildlife Hospital at Beerwah, just north of Brisbane, since she was rescued from a flooded river in New South Wales.

The three-month-old platypus was suffering from a respiratory infection, malnutrition and dehydration, as well as two deep, infected puncture wounds - thought to have been inflicted by another platypus.

But hospital manager Gail Gipp is delighted that Hannah has responded well to treatment and is expected to make a full recovery.

"Hannah is one of the fortunate few that found her way into care," she said. "The young ones especially are ill-equipped to survive severe flooding, so she has displayed remarkable tenacity."

Hannah will remain at the hospital for four to six months before being returned to the wild.