When an Australian cheese factory employee pried open a container of garlic oil, they expected the usual sharp aroma — not a pair of wide eyes looking back at them. At the bottom of the drum sat a bewildered, oil-soaked animal in desperate need of help.
Staff quickly contacted the Bonorong Wildlife Rescue Service hotline, and soon Ned, a WIRES Emergency Response driver, arrived at the scene.
The unexpected visitor wasn’t just any animal. He was an Eastern quoll — a spotted, cat-sized marsupial once common across Australia, but now listed as endangered according to WWF Australia.
Rescuers believe the young quoll, later nicknamed Scroll, had been drawn to the rich scent of garlic oil. But once he fell inside, the slippery walls and heavy coating of oil trapped him.
Ned carefully lifted Scroll from the drum and rushed him to Bonorong Wildlife Hospital. His condition was worrying: he had inhaled so much oil that he developed pneumonia and struggled to breathe.
“It was touch and go for a while,” said Emily Garvey, Bonorong’s primary care manager.
For weeks, the team provided round-the-clock care. Slowly, Scroll began to heal. His fur regained its natural softness, his strength returned, and his breathing improved. After six long weeks, he was unrecognizable from the sickly animal pulled from the drum.
Finally, the day came for Scroll to return to the wild. Rescuers released him near the place he’d been found — but far enough from the factory to keep him safe. With one last glance, he disappeared into the brush.
“We’re always thrilled to see our patients return to the wild,” Garvey said. “But it feels extra special for animals who’ve been through such a long recovery.”
Scroll’s story is not just about survival — it’s a reminder of the care and commitment it takes to give endangered animals a second chance.
To support rescues like Scroll’s, you can donate to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary.
