A donation to sick and injured animals at Taronga Western Plains Zoo's Wildlife Hospital is helping provide them with special nutrients while on their road to recovery.
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During the height of the drought, Dubbo's Belinda Nugent loaned Hospital staff a Thermomix machine so they could create a eucalyptus paste for the animals.
Recently she donated a permanent machine on behalf of Thermomix Australia, which was accepted by vet nurse Jo Milgate.
While in drought, the Wildlife Hospital were inundated with koalas struggling to survive, but the blended eucalyptus leaves and ice helps increase their nutrient intake.
A big bunch of the paste is made up and stored in the freezer whenever an animal is presented to the Wildlife Hospital.
"I asked Belinda if we could potentially borrow a Thermomix to see how it would go and it was brilliant because our food processor just didn't cut it, we couldn't get the paste that we need from the leaves," Ms Milgate explained.
The sick and injured animals are given the paste through a syringe as many are dehydrated, debilitated and just don't have the energy to eat.
Ms Milgate said the food provides the nutrients, while the water helps hydrate them.
To date the Thermomix has helped a 12 animals for supportive feeding for periods of up to five weeks per patient.
The vet nurse said along with the koalas, Wildlife Hospital staff have also been making blended recipe for insectivorous birds who come in, including Magpies and Crows.
The machine can also be used to make up fruit and vegetable puree for primates.
"The best things about that is being a Conservation Society we don't actually have to worry about going to the shops, buying a baby food products, which could not only have preservatives... but we're cutting down our use of plastic," Ms Milgate explained.
The Wildlife Hospital vet nurse thanked Ms Nugent for her kind donation, saying it made their job a whole lot easier.
Ms Nugent said she was grateful to be able to provide the donation and help the wildlife.
"It's fantastic to be able to support such a worthwhile cause. They do such a good job at the Zoo," she said.
"The drought was terrible for so many reasons, for so many people. We're farmers ourselves so know first-hand what it's like, such as feeding livestock.
"But if we all do a little bit it makes a big difference and it keeps going forward."