A wallaby who found fame after escaping from a petting farm has died peacefully.
Ant and his brother Dec have been a big attraction at Tiny Steps Petting Farm near Thurlby, taking their names from the popular TV presenters.
But in 2022 Ant managed to find even greater fame by disappearing from their enclosure – thankfully returning unscathed a good two weeks later.
Ant the wallaby was partial to a digestive biscuit
Ant went on to become the subject of a children’s book, ‘Ant Hops Off’, written by Tiny Steps volunteer Carol Corliss from Thurlby,
Dave Hall, who opened Tiny Steps with his wife Tracey as a not-for-profit venture in 2021, said they had the vet out twice to see Ant, and that they had diagnosed neurological problems and a possible seizure.
“Unfortunately there wasn’t anything they could do for him,” he said, adding that wallabies are quite solitary animals by nature, and that Dec seemed quite happy despite the loss of his brother, and had been busy eating donated Christmas trees.
Carolyn Corliss wrote a children’s book about Ant
Tracey added that Ant, who was five years old when he died, had kept eating and looking after his coat right up until the end, and that when his time was up he had slipped away peacefully.
Tiny Steps Petting Farm is closed to visitors until April to allow the animals time to have time and space from outside visitors.
Ant at Tiny Steps Petting Farm
Anyone wishing to bring a real, untreated Christmas tree to the farm can do so, although those dropping them off will not be able to see the animals.