The dusky pademelon joey was just the size of a jelly bean when it was born at Chester Zoo.

As we mourn the thylacine once again, we can also appreciate the still-living Tasmanian pademelon.

But we also marveled at the sight of a pademelon carefully grooming the tiny joey in its pouch, so unused to humans that it seemed not to even notice us.

The crack of dry bark, the whistle of whip birds and sometimes a thundering in the undergrowth – a wombat, a pademelon – it all makes Jimmy feel younger.

A pademelon and her wee baby saying hello.