A 4yearold is garnering attention on social media for his wild adventures and is affectionately nicknamed “MiniSteve Irwin.”
Ashlee Neille from the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia, is winning hearts by hugging pythons, hunting wild wombats and rescuing koalas all captured in incredible videos that have gone viral on TikTok.
Millions of people watched in amazement as Ashlee interacted with various wild animals at the family animal shelter. Her father, Josh Neille, told how his daughter fell in love with all kinds of animals, from snakes to kangaroos, feeding them and caring for their cages.
Ashlee is holding two wombats. (Photo: KNM/@fezferretson)
“Some people have dogs, but she has snakes, wombats, kangaroos and possums. She’s like a mini Steve Irwin,” the proud father, a 34yearold electrician, shared in an interview with Kennedy News and Media.
With a smile he added: “She just talks to them and they seem to adore her. She says, ‘He said he loves me,’ and I think, ‘Oh yeah, I’m sure that’s what he said.'”
The Neille family has built an impressive following on TikTok: their @fezferretson account has 376.5k followers and 16 million likes.
Ashlee has been no stranger to the animal kingdom since birth. Her father explained that from the moment she was brought home from the maternity ward, she was interacting with a variety of animals.
The family has been running an animal shelter since 2013, where they have cared for 15 wombats over the years.
In one of the videos shared on the account, the caption reads:
“Ashlee has no siblings, her brothers and sisters have been animals since birth. I wouldn’t be surprised if she spoke Wombat.”
Regard:
The videos showcase Ashlee’s remarkable connection with animals, including her fearless interaction with a 9foot python named Banjo.
“She dragged the big snakes down the hallway and put them back in the cage when she was still in diapers. However, they are not poisonous,” Josh Neille said.
Ashlee played with the big snakes when she was still in diapers. (Photo: KNM/@fezferretson)
“She gets along well with all animals. A lot of kids come in and say, ‘Oh my God, a snake,’ but she’s comfortable around her,” Josh commented, adding proudly, “She’s a really popular little country girl.” that she comes from a town with probably only 500 people.”
Ashlee’s connection to wombats also attracted attention. Her compassionate gestures, such as hugging and feeding, demonstrate the deep connection she has with the animal world.
“She was always very nice to them. “She doesn’t have any siblings and we’re pretty isolated, so that’s her thing during the day the wilderness,” Josh added.
Watch a moment of Ashlee caring for a wombat:
In the caption, the father jokes: “Reggie the wombat was lucky to have his friendly carer. I bet he’s telling all his friends in the bush how cool his childhood was.”
Josh Neill shared his dreams for his daughter’s future and hopes she continues her passion for animals.
“I hope that she is always so close to the animals and does something similar. Maybe even a vet or something in the media,” he said.
You can follow the family here.