Save a Macropod Joey

I love Macropods 

Macropods are: Kangaroos, Wallabies, Padamelons, Potaroos, and more. 

In our garden, we have many Red-necked Wallabies and Grey Kangaroos. Though we live in the bush, we're not that far from a busy highway, and sadly we see many dead native animals on the roads. I know this can't be avoided, but when it comes to my tiny village, it breaks my heart to think that these precious animals get run over when the speed limit is only 30 kilometres per hour. Still, it's not always possible to avoid the roos at dusk when they sometimes leap out in front of a moving car, even if the driver is going slow. However, we've lost many due to people refusing to slow down. And it's sad to think that that little animal could have had a wonderful life, and sometimes there's a joey in the pouch.

When a Macropod has been killed it's often possible to save  joey that is still in its mother's pouch. This can be gruesome and it's understandable that folks don't want to touch, or go near the dead animal, but please take the time to phone a wildlife rescue in your area because if there is a living baby in the pouch it will most likely die a slow and painful death from hunger and exposure. Plus it could be injured and in pain.

If you're able to rescue the joey, please don't pull the joey away from the mother if he's still suckling from the teat because this might tear the roof of the joey's mouth and then he may not survive. If he's not suckling, take him out and wrap him in a towel, blanket or tea-shirt to keep him warm until you find a wildlife rescuer or a vet. Most vets don't charge a fee to the public for the treatment off wildlife. Do not feed the joey cows milk, just keep him warm and get him to a vet or a wildlife carer ass soon as possible.

I'm a member of a wildlife rescue and recently I was called out to collect a joey that had been bouncing around a property for two day after its mother was killed. It had no food and was suffering from hunger and exposure, but died on the grass before I arrived. So if you see a joey without a mother, please call a wildlife rescue for help. You may save a precious life.

Here are some photos of the Red-necked wallabies and Kangaroos in my garden:

 

  

 

 

Sorry about this, but recently, on my morning walk in my small village,  I came across this poor wallaby and her little joey that had probably been hit by a car. Unfortunately, the joey had been pulled from the mother's pouch by a large bird, though it looked like the poor little guy had already been badly injured.

It broke my heart, knowing these beautiful little animals could have lived a wonderful life. The speed limit in our country village is 30 kilometres per hour, not sixty or seventy and we often have folks speeding. Many animals are just left to perish, without first checking the mother's pouch, though many kind folks have accidently hit animals even doing the correct speed. Those wonderful people contacted us and the joeys were saved. 

Here are two joeys that were saved and lived.

Here are phone numbers to keep for wildlife rescues in NSW Australia:

Taronga Wildlife Clinic, via Zoo switchboard: 02 99692777 press 0 for operator

WIRES Sydney: 1300 094737

SydneyMetWildlife: 9413 4300 

FAWNA (Mid North Coast: 6584141

Wires Nambucca: 6564 8661

Wires Tamworth: 1300 131 554

Wires Coffs Harbour: 66527119

Native Animal Trust (Hunter) 0418 628 483

Wildlife Aid (Singleton, Musw, Scone) 0447 667737

Wildlife Arc Central Coast: 4325 0666

Nth Tablelands Wildlife Armidale: 1800 008 290

National Parks and Wildlife Hunter HQ : 4984 8200

Koala Preservation society - Port Macquarie: 6584 1522

Koalas in Care Taree: 6552 2183