Quick-Thinking Teens Help Save Life of Distressed Kangaroo Trapped in Mud
Australia natives Jack Donnelly and Nick Heath, both 19, were riding their motorbikes together on April 22, when they noticed something stuck in the mud along the path.
Once they got closer, they realized it was a young kangaroo that was stuck up to its neck in mud.
The animal was in clear distress, growling and doing all it could to try and free itself.
“I first spotted the roo when Nick and I were riding in the bush and I saw this head sticking out of the mud,” Jack explained.
The two boys knew they needed to help the poor animal, but they weren’t able to reach it on their own, so they raced home to see what they could use to perform the rescue.
They found a long rope and quickly hurried back to the animal. Nick tied the rope around his waist, then army crawled out into the mud.
Once Nick had freed the animal, Jack pulled them both back to safety with the rope. The pair then brought the kangaroo back to their home and put it in the bathtub to get the mud off.
Jack’s grandmother, Kerry Reynolds, explained that the kangaroo might have wandered out into the mud flats in search of water when it got stuck.
After the rescue, the animal was then brought to WIRES, an Australian wildlife rescue organization. After examination, they said they believed the kangaroo had been trapped in the mud for quite a while and was very dehydrated.
“They were concerned whether its kidneys would cope with not having enough water, but … they said it would pull through,” Reynolds explained.
Both Nick and Jack were extremely glad to have been able to save the kangaroo’s life.
“The roo’s life was important to us so we went out on an arm and leg and got it,” Nick said. “We think he went searching for water there and it was really muddy so he got himself really stuck.
“It’s a pretty patriotic thing to do and we’re proud of what we did. If we saw something like that again, we’ll do it all over again.”
The boys even decided to name their new furry friend Lucas.
“We just agreed on the name. We liked it; it’s cute,” Nick said.
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