Recently, a construction worker in Australia was working on a two-story building behind a homeowner’s garden when he noticed a strange pink baby lying in the grass. Walking over to get a better look, the man heard a strange sound.
“He said [he was] making a funny noise,” Theresa Matthews of Our Haven Wildlife Shelter told The Dodo.
It turns out, the blush-colored baby was an orphaned kangaroo, and he was calling out to his mother, wondering where she went.
The construction worker eventually got in touch with Our Haven Wildlife Shelter. Soon, a volunteer arrived to transport the baby to safety.
Warm at the shelter, rescuers made sure the ‘roo got everything he needed.
“[I] checked him over, [and] he had no injuries,” Matthews said. “[I] gave him a warm bottle, which he drank very well.”
It’s no wonder the construction worker noticed the joey’s cries. Baby kangaroos are known for their unique call, which you can hear in this video:
According to BBC Wildlife Magazine, baby kangaroos, aka joeys, live in their mothers’ pouches for about the first six months of their lives. During that time, the babies heavily rely on their moms for food, warmth and safety. Out of the pouch for too long, an orphaned baby is in big trouble.
Luckily for this little guy, rescuers were happy to provide all the things he missed.
According to Matthews, this joey is currently doing well and, provided he continues to improve, will be released back into the wild once he’s old enough to make it on his own.
Snug and fed, it’s clear that this resilient kangaroo is getting the second chance he deserves.
“He is a very strong little boy,” Matthews said.