'Coward's act': Second kangaroo shot in head with arrow at hospital
A second kangaroo has been shot with a crossbow arrow on the grounds of a NSW hospital.
On Sunday a young kangaroo was found with an arrow through its head and right eye at Morisset Hospital at Lake Macquarie.
Hunter Wildlife Rescue volunteer Ann Morgan was called to the hospital after the kangaroo was found by the security guard about 7am.
It was still alive when she and NSW Police arrived, but the kangaroo bounded into the bush with the arrow still protruding from its eye.
After searching for the kangaroo for two days it was found and humanely euthanised.
“It’s very distressing, the beautiful young boy never had a chance,” Ms Morgan told Yahoo News.
Two of the crossbow arrows were also discovered on the hospital grounds.
Search for second roo shot
Another marsupial was shot in the neck again on Wednesday and Ms Morgan is now trying to locate the animal to euthanise it.
“If that arrow has gone through the neck it may have hit the windpipe and it could have gone to ground already,” she said.
“But the fact these kangaroos are being shot and left alive is just horrific.”
Ms Morgan said this kind of act was not uncommon and this had been the fourth arrow attack at the hospital alone in just three years.
In 2015 a kangaroo with a joey in her pouch had an arrow shot into her chest. Last year a male kangaroo was shot in his abdomen.
Ms Morgan said somebody in the area had to have information about the most recent attacks and the offenders were “cowards”.
“You’re a coward if you could do that to a defenceless animal,” she said.
“It’s a coward’s act and they need to be brought to justice.
“It’s such a low act.”
Police said they attended the incident on Sunday December 16 but could not locate the kangaroo at the time. A spokesman said officers did not attend the scene on Thursday.
The latest reports of kangaroos being shot by arrows comes after a marsupial was attacked in Victoria in May.
Georgia, a four-year-old eastern grey, was lucky enough to survive the crossbow shot.
Anybody with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a report online.
