Kind-hearted teen's amazing effort to save joey found in dead roo's pouch
An 18-year old boy has been hailed a hero for his resourcefulness in keeping a joey warm overnight after finding the orphan in the pouch of a kangaroo that had been killed.
The Noosa teen was about five kilometres from home on Thursday night when he stumbled upon a dead kangaroo on the side of the road that appeared to be hit by a car.
Quick-thinking Shiloh Leeke checked the roo’s pouch and found the orphaned joey inside – alive, but cold.
He didn’t hesitate to bring the little roo home and look after it until he could find help the following morning, not realising local wildlife careers could be reached 24 hours a day.
Shiloh’s parents were already asleep when he brought the joey home and he didn’t wake them, so the resourceful teen Googled how to care for the animal and got to work.
He created a makeshift pouch with a library book bag and towel to keep the joey snug and warm, and set it up beside a heater on the kitchen floor alongside a mattress for himself to spend the night so he could monitor the orphan’s temperature overnight.
He even found a thermometer to make sure the baby roo didn’t overheat.
Shiloh’s mother Belinda made the discovery at 5am when she went to make a cuppa, then called local wildlife rescuers to take over.
Founder of Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast Claire Smith praised the boy for his resourcefulness and foresight.
“Shilo saved this roo’s life. The mum could have been hit again, where she was on the road.
“Potentially the joey could have been killed,” she told Yahoo7.
While joeys can survive up to three days in a pouch, its mother’s stomach would have began to bloat and cause severe constriction, so he couldn’t have stayed there for long, she said.
“He not only saved the Joey’s life, he did everything he could to improve its wellbeing and give it the best chance.
“It’s not what you’d expect an 18-year-old boy to do… He did an amazing job,” Ms Smith said.
“It’s sad that the mother died, but this kid has done more than most adults would have.”
The joey was morning checked out by vets on Friday morning and is expected to be placed with an experienced animal carer tomorrow.