AssetID: 55348115
Headline: RAW VIDEO: A hoppy ending in time for Christmas! Tiny kangaroo joey left for dead bounces back against the odds
Caption: An eight-month-old kangaroo joey rejected by his mother and hand-raised by a devoted zookeeper has defied the odds and made a heart-warming recovery just in time for Christmas. The Australian Reptile Park is celebrating what staff are calling a true festive miracle after Rooster, an Eastern Grey kangaroo joey, survived against all expectations after being thrown from his mother’s pouch and left fighting for life. The tiny joey was just months old when his mother rejected him — a harsh but natural behaviour that can occur in the wild when a female kangaroo senses her joey is unwell. In most cases, joeys abandoned in this way do not survive without human intervention. But Rooster’s story took a different turn thanks to the tireless dedication of Operations Manager Brandon Gifford, who stepped in to save him. “It was a little touch and go as to whether he was gonna make it or not, but now, he’s bounced back and it’s a Christmas miracle.” Gifford explained. Now thriving under round-the-clock care, Rooster has become something of a celebrity among staff, not least because of his rather unusual name. The moniker — more commonly associated with a farmyard than a marsupial — has quickly become a firm favourite as the joey’s cheeky personality begins to shine through. “Rooster is the cutest joey you could ever raise,” Gifford said. “He follows me around everywhere I go, loves getting into his pouch and especially loves his smooches and his cuddles.” Caring for Rooster is no small task. The joey must be bottle-fed every five hours, meaning he accompanies Gifford to work each day and heads home with him every night. The demanding routine leaves little room for rest, but Gifford says the sacrifice is more than worth it. “Hand raising a kangaroo joey is the greatest thing you could ever do,” he said. “It’s what we’re all about, looking after our animals, and I absolutely cherish every moment I have with Rooster.” Once Rooster grows bigger, stronger and fully independent, he will be introduced to the resident mob of kangaroos at the Australian Reptile Park, where he will become one of only a few males in the group.
Keywords: feature,photo feature,photo story
PersonInImage: