Adult and juvenile kangaroos were killed in Tura Beach in Australia. Police believe that up to 20 kangaroos were hit on purpose by a vehicle between 10.30 pm and 11.30 pm on Saturday. They were hit so hard that some died instantly and some were so injured they had to be euthanized.
Janine Green, a volunteer with Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) was alerted to the incident when police knocked on her door at Sunday night, holding a surviving joey (baby kangaroo).
“Twenty kangaroos, including joeys, were killed and three remaining joeys are in veterinary care”, said Janine Green. Police and the National Parks and Wildlife Service are now investigating the case, with police appealing for witnesses with information about the event to come forward.
Mass slaughter
Green told CNN on Monday that she had never seen anything like the carnage in her 20 years with the organization: “Residents on the streets were just stunned because they woke up on Sunday morning to find dead (kangaroo) bodies strewn all over their lawns.”
She continued: “The kangaroos are part of their community, they’ve lived there forever. They’re all used to the kangaroos hopping up and down the street. For someone to do a mass slaughter like that is just unbelievable.”
Surviving joeys
The three joeys that survived are Eastern Grey Kangaroos. The smallest one is a male and is around six months hold. He has been named Nullah. The two older joeys are aound nine months old, one male and one female. All three are in care of WIRES.
Surviving joey Nullah, photo: WIRES Surviving joeys, photo: WIRES