The rescue of a newborn hairless joey from its dead mother has been caught on video

Wildlife carers are pleading with motorists to check pouches for babies if they hit a kangaroo or other animal after they rescued a tiny hairless joey from its dead mother. SEE THE VIDEO

A tiny pink joey being rescued from its dead mother’s pouch has been captured on video, urging wildlife carers to plead with motorists to check for young if they hit a kangaroo or other animal.

The call from volunteers with Wildlife Noosa Ltd came alongside a video posted to their Facebook page of the tiny hairless joey, also called a pinkie at that age, being removed from the pouch of a dead Eastern Grey Kangaroo on the Sunshine Coast.

William Watson, 53, of Noosa, said a member of the community alerted the Wildlife Noosa volunteers to an adult Eastern Grey kangaroo lying on the side of Eumundi Noosa road, near Beckman’s road, Tewantin after it was hit by a car about 1pm Friday.

“It was alive when she called us … but by the time we got there she had passed away,” he said.

In this still from a video, William Watson from Wildlife Noosa is seen retrieving a pinkie joey from its mother after the kangaroo was killed by a car. Picture: Wildlife Noosa/Facebook

In the video, Mr Watson, who founded the not-for-profit Wildlife Noosa about a year ago, is shown reaching into the kangaroo’s pouch and retrieving the newborn kangaroo, which he guessed was likely only weeks old.

The male pinkie still has its eyes closed and fits into the palm of Mr Watson’s hand.

Mel Small, 46, of Tewantin, who recorded the video, explained Mr Watson also cut off some of the mother’s teat so the baby was still attached.

“It is extremely important to never remove a joey from the mother’s teat inside the pouch as this may result in brain damage,” she wrote above the video.

“The joey needs to be removed from the mothers pouch whilst still attached to the teat. The teat must then be cut as close to the base as possible.

In this still from a video, William Watson from Wildlife Noosa is seen retrieving a pinkie joey from its mother after the kangaroo was killed by a car. Picture: Wildlife Noosa/Facebook

“A safety pin is then attached to the teat and fastened to the pouch so the joey doesn’t ingest the teat. The joey will let go when it wants to later.

“If unable to perform this procedure you can transport mum with Joey in pouch to a wildlife Centre.”

Miss Small said her daughter, Jarrah, 13, kept the pinkie warm by keeping him snuggled close to her chest on the way to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre at 1411 Eumundi Rd, Eumundi.

Mr Watson said the joey had to be euthanized.

“They did everything they could but he wasn’t viable. He wasn’t the weight he was supposed to be and he had to be euthanized,” he said.

Miss Small said she took the video to remind people to stop to check for young animals.

A tiny pink joey being rescued from its dead mother’s pouch is show in this screen grab from a video. The call from volunteers with Wildlife Noosa Ltd came alongside a video posted to their Facebook page of the tiny hairless joey, also called a pinkie at that age, being removed from the pouch of a dead Eastern Grey Kangaroo. Picture: Wildlife Noosa/Facebook

“This is a good reminder that if you do hit or see any injured or deceased kangaroos (or) wallabies on the side of the road to always stop in a safe place and check for any pouch young. A kangaroo with a marking such as a cross or ribbon means it has been checked so there is no need to stop,” she said.

“Even if it’s not a kangaroo, if they hit a possum or an echidna or any wildlife, please stop and check it doesn’t have any babies or young with it.

“A lot of times they will carry young on their back. Even flying foxes will carry the young on them on their belly.

“So if you can, stop if possible or otherwise check the location and report it and ring us or a rescue group so someone can head out and check the area.”