Spot the kangaroo survived nine days with arrow through its head

SOMETIMES, there are just no words for this type of barbarity.

HIS survival has been described as a miracle.

Despite being shot in the head with an arrow by callous hunters, Spot the kangaroo managed to hop around for nine days before being taken to the Lort Smith Animal Hospital in Victoria for treatment.

Locals in the Mount Macedon region claim hunters had shot the kangaroo with a crossbow and were aiming for his head.

While they managed to hit their target, the arrow did not kill Spot. Instead it left him badly injured. The half-metre long arrow remained lodged in the side of his head.

Locals contacted Wildlife Victoria who began trying to track Spot down.

Manfred Zabinskas, who spent weeks tirelessly tracking the injured roo, said he frequently spotted him but then quickly lost him.

“I went out every day after he was first spotted - maybe five or six times - before we managed to catch him,” Mr Zabinskas said.

An x-ray of the arrow through Spot’s head. He was treated at Lort Smith Animal Hospital.

Eventually the persistence paid off and the roo was shot with a tranquilliser dart and rushed to Lort Smith Animal Hospital on Wednesday night.

Despite being lodged in Spot’s head, it hadn’t pierced the bone.

“We found that there was no fracture or damage to the skull, which was incredibly lucky,” Dr Russell Harrison from Lort Smith said.

After X-rays, the roo underwent delicate emergency surgery to remove the arrow and clear the infection, which was quite advanced and would have likely killed him.

He was transferred to an animal sanctuary in the early hours of Thursday morning and is expected to make a full recovery.

“It is miraculous that the arrow didn’t kill the kangaroo, or do any permanent damage, Dr Harrison said. “He is in a stable condition and recovering at a wildlife shelter, where he will receive around-the-clock care.

“Spot’s a very lucky boy.”

Arrow attacks on kangaroos are becoming all too common in Victoria and often result in weeks of suffering for the animals before death.

“I think people would be very surprised and upset if they knew exactly how many of these instances actually occur,” Mr Zabinskas said.

People who spot injured wildlife can call Wildlife Victoria on 1300 094 535.