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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Australia couple risk lives to protect kangaroos

Duration: 01:52s 0 shares 1 views

Australia couple risk lives to protect kangaroos
Australia couple risk lives to protect kangaroos

When bushfires landed on the doorstep of Gary Wilson and Julie Willis' kangaroo sanctuary they decided not to flee, but stay and defend their property and protect the 50 or more animals taking refuge.

Libby Hogan reports.

There's kangaroos hopping in the kitchen and snuggling into blanket pouches hanging in the living room like a Christmas stocking.

Gary Wilson and Julie Willis' home in the tiny Australian town of Wytaliba has been an orphaned kangaroo sanctuary for 25 years.

When fierce bushfires came raging through they decided not to run.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) ANIMAL CARER GARY WILSON, SAYING: "We had way too many animals in the house and around the house, so we really couldn't go, so we decided we were going to stay and fight and then the fire brigade rang us and told us you can't get out, so we really didn't have a choice." (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANIMAL CARER JULIE WILLIS, SAYING: "We didn't have children ourselves; this is what we spend our time doing.

.

.We think it's worthy - a worthy cause - looking after our babies no matter what they are, whether they are kangaroos, echidnas or wombats." They grabbed fire extinguishers, turned on water pumps and fought the fires for at least 14 hours.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) ANIMAL CARER GARY WILSON, SAYING: "Thankfully all the ones that we had already released, they panicked and they all came home and stayed home, so we had about 50 around the house at one point, maybe a few more." The aftermath was chilling.

Gary and Julie's neighbours died in the fires.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) ANIMAL CARER GARY WILSON, SAYING: "It's been vaporised it's like Vietnam.

I think we nearly died twice.

A lot of houses a lot of animals" But there's been no time to stop and mourn.

The sanctuary is ballooning with more rescued joeys, birds and other wildlife being brought in with burns.

Scarce food and ash in the waterways is devastating for wild animals.

The care is constant with some joeys bottle fed every two to four hours.

Eventually they will be released back into the wild.

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