‘HELPLESS’

‘Frightened, Wet, and Exhausted’ Australian Animals Flee Victoria Floods

Native wildlife has been seen struggling to survive as the state of Victoria is crippled by flooding.

Tragic images of “frightened, wet, and exhausted” Australian wildlife have appeared as they attempt to flee floodwaters that have crippled the state of Victoria. Kangaroos, echidnas, and kookaburras have been filmed in states of despair, with one local telling 9news.com.au that he “felt helpless as he witnessed an echidna desperately trying to find higher ground” near his town of Shepparton. Another photo from Wildlife Victoria shows a ringtail possum joey that was rescued after being separated from its mother during a storm. But perhaps the image of a kangaroo caked in mud, posted by Bohollow Wildlife Shelter, sums up the plight of these animals most. “Our wildlife is being pushed out by rising river and creek waters and roos in particular have nowhere to go but onto the roads and into the towns,” Bohollow Wildlife Shelter posted. “They are frightened, wet, and exhausted. Please be considerate of their plight.” Deb Fowler, co-owner of the shelter, told SBS News that the juvenile male kangaroo was brought to her for care over the weekend after getting caught in a fence in one of several areas under flood evacuation orders. “I cleaned his eyes out and cleaned out his ears and his nose because he was full of mud. The concern at the moment is infection from pneumonia more than anything else—he was freezing cold and in shock,” she said.