Tiny Joey at Australian Kangaroo Sanctuary Takes Her First Steps on the Ground
Baby animals depend on their moms for just about everything, including deciding when they're ready to venture out into the world. Located in Central Australia, The Kangaroo Sanctuary is home to orphaned kangaroo joeys, with the goal of rehabilitating and releasing them back into the wild after they learn how to survive on their own. They shared a video on Sunday, March 31st of one rescued 'roo stepping onto the ground for the first time, and she wasn't sure what to think!
Weighing just over a pound, Walu spends all of her time in the pouch that her caretaker carries around everywhere. In the caption, the park says that at her age, babies only spend a minute or two out of the pouch every day to begin stretching and strengthening their muscles. Watch as she touches the ground for the first time, and her adorable reaction to touching the sand.
I think she was definitely happy to be back in the comfort and safety of her pouch in her dad's loving arms! The Kangaroo Sanctuary commenters also swooned over the cuteness. Many thanked the park for sharing the sweet video, while others agreed that the baby kangaroo was absolutely adorable. But there was one thing we all loved about the video, as @Kay's Essentials pointed out, "The pouch!!!!" Since this joey (the official name for a baby kangaroo) was orphaned by mom, caretakers had to mimic mom's pouch, and it looks like this pillowcase (or something similar) does the job!
Related: Video of Kangaroo Joey Coming Out Mama’s Pouch First Thing in the Morning Is Irresistible
Baby Kangaroo Facts You Might Not Know
I love learning about baby animals, and I'm always looking to learn more about them. A-Z Animals shared some fun facts that are worth sharing. At birth, joeys are only the size of a lima bean, and won't leave their mother's pouch for months. They don't even resemble a kangaroo...or really any animal...since they are so tiny. Surprisingly, they are also born potty trained, "Baby kangaroos can’t go to the bathroom unless their mom licks them to give them the sensation to go. Although this sounds less than appealing, the babies only produce at most a drop or two of waste at a time on account of how tiny they are."
Although the joey will live in mom's pouch until it's about a year old, it will begin to occasionally pop its head out to see what's going on in the world. After several months, the joey will venture out for short periods of time much like Walu did in this video. And even when they no longer 'live' in mom's pouch, they continue to nurse from mom until they are over a year old. As they get older and more independent, they drink less milk and start to eat more plants.
I hope the park continues to share videos of this adorable baby! I can't wait to see her first big hops!
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