0:03
One animal defines Australia's amazing wildlife more than any other the kangaroo.
0:11
The kangaroo's giant feet give them their scientific name, macropods.
0:16
Macro means large and pod means foot.
0:20
There are more than 50 species of macropod in Australia.
0:23
Kangaroos are the largest, The next size down are Wallabies like these Agile Wallabies who have given their name to a unique non profit near Cairns in Queensland.
0:36
The Agile project, founded in 2017 by ecologist Shay Ager, has just opened a brand new rescue center.
0:45
This is absolutely beautiful here.
0:47
This is your rescue Center for Wallabies, right?
0:49
It sure is.
0:50
Our new wildlife rehabilitation center.
0:53
We've only been here 2 days.
0:54
Two days.
0:56
Our timing is perfect.
0:59
The agile project rescues, raises and then releases orphan macropods back to the wild.
1:06
This is great.
1:07
You've got all ages here.
1:08
We sure do.
1:11
Macropods not only include Kangaroos and Wallabies, but also wallaroos and Paddy melons.
1:18
Wow, look at them all of this.
1:20
How many do you have at this location?
1:21
We have 2727 mm Hmm.
1:24
And that one right up the back is a swamp wallaby.
1:28
Mm hmm, Common wallaboo.
1:29
Nobody really knows how many wallaroos are left in Australia.
1:33
That can be said for a lot of macropods and a lot of Australian species.
1:38
Macropods are also marsupials, a group of animals that are born premature and complete their development inside a special pouch on their mother's abdomen.
1:49
Young marsupials are called joeys, and it's time for all these joeys to get their morning bottles.
1:55
So this is a whipped tail wallaby.
1:57
They call them the Pretty face Wallaby because they've got this beautiful definition down the side of their face.
2:03
And these are Wallaroos.
2:05
How old are these two?
2:06
They're around 1 1/2 years old.
2:08
You are A2 fisted feeder.
2:10
I see.
2:11
I think I've held 8 bottles at once before.
2:13
Really.
2:14
You know, I reckon we'll feed the tiny little putties now, so we'll head over here.
2:20
This is Porsche and Ferrari.
2:22
These are Paddy melons.
2:23
These are rainforest macropod species.
2:25
Although they are so much smaller than the Wallaroos, they're actually a lot older in terms of development.
2:31
At what point will you decide and where will you decide these will be released?
2:35
We have some incredible pre release and release sites.
2:38
Once they are ready, weaned off bottles, the gates open and they get to choose when they come and go back into the enclosure.
2:45
Yeah, so it's like a soft release.
2:48
How many would you say you've rescued over the years?
2:51
Hundreds and hundreds.
2:52
Hundreds.
2:52
Probably over 1000.
2:54
You've become attached to them.
2:55
Yeah.
2:56
What's it like when you have to say goodbye?
2:59
It's a definitely bittersweet moment.
3:02
Unfortunately, as towns in North Queensland expand into previously wild habitat, rescuers like Shay have become all too important.
3:11
Can you tell me a little bit about their history, how they ended up here?
3:14
Every single joy that you see is actually an orphan.
3:17
95% of them do come in when we rescue them from their mother's power after she's been hit by.
3:23
95% are car strikes.
3:25
Yeah.
3:25
And the other 5 or so percent are dog attacks.
3:29
So this is Ayla.
3:30
Uh huh.
3:31
She is an Eastern grey kangaroo.
3:33
She's very young, but she was one of those unfortunate car strike victims.
3:38
She lost her mum to car strike.
3:40
Let's see if she grabs grabs it.
3:43
There we go.
3:44
Look at her.
3:44
Go.
3:45
There we go.
3:46
Oh, yeah, she's hungry.
3:47
So you actually are removing them from a pouch, from a mother that's deceased and then try to get them going on the ball.
3:54
Yeah, we have carers all across far North Queensland that do this work.
3:58
Yeah, well, this has all been so interesting.
4:02
I hope you have success here.
4:03
I'm very blessed and very lucky to be able to provide these guys with a safe space.
