The filmmakers stumbled upon a tragic sight: two injured mother kangaroos that have carried their joeys in their pouches, protecting them from the flames. While their mothers will not survive their wounds from the fires, two joeys are welcomed into a new home.
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TRANSCRIPT
Two female kangaroos.
Both with joeys.
The mothers have carried them in their pouches, protecting them from the flames, and are still suckling, giving up every last drop of sustenance.
But their own feet have been charred to the bone from the incredible heat of the burnt ground.
- [Lisa] It's a strange feeling.
You've got something so injured, yet it's still trying to protect its young, and she did a really good job of looking after them during the fires.
- [Narrator] The adult kangaroos won't survive their horrific injuries.
Euthanasia is the only humane solution, leaving the two joeys bushfire orphans.
- [Lisa] Sam from the wildlife park was called to come and help us so he got a tranquilizer gun.
Spent a while trying to dart the two younger joeys.
- Obviously when their been through what they've been through and we can't catch them.
You know, there's no food or any for 'em, so they're just slowly gonna die of starvation.
We're just gonna give them the best, best chance that we can give them.
(shot firing) (shot firing) - [Narrator] Still a long way from weaning, they'll need months of nursing.
But at least now they have a chance.
- I couldn't bear to leave them behind.
- [Sam] She'll be fine.
- Thank you.
- [Narrator] The two orphan joeys are waking up in a very different world.
- [Lisa] Good morning, you two.
- [Narrator] They've been named Ellie and Eden and now they have three other orphan siblings.
- We have Tulsa and Dawson, the old married couple.
They hate being apart and they are constantly hugging and kissing.
And we also got JJ who can't go outside at the moment, and he sleeps on his own little spot in the lounge room as well.
Do you wanna get up?
- [Narrator] Lisa's children are helping raise the mob.
- [Lisa] The kids, you know, under normal circumstance you'd be quite worried.
What they've seen is horrific as well.
So they've grown to appreciate exactly what's gone on on the island.
What the animals have suffered.
If we hadn't have done it I think we would have struggled to cope with the enormity of the disaster.
- [Narrator] The young roos seem to be fitting in well with their adoptive family.
(chicken squawking) But the ultimate goal is for them to one day return to the wild.