Barking kangaroo jumps to injured owner’s rescue

IN what could have been a scene taken straight from the TV series Skippy, a half-blind kangaroo hopped to its owner’s rescue by barking like a dog.

Lulu the kangaroo barked to get the attention of unconscious farmer Len Richards’ family. Len was badly injured by a falling tree branch while checking his property for damage following a severe storm.

“She was making this noise which sounded like a dog barking and she was obviously trying to get our attention because she never acts like that,” said Mr Richards’ 17-year-old daughter Celeste.

“It went on for about 15 minutes, so we went outside to investigate and we saw Lulu standing upright with her chest puffed out over Dad’s body.”

Mr Richards, 52, had been checking a tree in a paddock about 300 metres from the house when he was struck by the falling branch.

After his wife Lynn, Celeste, and son Luke found him he was taken from the hobby farm near Morwell, north-eastern Victoria, to Melbourne’s Alfred hospital with head injuries. He was later released.

The incident has prompted comparisons with the old Australian children’s TV show Skippy, about a kangaroo that helps people in distress in the outback.

“If it wasn’t for her, my Dad could have died. We might not have found him for ages,” Celeste said. “Lulu and Dad are very close and she follows him around but we all just love her so much. Lulu is my hero.”

Yesterday the Australian RSPCA called for Lulu to be given a national bravery award.

The family adopted the western grey 10 years ago when they found her in the pouch of her mother, who’d been killed by a car.

Celeste said Lulu was a loving, friendly and very smart kangaroo. “She thinks she’s a dog.”

The RSPCA has urged the family to nominate Lulu for its National Bravery Award. “From my point of view it’s a darn good story and I would hope that Lulu is nominated,” said RSPCA president Dr Hugh Wirth.

Healesville wildlife sanctuary senior veterinarian David Middleton said the “Skippy-like” behaviour was conceivable in a hand-reared kangaroo.

“There is zero chance a wild kangaroo would act like that,” Mr Middleton said.