Carers battle joey influx

The Pilbara Wildlife Carers’ Association says it is struggling to cope with red kangaroo joeys coming into care and a lack of qualified local carers to look after them.

Pilbara Wildlife Carers Association co-ordinator Rose Best said the service’s resources were under strain with the recent number of cases of joeys being brought in after their mothers were shot during hunting.

She said compounding the problem was the fact there were no qualified kangaroo carers, outside of PWCA, left in Karratha after the mining downturn, leaving their organisation with all the responsibility and expense.

“It’s a huge drain on our resources, raising our kangaroos,” she said.

“ It costs over $1200 to raise a joey. Nine months it takes to raise a kangaroo to release. And that’s without any problems — just with normal food.”

“We see 120 kangaroos a year.

“That includes injuries as well as babies.

“You do get a couple from car accidents, but… when you get a red kangaroo, it is inevitably from people who have gone out shooting.”

“We become a dumping ground, and every joey that walks in the door, you’re looking at $1200. We’re really beginning to question why we’re doing this.”

Ms Best said with the current numbers the situation was becoming almost untenable for the PCWA, especially as some people who had brought in joeys after shooting their mothers had done it several times.

It’s just really straining us. We don’t have the carers,” she said.

“We’re really starting to think (what’s the point).”

“I don’t want to think like that. But the community needs to take responsibility.”

Department of Parks and Wildlife Pilbara wildlife officer Chris Roy said a lot of people who went kangaroo hunting were not careful enough to avoid shooting mothers with joeys or thought they could keep joeys as pets.

“Under no circumstances is anybody think that they can keep it as a pet,” he said. He said people who cared for joeys needed to be “far far more educated in general” on how to do so and be aware of the high level of commitment involved, including special food and equipment and time effort.

PWCA treasurer and kangaroo carer Amanda Best said she was looking after three joeys at the moment and agreed the lack of carers but continual joeys coming in to the association were putting their resources under strain.

She said the main problem with unqualified carers, many of whom had the right intentions, was a lack of awareness about how much was involved.

“They don’t have enough information and they’re not aware of how quickly the joeys stress,” she said.

“They don’t like loud noises, so if you have kids, especially small kids around, it can really stress them.”

“(But) you can do it if you are aware of it.”

Ms Best said the PWCA would gladly assist people who wanted to raise joeys themselves, which is legal but urged them to get in touch as soon possible after taking on the animal and making sure they followed appropriate care guidelines.

They include raising joeys in pairs with another member of the same species, feeding them appropriately, and organising their release when they reached sexual maturity.

However she said they would always prefer carers to become qualified carers with DPAW, especially as there were few people who fit the requirements in Karratha.

“You can’t raise joeys if you’re in a rental property, if you have children under eight, or if you have a dog,” she said.

“So immediately that would count out 80 per cent of the people in town to raise kangaroos, if not more.”

For more information on red kangaroo care, contact PWCA or DPAW.