Day 724 – Australia – WA [Cocklebiddy (16km west) to Madura (68km west)]


03/06/22

41km

  From Cocklebiddy (16km west) (Western Australia) to Madura (68km west) (Western Australia)

Australia


Rescuing a baby kangaroo on a grey and rainy day along Eyre Highway

Dead female kangaroo with a surprise in its pocket…

Running by the roadside, I get to see (and smell) quite a lot of roadkill. I never fail to address them a little prayer as I run by. Since starting the Australian crossing I notice I almost never smell roadkill as every carcass is cleaned to a bright white bone by all the predatory animals around. This morning though, I spotted a dead kangaroo on the side that was absolutely intact. I crossed the road to inspect it, as I thought it may still be alive.

A very tiny joey pulled out alive

I came to the conclusion it was dead, it probably got knocked at night or early morning. Upon inspection I realised it was a female. I immediately thought it may be carrying a Joey in its pocket. The animal was resting on its belly, I couldn’t see the pocket. With the tip of my shoe, I gently pressed the abdomen. I heard a blowing sound, like air being let out. It could be either of two things. Gas trapped inside if decomposition had started already. Or… something alive. I knew what to do but couldn’t bring myself to plunge my hand inside the dead animal… I waved at a motorist.

On on I go!

A man named Richard pulled his pick up and came to meet me. He wasted no time. Turned the animal on its back and we immediately saw two tiny legs poking out of the pocket. Richard reached inside and pulled… a little joey, breathing and alive! It was a little cold so Richard offered to wrap him up in warm blankets and take him along as he was driving towards Norseman and Perth. I hope it makes it in one piece after the ordeal it has already survived. What a strange thing to pull life out of a dead body… A rainbow of feelings, like today’s run on the road, between rain and sunshine again…

Enjoy the video of today’s run: https://www.relive.cc/view/vXvL2j4LK16



Check my daily run GPS data on or

Here is the map of today’s run: