There’s arguably nothing more Australian than kangaroos, but a number of the iconic marsupials that live on the grounds of Morisset Hospital at Lake Macquarie in New South Wales have been subjected to cruel and sickening attacks in recent weeks.
Better Protection for the Morisset Psychiatric Hospital Kangaroos – a group that fights for the protection of the Aussie animals – has posted some shocking and graphic images of roos that have been shot with arrows by heartless trespassers.
On Sunday, one kangaroo was spotted with an arrow through its eye. The young male kangaroo was captured on Tuesday and sadly, had to be euthanised by the RSPCA due to its horrific injuries.
According to the group, an illegal weapon was used to shoot the roo.
Just days later, another kangaroo was spotted with an arrow in its neck.
The animal had not been located but was reportedly suffering and in pain. In another post on Thursday, it was revealed a kangaroo had to be euthanised by the RSPCA after an arrow was found penetrating its pouch. It’s not known if the mother kangaroo was carrying a joey or if this was the same roo spotted the day earlier.
“This poor roo has obviously been extremely suffering for a few days,” a post read. “Thank you RSPCA and wildlife carers for taking her pain away.”
The arrows were removed from both kangaroos and are now with the local police for investigation. As authorities ask the public for assistance in locating the culprit behind the attacks, the Better Protection for the Morisset Psychiatric Hospital Kangaroos group has revealed it’s not the first time the kangaroos on the grounds have been targeted.
In 2015, a young female kangaroo with two joeys was found with an arrow through her chest. The RSPCA had to euthanise the mother, while the babies were taken into care. Two years later in 2017, a male kangaroo was found with an arrow in his abdomen. Sadly, it took authorities several attempts to euthanise the roo.
The kangaroos that live on the grounds are protected and in addition to protecting them from sickening attacks, the group has long called for tourists to be banned from travelling to the hospital to take selfies and photographs with the animals. Restricted access signs have been erected at the entrance of the grounds, but that hasn’t stopped floods of tourists from entering the grounds and interacting with the wild animals.
“Kangaroos are a gentle animal and they are being tormented by hundreds of tourists each day, feeding them food that makes them sick, and many have died,” a post on the group’s Facebook page read. “Tourists have taken joeys from pouches which has traumatised them that much that they have died. Kangaroos have been hit by cars sustaining horrific injuries which has resulted in them having to be euthanised.”
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the RSPCA on 1300 278 3589, or contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
It follows a horrific video that went viral online earlier this year of a man purposely mowing down wild emus in his car. At least 10 emus were hit in the sickening incident.
In the horrifying footage, a man with a moustache could be seen laughing as he ploughed towards a group of emus that were frantically trying to escape his car. For each emu he hit, the man could be heard counting aloud.
“F****** emus,” the man laughed as he hits the birds. “This is f****** great. Yes.”