Two teenagers are being praised for their resourceful rescue of a distressed kangaroo that had gotten stuck in neck-deep mud.
Nick Heath and Jack Donnelly were riding their motorbikes near the Nepean River on the outskirts of Sydney over the weekend when Jack spotted a tiny animal head poking out from the surface of a mud quarry.
The head belonged to a little kangaroo that had gotten stuck in the muck 100 feet (30 meters) away from solid land.
The critter could be heard growling and grunting in anguish as it struggled against the thick terrain.
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Unable to reach the roo on their own, the 19-year-olds rushed home and collected a length of rope.
After returning to the quarry, Nick tied the rope around his waist and crawled through the mud towards the kangaroo. Once he had the animal in his arms, Jack helped to pull them both back to solid land.
“The roo’s life was important to us so we went out on an arm and leg and got it,” Nick told TODAY. “We think he went searching for water there and it was really muddy so he got himself really stuck.
“It’s a pretty patriotic thing to do and we’re proud of what we did. If we saw something like that again, we’ll do it all over again,” he added.
The teens then called the Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES), which is Australia’s largest rescue organization.
Due to dry weather in the region, wildlife specialists say that the roo had most likely been searching for water when it got stuck. Judging by the state of its kidneys, the rescuers also say that it must have been stuck for some time.
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Though the hapless animal was suffering from dehydration, the rescuers say that it will most likely pull through once it is given proper treatment.
Meanwhile, the boys were happy to see the roo receive a well-deserved bath – and they decided to name it Lucas.
“We just agreed on the name. We liked it; it’s cute,” says Nick.
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