Australian Man Dedicates His Life to Rescuing Orphaned Kangaroos in the Outback

Chris and Joey

Chris ‘Brolga’ Barnes, now the host of the popular BBC series “Kangaroo Dundee,” has dedicated his life to saving orphaned, abandoned, and ill kangaroos of the central Australian outback. The former tour guide currently has a mob of over 25 rescued roos who live at The Kangaroo Sanctuary, a 90-acre wildlife reserve in Alice Springs, Australia, where in 2005 he first opened a kangaroo rescue center.

Brolga (Kangaroo Dundee) first established the baby kangaroo rescue centre in Alice Springs in 2005. He then went on to build his own wildlife sanctuary in 2009-11. Donations from kind people in Australia and overseas have helped raise funds to continue his work in the heart of the Australian Outback. Brolga’s next step is to build Central Australia’s first wildlife hospital on the grounds of his Sanctuary. Donations are welcome to help him with his current work and his dream of building a hospital.

Brolga has been in the news lately due to injuries he sustained from a full grown male kangaroo named Roger. In an interview with News.com.au, Brolga took full responsibility for the situation.

You never stand and trade blows, not that I would, but you don’t want to get within kicking range of Roger. …Just his hands can scratch you up badly. Recently he gave me six stitches in the groin. You’ve got to understand that big male kangaroos have the potential to disembowel you. I was very lucky recently getting away with just a few stitches.

Introduction
Roger
4 Bags of Joeys
3 Joeys Nursing
Roo in Nappies
Possum and Bertie

images via The Kangaroo Sanctuary Alice Springs

via Neatorama

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.