Thankful Kangaroo Offers A Handshake after Three Men Rescue It From Freezing Lake

Dec 09, 2021

Kangaroos are special animals that have become an icon for Australia. These strong and beautiful marsupials are quite common in Australia, and locals know to give them plenty of space as they can be dangerous when defending themselves. However, one late afternoon in September 2021, a group of three men saw a kangaroo sitting and shivering furiously in a freezing lake. The animal looked like it was so cold it was unable to move, so the men decided to take action and pull the poor creature out of the water themselves. 

As the men approached the kangaroo, it became scared and started flailing its arms around, trying to ward off the rescuers. The men persisted and got a hold of the animal, which didn't seem to have much fight left in it. Once they got the kangaroo onto dry land, the third man helped to pull it out and tried to calm the animal down as it was very scared and still shivering. After a moment, the kangaroo reached out its arm, and two of the men grabbed it and gave it a handshake. One of the men said it took half an hour for the marsupial to recover, and then it hopped away.  

The handshake was viewed as a form of gratitude from the kangaroo to its rescuers. The animal was in such a state that it let the men get close as they did what they could to help the kangaroo feel calm and well enough to leave the area. There were many onlookers around the lake taking videos and pictures during the rescue, and the kangaroo seemed nervous to be around so many people. Keep reading to learn more about this brave rescue.

After the ordeal, the men called the ACT Parks and Conservation Service to take a look at the kangaroo. While the men were not in any trouble, they were advised not to approach an injured animal in the future. The ACT government spokesperson added that calling wildlife services is the safest and best thing you can do if you come across a hurt animal.

"Due to safety concerns to both the animal and the public, we ask that the community do not attempt a rescue themselves," they stated. "Please give the animal space and keep an eye on them from a distance — maintain enough room for the animal to leave the area."

The Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science has a page dedicated to kangaroos and wallabies on their website. They shared:

"Many people see large male kangaroos as placid grazing animals. The reality is that they can be aggressive towards people. Although the risk of this happening is very small, we still need to be wary around them … People who get too close to a dominant male when it is pursuing a female or mating could also be seen as a threat."

The department also stated:

"Kangaroos' and wallabies' size and strength are key parts of their character and warrant showing them a healthy respect. The solution to living with kangaroos and wallabies is to have a relationship of mutual wariness and be ready to act if any potentially dangerous situations arise."

They added that losing the opportunity to witness such beautiful animals in the wild due to a lack of respect or understanding for how they live would be a tragedy. 

The men in the video were fortunate nobody got hurt, and the kangaroo was safe. Would you ever attempt something like this? Let us know what you think, and feel free to pass this along to your friends and family.