Injured kangaroo on William Hovell Drive this morning

Henry82 said :

People are idiots, i used to know someone who swerves to avoid hitting birds, that’s how accidents happen.

Absolutely.
I’ve made the value judgement that the lives of anyone in my car exceed the worth of anything that jumps out in front of it.
The dynamics of an emergency swerve overwhelm the capabilities of almost everyone to give an appropriate response and recovery, regardless of what they think.
I often see skidmarks heading off the road and wonder how many of them were caused by kangaroo swerves.
That’s not so bad, but on heavily tree lined roads, I’ve seen quite a few impact marks over the years.

My decision has been made for a long time about my course of action if something voluntarily moves in front of my car. I’ll leave the brake modulation to the ABS and if required, my face in the airbag and the wreck to the Insurers.
No swerving. The accident should be confined to me and whatever I’m going to hit, not some poor sod in the car beside me, or someone walking along the side of the road.

Captain RAAF said :

Leave them alone, there is a 99% likelihood that there is nothing you can do. You won’t disrupt traffic, you won’t cause further accidents and you’ll spare yourself from some pretty grim sites.

Leave the saving to those that have the skills and the stomach for it, ya bunch of amateurs!

Err, aren’t the rangers supposed to be the expert? As mentioned, I didn’t pull over – I phoned the rangers to let them know about the kangaroo. It was still moving and hopping around – it could have caused a further serious accident. Are you saying we shouldn’t even call rangers?

The issue here is that you’ve got an injured animal hopping around that needs to be “removed” quickly. People are idiots, i used to know someone who swerves to avoid hitting birds, that’s how accidents happen. Same applies to this kangaroo, it happens all the time in the country, but usually they’re met with a steel bullbar that makes a quick job of it.

I reckon I see a dead roo a day along this road. (and plenty of damaged cars). I even wrote to Andrew Barr re lighting, but got the ….. “lights don’t save roos” response.

Personally I think it’s the gumbermints secret roo cull being performed by our motorists (and smash repair outlets).

Best of luck Skippy!!!!

koalathebear said :

Captain RAAF said :

like the thousands of other Roo’s that suffer the same fate Australia wide, each and every day, from being hit by cars and trucks, injured jumping fences, mauled by dogs, blow a hip out showing off to their mates, stepping on an echidna, eating the dangerous googoo berry that eats their intestines out, step on an old rabbit trap, drown crossing the water between Stradbroke or Snake Island, fall down an old mine shaft, stray onto the runway in the path of a fast moving aircraft, it’s never ending, these things are dropping like flies, just leave em be, mother nature will determine who lives and who dies, it has nothing to do with you!

The fact that there are thousands of animals that die an agonising albeit natural death out there does not mean that it is acceptable to ignore an animal before you that is in pain. Notwithstanding that kangaroos are considered pests, if there’s an animal in pain that also poses a serious threat to other people given its proximity to the main road – calling the rangers appears to be the sensible and correct thing to do. The fact that there are billions of people/animals out there that we can’t help doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t help those around us who we do have the ability to help if possible.

It’s an extreme example I know, but recently in China, a two year old girl named Yueyue was run over by a vehicle (http://www.theage.com.au/world/a-seriously-ill-society-hitrun-case-of-little-yueyue-shocks-china–and-the-world-20111018-1ltv1.html). It ran over her twice but what was more horrific was that at least 18 passers by walked by the obviously injured child without helping her. This indifference caused massive soul-searching as many people were wondering how their society had become so uncaring and indifferent.

I don’t think that anyone is telling you that you should care or help, but I don’t think your basis for judging/criticising others who do want to help is particularly meritorious or justified. No one’s asking anyone to perform emergency CPR on the animal or mortgage his/her house to pay for its medical bills. As someone else has pointed out – how hard is it to notify a ranger of injured wildlife? Fortunately, there are clearly plenty of people around who do care and do try to make a difference and the rangers were very polite about thanking callers for notifying them.

Well, about an hour ago I stopped to help some girl who was lying in the bushes near Woden shopping centre, Appeared to be a junky or a drunk who had had a turn and the ambo’s soon arrived and took care of her. I’m not unfeeling or caring towards most things, especially animals, but no sense getting your knickers in a knot over a Roo. The people that swerve to miss Roo’s on our roads and end up killing themselves or someone else are a significant percentage of the injuries and fatalities on our nations roads. The fools that stop abruptly and cause massive pile ups and injuries because they saw an injured Roo on the side of the road are legion!
If you all just kept on going and let nature take its course, we would all be better off. Sure, if you can stop safely and have nothing better to do then call the ranger but the number of times I have seen stupid do-gooders on a major road trying to shepherd an injured Roo, or a cow, Horse etc to safety when all the animal wants is to get the f*3k away from these strange two-legged creatures, is not insignificant.

Leave them alone, there is a 99% likelihood that there is nothing you can do. You won’t disrupt traffic, you won’t cause further accidents and you’ll spare yourself from some pretty grim sites.

Leave the saving to those that have the skills and the stomach for it, ya bunch of amateurs!

Captain RAAF said :

like the thousands of other Roo’s that suffer the same fate Australia wide, each and every day, from being hit by cars and trucks, injured jumping fences, mauled by dogs, blow a hip out showing off to their mates, stepping on an echidna, eating the dangerous googoo berry that eats their intestines out, step on an old rabbit trap, drown crossing the water between Stradbroke or Snake Island, fall down an old mine shaft, stray onto the runway in the path of a fast moving aircraft, it’s never ending, these things are dropping like flies, just leave em be, mother nature will determine who lives and who dies, it has nothing to do with you!

The fact that there are thousands of animals that die an agonising albeit natural death out there does not mean that it is acceptable to ignore an animal before you that is in pain. Notwithstanding that kangaroos are considered pests, if there’s an animal in pain that also poses a serious threat to other people given its proximity to the main road – calling the rangers appears to be the sensible and correct thing to do. The fact that there are billions of people/animals out there that we can’t help doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t help those around us who we do have the ability to help if possible.

It’s an extreme example I know, but recently in China, a two year old girl named Yueyue was run over by a vehicle (http://www.theage.com.au/world/a-seriously-ill-society-hitrun-case-of-little-yueyue-shocks-china–and-the-world-20111018-1ltv1.html). It ran over her twice but what was more horrific was that at least 18 passers by walked by the obviously injured child without helping her. This indifference caused massive soul-searching as many people were wondering how their society had become so uncaring and indifferent.

I don’t think that anyone is telling you that you should care or help, but I don’t think your basis for judging/criticising others who do want to help is particularly meritorious or justified. No one’s asking anyone to perform emergency CPR on the animal or mortgage his/her house to pay for its medical bills. As someone else has pointed out – how hard is it to notify a ranger of injured wildlife? Fortunately, there are clearly plenty of people around who do care and do try to make a difference and the rangers were very polite about thanking callers for notifying them.

just leave em be, mother nature will determine who lives and who dies, it has nothing to do with you!

Except being moosed by a car is not really nature’s way.

…humans are as much a part of nature as anything else.

I dunno, northgate gardens just up the road has some rocking communal spaces

Seriously people, how hard is it to show some compassion and at least call a ranger when you find a seriously injured animal.

At least it can then be put out of its misery rather than die a slow, lingering, painful, and terrifying death.

like the thousands of other Roo’s that suffer the same fate Australia wide, each and every day, from being hit by cars and trucks, injured jumping fences, mauled by dogs, blow a hip out showing off to their mates, stepping on an echidna, eating the dangerous googoo berry that eats their intestines out, step on an old rabbit trap, drown crossing the water between Stradbroke or Snake Island, fall down an old mine shaft, stray onto the runway in the path of a fast moving aircraft, it’s never ending, these things are dropping like flies, just leave em be, mother nature will determine who lives and who dies, it has nothing to do with you!

bigfeet said :

koalathebear said :

They did tell me that a man had managed to pull his over and was actually waiting with the kangaroo and looking after it until the rangers were able to arrive – that was very heartwarming.

Which probably stressed the hell out of the roo, meaning it was in pain and was now terrified of this strange creature that was near it. In fact it was probably causing itself even more pain trying to get away.

By all means call the rangers to have the animal put down. But don’t try to help or approach it. You are doing more harm than good.

No idea … I wasn’t there by then but I am assuming that given how dangerous a kangaroo can be especially when injured, “looking after” probably meant keeping it from going back on the road again – a good thing for all really …

Captain RAAF said :

ah…ok.

You are aware that hundreds of these things are wiped out each and every day in this country?

If you are going to switch to DEFCOM 4 every time you see a roo on the road and follow up with further phone calls to the authorities to double and triple check on the status of said roo, then you had better not ever, ever, ever, travel along the Newell Highway, cross the Hay plains, go anywhere near Mt Isa, West Wyalong, Bendigo etc becuase you will have a heart attack!

Have you given any thought to the moths and butterflies you splatter across your windscreen each day, not to mention the thousands of ants you squish with your car/bicycle tyres, oh’ the humanity!

I got a good laugh out of that, especially the DEFCOM 4 bit! Haha.

koalathebear said :

They did tell me that a man had managed to pull his over and was actually waiting with the kangaroo and looking after it until the rangers were able to arrive – that was very heartwarming.

Which probably stressed the hell out of the roo, meaning it was in pain and was now terrified of this strange creature that was near it. In fact it was probably causing itself even more pain trying to get away.

By all means call the rangers to have the animal put down. But don’t try to help or approach it. You are doing more harm than good.

Captain RAAF said :

ah…ok.

You are aware that hundreds of these things are wiped out each and every day in this country?

If you are going to switch to DEFCOM 4 every time you see a roo on the road and follow up with further phone calls to the authorities to double and triple check on the status of said roo, then you had better not ever, ever, ever, travel along the Newell Highway, cross the Hay plains, go anywhere near Mt Isa, West Wyalong, Bendigo etc becuase you will have a heart attack!

Have you given any thought to the moths and butterflies you splatter across your windscreen each day, not to mention the thousands of ants you squish with your car/bicycle tyres, oh’ the humanity!

Sorry to be a pedant (well, not really:-)) but that’s DEFCON, vs DEFCOM.

Captain RAAF said :

If you are going to switch to DEFCOM 4 every time you see a roo on the road and follow up with further phone calls to the authorities to double and triple check on the status of said roo, then you had better not ever, ever, ever, travel along the Newell Highway, cross the Hay plains, go anywhere near Mt Isa, West Wyalong, Bendigo etc becuase you will have a heart attack!

I’ve seen a great many dead kangaroos by the side of the road and felt sorry for them but moved on. I am also aware of kangaroo culling and I have no problem with it so long as the animals are killed as humanely as possible. The issue with this kangaroo was that it was still alive, moving around, clearly in great pain and by an extremely busy stretch of road. Whether it was a cat, dog or other living creature – it was terrible to see it in that predicament. It must have been terrified.

Even from a purely human-centric point of view, given where it was located, it could have caused another accident on the road.

As an update, I spoke to the rangers again. They were able to retrieve the kangaroo. Its legs were badly broken so they euthanised it. They did tell me that a man had managed to pull his over and was actually waiting with the kangaroo and looking after it until the rangers were able to arrive – that was very heartwarming.

Canberra Connect can also put you through to the rangers. I called once about an injured roo lying half across the lane of William Hovell, and the rangers were already on their way. It was waving its tail around and all the cars were detouring around it into the overtaking lane belonging to the other direction – but it was only a matter of time before there was a car in that lane and someone would have had to drive right over the roo. I hope the rangers got there first.

Its Probably On A Plate Somewhere Tonight…Dinner Is Ready Kids.

Captain RAAF said :

ah…ok.

You are aware that hundreds of these things are wiped out each and every day in this country?

If you are going to switch to DEFCOM 4 every time you see a roo on the road and follow up with further phone calls to the authorities to double and triple check on the status of said roo, then you had better not ever, ever, ever, travel along the Newell Highway, cross the Hay plains, go anywhere near Mt Isa, West Wyalong, Bendigo etc becuase you will have a heart attack!

Have you given any thought to the moths and butterflies you splatter across your windscreen each day, not to mention the thousands of ants you squish with your car/bicycle tyres, oh’ the humanity!

Well yes, I have thought about the insects. I can remember once as pillion on a motorbike riding through a locust storm and watching them turn to a kind of green toothpaste on the helmet visor. I was disgusted and I didn’t feel sorry for them. So perhaps too many of something (whether roos in West Wyalong or locusts) does make you care less. But that doesn’t mean I don’t ‘rescue’ single spiders from my house and car.

I hope I never hit a roo, or a dog. (Or a person, for that matter…) Good on the OP for chasing up the status of the roo. Trying to alleviate the animal’s suffering is the right thing to do, and he or she could hardly just shoot it as that’s a tad illegal in a built-up area. Animals are not just ‘things’ like a thrown out drink bottle and there’s nothing particularly salient about saying that a lot of them are dying anyway, elsewhere.

Plus this one could easily have caused a major accident exactly because we are in an urban (or nearly urban) environment.

Thanks for sharing the numbers with us, koalathebear.

Bullbars are there for a reason…to do the job properly!

Captain RAAF said :

ah…ok.

You are aware that hundreds of these things are wiped out each and every day in this country?

If you are going to switch to DEFCOM 4 every time you see a roo on the road and follow up with further phone calls to the authorities to double and triple check on the status of said roo, then you had better not ever, ever, ever, travel along the Newell Highway, cross the Hay plains, go anywhere near Mt Isa, West Wyalong, Bendigo etc becuase you will have a heart attack!

Have you given any thought to the moths and butterflies you splatter across your windscreen each day, not to mention the thousands of ants you squish with your car/bicycle tyres, oh’ the humanity!

🙂
Well said.Totally agree here.

ah…ok.

You are aware that hundreds of these things are wiped out each and every day in this country?

If you are going to switch to DEFCOM 4 every time you see a roo on the road and follow up with further phone calls to the authorities to double and triple check on the status of said roo, then you had better not ever, ever, ever, travel along the Newell Highway, cross the Hay plains, go anywhere near Mt Isa, West Wyalong, Bendigo etc becuase you will have a heart attack!

Have you given any thought to the moths and butterflies you splatter across your windscreen each day, not to mention the thousands of ants you squish with your car/bicycle tyres, oh’ the humanity!

Well done. I’ve seen this scenario before and called it in as soon as I could to be told it had already been noted. Nice to know that people do care enough to call in quickly – obviously a danger to traffic as well as the poor thing being terrified as you mentioned.