Australian equestrian spots a kangaroo struck on the road, she finds no way to save her, but discovers a surviving joey tucked safely in her pouch

They say Australia's wildlife is scary, but humanity's presence everywhere makes the lives of wild animals difficult. Luckily, in Australia too, there are kind people ready to jump in and help animals in need.

I encounter roadkill every day when I commute to work. I drive on highways, and every day I get to see this horrendous sight of an animal that lost its life to a fast-driving car. And of course, it's never treated the same as when a human is involved as the injured party. But I'm not here to talk about the unfortunate situation of wildlife not adapted to the expansion of human civilization (while said human civilization is not adapting itself to potential wildlife roaming on its margins…) - I'm here to talk about the special case of kangaroos.

You see, the roadkill I see during my daily commute is all small animals. Jackals, foxes, birds, and stray cats mostly. Even poor hedgehogs who lost their way during the night. And the thing with such small animals who lose their lives tragically is that you know you have nothing to do about it when you see the aftermath. But that's not the case in Australia - because kangaroos have their pouch. This belly pocket is where the mama kangaroo houses the baby joey until it's big enough to hop their own way. And it's also a de facto airbag for the baby, useful for when a speeding car hits mama.

And that's the case of one Australian woman who knows this all too well. Her car already hosts a joey-saving kit, which she used to save this one you can see below, after his mama kangaroo met her end on the road. I know it's a wholesome thing to think about when a wild animal gets a second chance in life, but it's bittersweet. It wouldn't have been this happy an ending if not for the calamity that occurred before. Please, drive slower for the animals - you never know when one can jump in front of your headlights. And it doesn't have to be a jumping kangaroo to end badly.