Blind Baby Tree Kangaroo Was Terrified Of The World — Until She Got Her First Hug
Lily, a baby tree kangaroo, found herself sitting alone on the side of a road in an Australian national park. She was blind, and her mother was nowhere to be found. Visitors at the park were walking by, their pet dogs trailing behind them.
One of the dogs spotted Lily - and then attacked her.
"She got grabbed and shaken," Karen Coombes, director of the Tree Roo Rescue and Conservation Centre Ltd in Queensland, said in a Facebook video.
In the aftermath of the attack, which happened in November 2013, Lily was left with a fractured and dislocated ankle. Her foot was also bitten, and became badly swollen from an infection.
"Lily had six months of treatment for the bone infection in her foot and had to go to the vet's every week," the rescue wrote on Facebook.
As a result of the trauma she experienced - losing her mother, being blind, being attacked - Lily was was left terrified of the world around her.
It would take time for her to gain confidence, and the Tree Roo Rescue was ready to provide it - along with a forever home, knowing she would be unable to return to the wild due to her blindness.
Lily's rehabilitation began with getting her comfortable enough to eat. In the beginning of her stay at the rescue, she had to be encouraged to take bites of her food, until she became more than eager to eat on her own.
Since Lily had an infected foot, she was limited in her movement and had to spend time indoors with her caretakers ...
... whom she learned to gradually trust ...
... and solicit cuddles from whenever she wanted.
Once Lily understood that she was finally safe from any further harm, she became more confident in exploring her surroundings ...
... until she was able to enjoy her playtime outdoors.
These days, Lily loves hanging out with other tree kangaroos like herself, including play fighting with Mackenzie, a younger 'roo at the rescue.
"She is now an adult and climbs and has a good life here with us," the rescue said. "She [spends] her day in an enclosure with a couple of [other tree kangaroos] and comes in at night to be spoilt."
It's been nearly three years since Lily was rescued and she's come so far - she's finally grown up to become the happy, curious tree kangaroo she was meant to be.
Want to help the Tree Roo Rescue and Conservation continue doing good work for animals in need? Consider making a donation here.
Watch this video about people who stopped everything just to help a kangaroo with his head stuck in a bucket: