When an animal is orphaned and taken into the care of humans, it’s important for rescuers to provide them with a “childhood” as similar as possible to one they would naturally experience under a mother’s care. For baby kangaroos, that means finding a replacement for a mother’s pouch.
At The Kangaroo Sanctuary in Allice Springs, Australia, rescuers use pouches made out of pillowcases. The makeshift pouches have earned a seal of approval from orphaned joeys such as Minnie Mouse, who love nothing more than snuggling inside the small pillowcases.
Baby kangaroos require round-the-clock care, and the pouches enable caretakers to simulate the security they would’ve received from their mothers. Staff at the sanctuary have even improvised by hanging the pouches off the backs of their chairs, which frees up their hands for office work while the joeys relax contentedly.
Thanks to the dedicated employees at sanctuaries like this one, orphaned joeys receive the proper amount of nurturing necessary to eventually lead happy, healthy adult lives.
