It’s something your parents probably told you when you started driving, and it’s something you should still keep in mind when out on the roads. Meagan Alcorn and Joss Taylor were driving out of a campsite near Charters Towers, Queensland, last week when they spotted something out of the corner of their eye—a dead wallaby and a ‘something else’ moving next to it. On closer inspection, they realised it was a joey, large enough to be about five months old.

'I could tell it was fresh roadkill, so I quickly pulled over the best I could, ran across the road with a towel just in case it was a joey, and it was,' Meagan told Yahoo News Australia.

Describing the situation as 'pretty confronting', the couple felt they had no choice but to help. As Megan said, 'It was a no-brainer. We didn’t even have to think much about it.'

During their travels in north Queensland, a couple became heroes by rescuing a joey whose mother had been struck by a car. Source: @seaustravl/Tiktok

Unfortunately, in Australia, roadkill is an all too common sight due to the development shrinkage of wildlife habitat and poorer roads. The Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast has five years of data that show an increase of 1,000% in animal road deaths since 2018.

Kangaroos and wallabies are sadly the most-killed animals on Australian roads. It is essential for drivers, especially in semi-rural areas, to drive cautiously and be aware of their surroundings. As Phil England from Stonedeaf Wildlife quoted— 'If you’re in a semi-rural area, just slow down and drive with caution. Drive with awareness like you would in school zones.'

Fortunately, due to Meagan and Joss’ swift action, the joey was 'very lucky to have been picked up when it was', and was taken to a vet for further examination. After being checked and deemed ‘in good health’, the joey was given to a carer.

Safe Driving Tips to Avoid Wildlife Collisions​

The Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast organisation suggested some practical tips for drivers to be aware of in order to avoid wildlife collisions.

Keep An Eye Out For Animals​

When driving in semi-rural areas, it is best to always watch for animals on the side of the road, alertly observe your speed limit and always be ready to stop if necessary. Safety features such as reflectors can be useful for alerting wildlife of oncoming vehicles.

Know The Ways Of The Local Wildlife​

It is also important to be informed of the ways of the local wildlife. For example, if the area is populated with kangaroos, keep a lookout during dusk and dawn when their activity is usually highest. Roadkill can be a common sight, so when spotting any, it is best to swerve around it than drive directly over it. If it can be safely done, pull over and check for surviving joeys in the pouches.

Adhere To Local Road Rules & Signage​

Lastly, drivers should also adhere to the local road rules and signage, which could advise of wildlife crossings or migratory routes nearby. If in doubt, it is always best to slow down and listen for any wildlife in the area. By being cautious on the roads, drivers can help to reduce the risk of wildlife collisions.

Key Takeaways

• An Aussie couple, Megan Alcorn and Joss Taylor found a 'confronting' sight of a dead wallaby and its live joey while driving near Charters Towers, Queensland.
• They managed to save the joey from the dangerous road, and Ms Alcorn described feeling 'pretty amazing' for being able to help the animal.
• Kangaroos and wallabies are sadly the most killed animals on Australian roads, with a 1000% increase in deaths since 2018 due to more developments and compromised habitats.
• Wildlife experts recommend creating wildlife corridors to make it safer for these animals and encourage drivers to be vigilant and cautious in semi-rural areas.

Members, this story emphasises the significance of staying vigilant on the roads because unforeseen circumstances can arise.

With that in mind, we'd like to hear from you. How do you ensure road safety and show consideration for wildlife while driving? Do you have any experiences or tips to share regarding encountering animals on the road? We're eager to learn from your insights.

 

[MariaG]

And yet .... people are climbing over each other to grab a block of land in the new sub-divisions.
We went for a drive not long ago through an area very familiar to us.
Over the hill, we were confronted by absolute carnage. 3 sets of hills ... all trees gone. Truly, it made me cry. I used to walk around that way in the early mornings and quite often see the odd kangaroo, lots of koalas and even wombats. There always was the sound of birdlife and it was a really nice place to take in nature. All gone.
Road kill is a side effect of development. It's so sad.

 

[Suzanne rose]

You need to keep vigilant when driving country roads .

We were in Polkin Hunter Valley over the weekend and needed to drive 20 minutes for food one night , we were driving along a dirt road and it was pitch black , I told hubby to drive slow and put high beam on and lucky we did twice a kangaroo hopped in front of us , if we were going faster we would have definitely hit one them.