{"id":412508,"date":"2026-01-14T14:48:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T14:48:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/412508\/"},"modified":"2026-01-14T14:48:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T14:48:14","slug":"aussie-womans-dilemma-after-rare-encounter-on-suburban-street-no-clue-what-to-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/412508\/","title":{"rendered":"Aussie woman’s dilemma after rare encounter on suburban street: ‘No clue what to do’"},"content":{"rendered":"

An Aussie mum of four was in \u201ctotal shock\u201d after a swamp wallaby<\/a> dumped her joey at her feet. Tracy McKendry was on her morning walk through Warrnambool on Victoria\u2019s<\/a> southwest coast when the unexpected situation confronted her.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a really residential street, and I saw this wallaby coming towards me,\u201d she told Yahoo News.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought, Oh my gosh, my family is not going to believe this.<\/p>\n

\u201cI happened to have my phone in my hand, so I thought I\u2019d get some video evidence to prove it was there, and then the next bit happened, which was so crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

In her 14 years living in Warrnambool<\/a>, Tracy has never seen a wallaby in her suburb, and when one left its joey behind, she had no idea how to respond.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was in total shock, it was just so unexpected,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really thought the mother would come and pick it up, but she kept going.”<\/p>\n

In Tracy\u2019s 18-second video of the encounter, she can be heard exclaiming, \u201cOh Jesus,\u201d and then, \u201cOh God, Oh no, What am I meant to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

The footage, which was later shared online, has been viewed over 117 million times.<\/p>\n

Woman unsure how to help wallaby joey<\/p>\n

Tracy was concerned that if she picked up the joey and put her human scent on it, the mother might reject it.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a common myth that many Aussies also believe about baby birds, but there\u2019s absolutely no truth to either.<\/p>\n

The video has been viewed by tens of thousands of people around the world, with many wondering how they should respond if confronted by the same situation.<\/p>\n

\"Left:<\/p>\n

Tracy McKendry had hoped the mother wallaby would come back and collect her joey. Source: Tracy McKendry<\/p>\n

Why the joey was ejected from the pouch?<\/p>\n

Deakin University ecologist Professor Euan Ritchie<\/a> explained to Yahoo News that it\u2019s rare for the mothers to come back after they evacuate a joey from their pouch.<\/p>\n

The behaviour is believed to be an involuntary response to feeling threatened.<\/p>\n

Because it has been observed in multiple macropod species, including Western Australia\u2019s quokkas, it\u2019s thought to have evolved millions of years ago<\/a>, when predators like thylacines, Tasmanian devils and even marsupial lions still roamed the mainland.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen macropods feel really stressed and think they\u2019re going to be eaten by a predator, it\u2019s very common for them to throw the joey as they escape,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s obviously pretty tough on junior.\u201d<\/p>\n

When birds flee a threat, it\u2019s common for them to evacuate their bowels, so they\u2019re lighter and can fly away faster.<\/p>\n

But Professor Ritchie believes the behaviour of macropods throwing joeys is more likely to have evolved to create a distraction.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Quokkas are also known to evacuate joeys from their pouch when stressed. Source: Getty<\/p>\n

How to respond if you find a joey at your feet<\/p>\n

Hoping to further educate the public, he suggested anyone who sees a wallaby or kangaroo hopping down a suburban street should stand well back, or you could inadvertently add to the mother\u2019s stress as she tries to avoid you.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing chased by dogs<\/a> can also cause the same outcome,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMothers typically won\u2019t come back for their joeys, so they should be carefully placed in a dark, soft box or cloth bag and taken to a wildlife shelter as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

What happened to the joey?<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the mother wallaby never came back.<\/p>\n

Tracy did the right thing and immediately called Mosswood Wildlife, a rescue and rehabilitation centre, for help and a specialised macropod volunteer was organised to collect and care for the animal.<\/p>\n

It will now be raised in care until it reaches adulthood, and then released into the wild.<\/p>\n

“I really never had any experience with wallabies before, so I had no clue what to do, but I’ve learned so much from this,” Tracy said.<\/p>\n

“I’m really grateful for the response from Mosswood in coming straight out, and the care they showed to her was beautiful.”<\/p>\n

While she doesn’t expect to see another wallaby in Warrnambool, the encounter has changed how she sees her suburb.<\/p>\n

“There are plenty of magpies around, and lots of other birds, I really appreciate the surroundings now,” she said.<\/p>\n

Love Australia’s weird and wonderful environment? \ud83d\udc0a\ud83e\udd98\ud83d\ude33 Get our new newsletter<\/a> showcasing the week\u2019s best stories.<\/p>\n

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