Law enforcement officers and locals got the surprise of a lifetime when they noticed an unlikely creature near a highway early Saturday in Nelson County, Virginia.
The incident surrounds a runaway kangaroo that deputies found at the intersection of Thomas Nelson Highway and Oak Ridge Road after being alerted to the situation, Fox News reported Sunday.
When they arrived at the scene, Lieutenant Bodek and Deputy Richardson realized the animal was blocking traffic and needed to be rescued, the sheriff’s office said in a social media post. The kangaroo was injured, so the officers worked quickly by guiding it to a nearby property where it would be safe and away from traffic.
“With the assistance of Conservation Police Officer Andrew Sundra, Nelson County Deputies were able to safely capture the injured animal,” the sheriff’s office explained, noting the animal’s owner was contacted and arrived at the scene.
Photos show the kangaroo standing in the snow and an officer holding it:
“The Kangaroo has been returned to its owner, and is expected to make a healthy recovery! We’d like to thank everyone who assisted our Deputies with this very unusual incident!” the sheriff’s office said.
Kangaroos are Australian marsupials known for hopping and leaping on their hind legs, per Britannica.
According to the National Museum of Australia’s website, “The word ‘kangaroo’ comes from the Guugu Yimidhirr people sharing the word ‘gangurru’ with James Cook and the crew of the Endeavour in 1770. Emblematic of Australia’s unique wildlife, the kangaroo is part of the coat of arms, is seen in various logos and is a mascot at international sporting events.”
Nelson County Sheriff Mark Embrey told Fox the owner used a tranquilizer dart to subdue the female kangaroo, which ended up in the area after escaping from private property a few miles away while being chased by hunting dogs.
“This kangaroo was a female, and she had her baby ‘joey’ on her person. After jumping the fence, she dropped her baby a short distance from the owner’s farm. The female kangaroo continued to be pushed by the local hunting dogs,” the sheriff explained, adding that the baby and its mother were reunited.
Social media users shared their thoughts on the incident, one person writing, “I did not believe the officer when he came to the door … I asked are you serious and he said yes,” while someone else called the kangaroo “A Giant Jack Rabbit!”