In Victoria, Australia, an old, crumbling mineshaft turned into a life-threatening trap for a frightened wild animal — one who would have had no chance of survival without help.
“The shaft was in terrible condition — collapsing edges, rotted timbers, and a broken ladder missing most of its rungs,” wrote Manfred Zabinskas, cofounder of Five Freedoms Animal Rescue (FFAR).
Despite the dangers, Zabinskas knew he would have to go down there.
Still, when a call came about an animal trapped inside, Zabinskas knew he had to go.
After driving more than an hour to the site, he peered into the dark hole and spotted two desperate eyes staring back.
A young kangaroo, trembling and terrified, was stuck far below. Heavy rain clouds were rolling in, making the situation even more urgent.
“This was not a shaft I wanted to be in once the heavens opened up,” Zabinskas said. “But we couldn’t leave her there.”
The plan was to sedate the kangaroo before attempting a rescue. But the frightened animal had wedged herself into a small cave, making it impossible to safely dart her from above.
“That made it impossible to dart or pole syringe her before descending,” Zabinskas wrote. “The overhang above her head had crumbling soil and looked very unstable.”
With the rain starting to fall and the ground becoming slick, Zabinskas had no choice — he climbed down himself.
“She looked ready to bolt deeper into the mine,” Zabinskas recalled. “I managed to block her path and secure her with a hoop net before giving a quick sedative.”
He tried to stay calm — but it wasn't easy down in the unstable shaft, as rain was falling. “She was terrified,” he wrote. “I wasn’t all that relaxed myself and was keen to get out of that shaft.”
The sedative helped move things along. Working quickly in the unstable shaft, Zabinskas gently placed the kangaroo into a rescue bag and carried her up the ladder.
Relief washed over the team when they saw she was largely unharmed.
“She hadn’t been down there very long — no droppings, no dehydration,” he explained. “She was incredibly lucky.”
The kangaroo didn't appear to have any major injuries, but she still needed to be taken to FFAR for observation and to rest from her ordeal.
The rescuers named her Alice, after Alice in Wonderland. “We have named the kangaroo Alice, after Alice in Wonderland who similarly went down a hole, and it’s a wonder she is alive,” Zabinskas wrote.
Back at the FFAR center, she was given food, water, and a blanket to help her settle in.
Though Alice will need time to rest before being released back into the wild, her story already has a lighter chapter.
Other rescued kangaroos have shown interest in their new friend — even if Alice isn’t quite sure she needs their help just yet.
“It’s a wonder she’s alive,” Zabinskas said. “But now she has a second chance.”
You can support animals like Alice by donating to Five Freedoms Animal Rescue.
