Colorado is a stunning state. From the plains to the mountains to the deserts, the variety of wildlife is truly remarkable. The state is home to all kinds of mammals, from prairie dogs to bears, marmots to elk, bats to foxes, mountain goats to mountain lions, and so much more.
Colorado is even home to the only marsupial found in North America, the Virginia Opossum. Colorado is NOT home to kangaroos, as unfortunate as that might be. In fact you’d have a near impossible time finding wild kangaroos anywhere outside of Australia and New Guinea. And yet the police department of Durango, Colorado, found themselves hunting down and capturing one of these unique animals as it bound through the streets.
DPD Officers Preskorn, Walters, and Hamer chased down the loose red kangaroo and returned it to its owner. Believe it or not, red kangaroos are completely legal to own in the state of Colorado without any sort of permit or license, though the difficulties that come with owning one is its own conversation. Though this was clearly an escape attempt rather than anything intentional by the owner, live animals should never be released into the wild.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife Guidelines On Finding Wildlife In Need Of Help:
- If you find a wild animal that appears sick or injured to you, but has no clear injuries, leave it alone.
- Quietly observe the animal from a distance and don’t hover so close that the wild parents are afraid to return to the area. If 24 hours go by and the parent does not return, call CPW for help. It is possible the newborn was abandoned or the parent is dead.
- Do not approach the animal
- Don’t move the animal yourself. Moving the young animal can have negative consequences and cause undue stress to the baby and the mother.
- Don’t feed the animal
- Keep your dog on a leash on trails.
- If a young bird falls from its nest, return it if is safe to do so. Or, place it in a box or basket with grass or paper towels and place it near the nest (or secure it in the nearest tree where you found it). The parents will hear its cries and continue to feed it. DO NOT try to feed it or keep it as a pet.
