Australian Police Officer Provides New Home To Orphaned Baby Kangaroo

A four-month-old kangaroo named Cuejo found a new home after an Australian police officer decided to adopt the orphaned joey. The mother of the young animal was reportedly hit and killed by a truck.

According to an article of Perth Now, Cue community liaison officer Scott Mason, Cuejo's new owner, told Australian Associated Press (AAP) that the baby kangaroo was handed to the Cue Police Station last week after it was found inside its dead mother's pouch. He added that Cuejo was dehydrated and skinny when brought to the police, however, they did what they can to alleviate its condition.

Mason, who is a former paramedic, said he decided to adopt Cuejo because of his passion for animals. He disclosed that he was even planning of building a wildlife rescue center in Cue, a small town in Western Australia that has a population of at least 300.

The young constable also shared to AAP that his wife will be giving birth in the next few months. With this, he said that he will soon have two babies to look after.

"Because it [Cuejo] needs to be fed every three hours, it's going to be my little child basically as my wife's in Perth with our newborn. So she's got her newborn and I've got a little one as well," Mason joked.

Orphaned joey handed to police today. Adopted by Pc Mason. We need a name #fb pic.twitter.com/dICS6QHP01

— Cue Police (@Cue_Pol) March 9, 2016

Aside from finding a new home, Cuejo is also a social media darling. Its name "Cuejo" came from social media users after the police department tweeted asking name suggestions for the orphaned joey.

Thankyou everyone for you ongoing support. Not just in the coat of arms,  BE the arms #fb Recruit Cujoe pic.twitter.com/KOOP45jfGP

— Cue Police (@Cue_Pol) March 10, 2016

A funny video of Mason with Cuejo was also posted at the police department's official Facebook account. In the video, Cuejo is seen climbing into Mason's shirt as if it was its mother's pouch.

According to the Australian Wildlife Society, there are 48 species of kangaroos in Australia. Only four species of kangaroos could be commercially harvested under strict guidelines. Keeping native animals, like kangaroos, as pets also needs stringent license conditions.