Indie Gives Birth

The birth of a kangaroo is the most miraculous thing I have ever witnessed.

Just three short days after her night on the veranda with Leo, Indie left. I felt so sad, but this was how it was meant to be. She was ready to go off and be a wild roo, and if she was ready to become a mother, then I had done my job right.

Thirty days passed.

That evening at dusk, I looked up the hill through the window and there she was. Leo, along with two of the other big males, appeared to be escorting her back home.

What a sight. Happy tears. I could see she was alright. I walked out onto the veranda and called, “Indie-girl, is that you?”

Her eyes smiled as she came bounding down the hill to me, then marched straight into the kitchen for a snack. She was so proud of herself. She had been away for a whole month, out there growing up.

She did have a small cut on her leg that needed cleaning, and a quick spritz of Cetrigen antiseptic to make sure it wouldn’t get infected. After some kangaroo snacks and a cuddle, she headed back outside to nap on her bed under the window.

Max was overjoyed to have her home. He had been spending more time with the boys of the mob, but he still loved the comfort of the veranda. I think he had been hoping she would come back, and she did.

She was very hormonal though. One minute she was all love with Max, the next she was making it very clear he needed to keep his distance. Some of their interactions were quite hilarious. With me, she was all affection. Long cuddles, every chance she got. She melted my heart daily.

Five days later, it was time.

She waited until I was sitting on the veranda before she gave birth to little Charlie.

On the morning of March 8, 2023, at 8:30am, she began vigorously cleaning out her pouch, her nursery. Around 9am, the contractions started. Before that day, I had no idea that kangaroos experienced contractions before giving birth.

She would lie down, then roll onto her side with her fingers splayed, clearly communicating discomfort. Then she would get up, fuss about, and hunch over as the contraction passed. After each one, she would rest briefly before the next began.

Just after 9:30am, she stood up and walked around my chair so she could be right beside me.

Her water broke.

Within a minute, her tiny embryo of a baby, no bigger than a jellybean, emerged and began its journey. Using its tiny arms, it climbed along the path she had carefully licked through her fur, making its way toward the opening of her pouch.

The journey, roughly 300mm (12 inches), took about three and a half minutes.

This blind, pink little creature, with its itty-bitty hands, moved with purpose.

Indie watched closely the entire time.

Even after it disappeared into the pouch, she continued to guide it, gently nudging and licking the outside, following its progress until it reached one of her four teats and fused into place.

Max was there too. He kept his distance while she gave birth, lying on his bed. But as soon as she was done, she hopped up onto the patio sofa and he came straight over to her. He sniffed her pouch and she sniffed his head. I was in awe, watching them communicate so lovingly about what had just happened.

She stayed very close to home, always wanting cuddles and even resting her head on my lap when I sat on her favourite patio sofa.

Two months later, while she groomed my hair, she allowed me to carefully slip a tiny camera into her pouch for a brief glimpse of her baby.