Two surfers off the coast of Australia were left stunned when they spotted an animal few would expect to see struggling in the open ocean: a wallaby.
Nine.com.au reported that Harrison Mogg and Huwan Medcalf were paddling off Victoria's East Gippsland coast when they spotted a furry animal in the water some 300 meters (984 feet) offshore near The Skerries. Instead of continuing on, they moved in to help.
A video posted on the social platform X shows the rescue.
Two Aussie paddle-boarders rescue an exhausted Wallaby swept offshore pic.twitter.com/VoLMSTZwFw
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In the clip, you can hear one of the surfers saying, "What the hell?! Are you all right, buddy?" as they realize the animal is a wallaby struggling to stay afloat.
"It was a pretty remote stretch of coastline, so I think if we weren't out there, it might have been a very sad ending for the little wallaby," Medcalf told the "Today" program.
He said the animal was in such poor condition that there was no time to hesitate.
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"She was just keeping her head above the water, so that's why I just pulled her on straight away," he explained. Once the wallaby was on the board, it barely reacted. "She was pretty toast," he said, adding that the animal collapsed on the beach before finally starting to move.
If you find yourself in a situation like this, make sure you are aware of any safety precautions and that you notify authorities who can properly assess and aid the animal.
The rescue is resonating online not only because it is unusual, but also because it highlights how quickly people can make a difference for wildlife in distress, like this fisher who similarly saved a struggling dolphin.
Australia is known for remarkable biodiversity on land and at sea, and encounters like this are a reminder that animals can end up in danger even in places humans associate with recreation.
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"Riding waves is cool. Saving a Wallaby while doing it is maximum coolness!" one X user commented on the rescue video.
"What a good guy, hope the lil fella got better," said another.
"I'm always amazed at how wild animals know when they are being looked after," added one more.
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