Animals at risk of drowning in South Australian flood waters are being rescued and moved to higher ground by volunteers.
Kerry Machado, an emergency and critical care vet nurse at the Small Animal Specialist Hospital (SASH) Adelaide, has been travelling from Adelaide to Blanchetown to undertake the rescues.
"It's very sad out there," she said.
"I have driven [in a boat] past a mob of kangaroos in waist-deep water.
"We actually had a kangaroo jump in our boat in a frantic attempt to get to drier land."
Ms Machado, who also runs the Facebook page Wildlife Nurse SA, is part of a small team of trained wildlife rescue staff who travel to the Blanchetown area whenever possible.
The team drives around in a small boat rescuing animals, with authorisation from the Department of Environment and Water.
"So we're going by boat to particular areas where animals are being located and they've been stranded," she said.
"We have a trained rescue team that has been involved in this operation, going out and picking up animals out of the water or hanging on to logs that are floating in the water.
"We're finding them everywhere really."
The team has saved dozens of animals from inundation, including kangaroos, wombats, lizards and echidnas.
"At the moment, we have probably have four that needed veterinary care," she said.
"We've been very lucky, we've caught them in time and we've been able to release them."
What happens to the injured animals?
Ms Machado said rescued animals were given a thorough examination and released on higher ground if deemed healthy.
"Any animal that has been unwell is … going to licensed wildlife carers," she said.
"They're seeking veterinary care for those animals and looking after them."
Ms Machado said while many unfortunate animals weren't found in time, she wanted to save the few she could.
"I feel like I'm only making a very small difference, like a needle in a haystack," she said.
"But for those animals that we are finding where it's life or death … if I can help one animal live a fulfilled life that's what I will do."
