An Affectionate Kangaroo Loves to Hug Others, Especially His Human Mom

A hug can mean a lot of things, but each one makes a person feel loved, comforted, and seen. Whether it’s a friendly one, a romantic gesture, condolences, or for your family, a hug can always make you feel good. The sweet expression of love can bring people closer to each other. It creates bonds where people are emotionally connected — a hug is a safe space that makes you comfortable with others. Fascinatingly, animals also know the meaning of an embrace. You can see dog videos where whenever pet parents feel down, their fur babies will hug them. They know its effect and how a single embrace can change their moods. That’s why, despite the language barrier, a hug from an animal can easily provide comfort.

Apart from dogs or other pets, kangaroos are huge huggers as well. Erik from Two Songs Sanctuary is proof, and his human mom gets hugs whenever he is around. The affectionate kangaroo was taken into the sanctuary in Port Lincoln in South Australia when he was still a joey. He was found by two mine workers and became an orphan after his mom died due to a car accident. Since then, the sanctuary became his forever home, and he has built special relationships there, especially with Linda. Erik loves her so much that he thinks Linda is his mom — the root cause of all the nonstop hugging every day. Even now that he’s an adult, Erik still acts like a baby whenever he spends time with Linda.

“He’s seven years old now. He buddied up with Jack, one of our other bigger kangaroos for a while. They used to have play fights in the morning, but they don’t do so much of that. Jack seems to take more interest in the girl kangaroos now.” Bronte, Linda’s husband, shared. Although his friend Jack had a different interest, Erik still makes friends with the other animals in the sanctuary. Also, his human parents stayed with him while he recovered from a leg injury. “We had to put his leg in a cast, and we had to continuously go to the vet. Erik could have been euthanized if we listened to the vet and not had Bronte intervene,” Linda explained.

During recovery, Erik had to stay indoors with the couple, and when he got back on his feet, they allowed him to roam outdoors again. The playful kangaroo returned to his mates — brightening the place even more. Bronte also shared that, aside from being the life of the party, Erik knows how to play favorites. “I don’t get too many hugs when Linda’s in the paddock. If I’m over there on my own, he’ll come up to me. He’s got these massive hands, giving me a slap of those if you’re not looking quick enough,” Bronte shared. Erik might be a big hugger, but when it comes to dad, he’s a mischievous player. Bronte even mentioned that Linda was the only one who could calm the kangaroo down.

The couple definitely has done a great job parenting kangaroos. Linda can be a sweet mom but also a disciplinarian — she also knows how to stop a fight between male kangaroos. “I can’t tell you how humbling it is to have a wild animal want to be a part of your life,” Linda said. Two Songs sanctuary continues to provide the best life for its residents. They see themselves dedicating their lives to their beloved animals in the next 30 years. From wombats to kangaroos, you can witness Linda and Bronte’s efforts in building a safe place for them in the video below. You could also follow their Instagram page to learn more about getting involved with Erik’s life and the rest of the sanctuary residents.