An abandoned baby kangaroo has been deemed healthy enough to return to her mother

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Zookeepers in Florida announced this week the successful reunion of a baby kangaroo and its mother, after six months of hand-raising the joey.

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Brevard Zoo officials said in a news release that Lilly, who was born in August, was found abandoned on the floor of the zoo’s habitat on Jan. 23. They believe stress caused by a severe storm the night before likely caused her mother to eject the baby from her pouch.

Little Lilly was so tiny that she had to spend time in an incubator before graduating to bottle feedings, six times a day, from one dedicated caretaker.

Lauren Hinson, the zoo’s collection manager, primarily raised the marsupial, taking her home each night, waking up during the night for feedings and even wearing the kangaroo in a pouch.

“It was an incredible amount of work and a lot of missed sleep, but well worth it,” Hinson says.

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Now, with Lilly stronger, the animal has started to spend more time in the kangaroo yard, getting to know her biological mom.