A wallaby, native to Australia, has been sighted multiple times in and around the Cornish town of Liskeard in recent months, deepening a local mystery.
Residents first reported seeing the marsupial hopping along a busy road in Liskeard on August 24. Scott Weller, owner of Original Cornish Pastries, described seeing what he initially thought was a dog while driving to work. Upon realizing it was a wallaby, he followed the animal, concerned for its safety, especially during a heatwave. Weller reported the sighting to police, who responded but were unable to locate the animal.
A member of staff at a local leisure center also reported spotting the wallaby in a secondary school playing field.
These recent sightings follow an earlier, unexplained appearance of a wallaby on an industrial estate in Liskeard. That incident left locals baffled, particularly after a local zoo confirmed that all of its wallabies were accounted for, leaving the origin of the animal unresolved.
Experts have previously predicted an increase in wallaby sightings in the British Isles. Red-necked wallabies, also known as Bennett's wallabies, are believed to be the species most commonly sighted. These marsupials, resembling small kangaroos and growing up to three feet tall, were introduced to the UK from Australia in the late 19th or early 20th century. They have been known to escape from zoos, wildlife parks, and private collections.
Historically, colonies of wallabies have been established in various parts of the UK, including Devon, Cornwall, Scotland, the Chiltern Hills, and Nottinghamshire. A colony in the Peak District is thought to have died out. Experts suggest that these animals may be breeding in the wild in Britain, leading to a potential increase in their presence in the countryside.