A wallaby that has been roaming the Devon countryside for about three years continues to elude capture, baffling locals and zoo staff alike. A North Devon woman was astonished to discover the marsupial at the roadside near Barnstaple.
Woman's Remarkable Sighting
Vicky Wilkins was driving home at approximately 9.30pm on Tuesday (July 21) when she encountered the surprising sight. She told DevonLive: "I just grabbed my phone because I thought no one's going to believe that I've seen a wallaby by the side of the road."
The wallaby seemed unperturbed. "My car just went up to him and he just sat there. He wasn't scared at all," she said. Wilkins contacted Exmoor Zoo and Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park, but neither reported a missing wallaby. She posted a video online hoping to reunite the animal with its owner.
Zoo's Failed Capture Attempts
Danny Reynolds, a partner at Exmoor Zoo, said staff have been aware of the wallaby for years. "We've made numerous attempts to capture it and every single time, even with a team of 15 people, it's beaten us," he said. "You see it once and then you don't see it again for months. It's a bit like the Exmoor Beast, except this one poses for the occasional photo."
Reynolds noted that wallabies can thrive in Britain's climate, especially in woodland areas with abundant food. "They've lived in the Peak District and the Scottish islands for years. The winters aren't as severe as they used to be and they can survive pretty well," he explained.
While the wallaby appears healthy, zoo workers would prefer to bring it into captivity if safely captured, though that remains challenging. For now, North Devon's most mysterious inhabitant stays on the run.
