A kangaroo has been on the loose in the Warmia-Masuria province of Poland for approximately two weeks, raising concerns among local residents and animal welfare activists. The animal escaped from a private property in the Działdowo County, but the owners failed to notify anyone about the escape. The responsibility of locating the kangaroo has fallen on the shoulders of local residents and an animal rights activist, Iza, from the “Przytul Psisko” Animal Protection Association.
Iza, who has successfully dealt with a similar situation in the past, has organized search efforts involving the community. “People are keeping their dogs indoors at night to prevent them from chasing the kangaroo. Gates are left open, and porch lights are left on, hoping to lure the kangaroo into yards. Once confined within a limited space, there’s a chance to capture the animal,” she said.
Local organizations, including employees from the Welski Landscape Park and volunteer firefighters equipped with a drone, have offered assistance in the search operation. “Many people genuinely care about the kangaroo’s fate, except its owners, who let it escape,” remarked Iza, emphasizing the collective concern for the animal’s well-being.
According to information gathered by animal welfare activists, the kangaroo in question escaped around October 20th. Surprisingly, the owners did not report the incident to any authorities or launch a search operation, leaving the community to handle the situation independently. “We deduced that the kangaroo had escaped while tracking another kangaroo named Felka. Felka was being transported from a breeding facility to its new owners. Due to the careless behavior of the owners, Felka escaped during the journey. When we were searching for Felka, we discovered sightings of another kangaroo 30 kilometers away,” Iza explained. Felka was successfully lured back onto a property, confined in a garage, and subsequently captured by specialists. However, the loose kangaroo continued to evade capture.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that the kangaroo’s condition is deteriorating. “It likely finds food as it’s a herbivore, but it’s certainly frightened and stressed. It poses a significant threat in terms of road safety; it might wander onto roads where vehicles and other animals pose a danger. This species is not adapted to surviving in the wild under our conditions,” warned Iza, highlighting the potential risks associated with the situation.
Residents of Działdowo County have been urged to report any kangaroo sightings to “Przytul Psisko” activists or the local police. Authorities responded promptly to reports, but unfortunately, assistance arrived too late to capture the elusive marsupial.
Iza revealed that this incident is not isolated, citing another case from southern Poland where a kangaroo escaped its owner. “I received a call from a resident in the southern part of the country, inquiring about the appearance of the kangaroo we are searching for. To my surprise, she confessed that she also had a kangaroo that escaped two weeks ago. It appears that more people are keeping kangaroos as pets without understanding the responsibilities associated with such exotic animals,” she emphasized.
If the kangaroo is successfully captured, it will be relocated to a specialized breeding facility. Meanwhile, the search continues, with the community remaining vigilant and hoping for a safe resolution to the situation.
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