Escaped kangaroo faces tough odds in Estonian wilderness
Over the weekend, a kangaroo named Donna escaped from a property in Kohila Municipality, Rapla County, and local hunters have joined the search effort. One hunter warned that with Estonia's forests home to wolves, lynx and bears, the kangaroo's odds of survival are slim.
Hunter Heino Märks told ETV's "Ringvaade" that it's rare for even an experienced hunter to be looking for a kangaroo.
"Hunters' social media channels are buzzing with this story," he noted. "On one hand, it's unusual to see a kangaroo hopping around the Estonian wilderness. On the other, it's good to get the word out — so no hunters have a heart attack if a 'deer' suddenly bounds past on its hind legs."
When Märks first heard about the story, he had initially imagined a huge, 100-kilogram kangaroo on the loose somewhere. "But this one is a wallaby, which is smaller," he added.
Still, he said, predators in the area are likely to take an interest in the animal as well.
"We've got wolves in the area, lots of lynxes, and I've seen two different bears on my trail cameras," he noted. "I'm afraid it will be very hard for this animal to survive in the Estonian wilderness."
In an interview on Raadio 2, zoologist Mati Kaal confirmed that the missing kangaroo is likely a red-necked wallaby, or Bennett's wallaby, a species native to Tasmania.
"[Tasmania] has a similar climate to ours, so the current weather shouldn't be a shock to it," Kaal said.
The local fauna, meanwhile, is another matter.
"Wolves may be confused [by the kangaroo] at first, but they'll figure out it's something they can eat," he noted.
Kangaroo trade tightly regulated
Märks warned that if someone should spot the missing kangaroo, they should call the owners, not try to catch it themselves.
"That could just scare it off," he acknowledged. "The owner might be able to safely capture it and take it back home."
Kaal was unable to say how much a kangaroo might be worth. Zoos haven't bought or sold animals in decades; they rely on exchange programs to trade animals.
He added that the trade happens between private owners, with the market setting the price.
The zoologist also explained that the export of kangaroos from Australia is tightly regulated, and that those found in Europe today are usually descendants of animals that were legally brought over in the past.
"Bennett's wallabies were brought over by the Brits a long time ago, and now they live in the wild in Central England," he added.
The owner of the missing kangaroo has offered a reward for Donna's return.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!
Editor: Neit-Eerik Nestor, Sandra Saar, Aili Vahtla
