A wallaby named Rex, who had escaped and roamed New Jersey for over a day, was rescued thanks to a group of teenagers. Reports say he wandered off from the Much Love Sanctuary in Williamstown when an accidentally left-open latch allowed his escape.
Ron Layden, the sanctuary’s owner, mentioned that Rex got free on a Monday evening. The adorable three-year-old wallaby faced subzero temperatures for about 28 hours as local Monroe Township police helped search for him.
Rex was eventually spotted around 9 p.m. on Tuesday, near a Walmart close to a reservoir, about half a mile from where he had escaped. The group of teens from Marlton and Voorhees, curious to search for a wallaby, decided to check that area.
“We just decided to look for wallabies,” Keith Miller, one of the search party members, shared.
After spending around three hours looking, the teens managed to find the little creature. Leandro Vera, another member of the group, explained their strategy: “They jumped over the fence first and tried to squeeze him into one place.” They finally cornered Rex in some brush.
They noted that once they had him cornered, they carefully grabbed his tail, as Layne Viviano suggested: “He told me to grab the tail because that’s probably the strongest part of the animal.”
Reflecting on their unconventional adventure, one teen said, “It was a very unique experience, and I’m happy to now have it on my resume.”
Layden reported that Rex was in good health, expressing immense gratitude to the teens and the community for their assistance. “He was in great shape, like nothing had happened. He just went for a walk. He wasn’t stressed,” he noted, appreciative of the support he received.
Interestingly, wallabies belong to the kangaroo family and are primarily found in Australia and nearby islands. These marsupials can weigh up to 53 pounds, as stated by National Geographic.
