Kangaroo Found Safe After Great Escape
Finally, the search can come to an end!
Chesney, a kangaroo famous for sporting a denim diaper, went missing from a small zoo in Wisconsin last week. But good news arrived on Saturday: he was found safe and sound after spending three days on the run.
The adventurous kangaroo managed to jump over an 8-foot fence on Wednesday, escaping from the Sunshine Farm petting zoo in Neceda, located about 90 miles from Madison.
His caretaker, Debbie Marland, shared that the community came together to mount a massive search effort. Volunteers walked nearly 260 miles and tracked over 37,000 steps daily to help find the 16-month-old kangaroo.
Despite several sightings during the search, Chesney remained elusive, often darting out of sight when approached. A heat-sensing drone was utilized to help locate him throughout his three-day escapade.
Colton Johnson, who operates Midwest Air Drone Services, described the scene: “It looked like a dinosaur running through the woods,” he remarked about seeing Chesney.
The furry traveler was found under a tree in a wooded area late Friday night. However, he managed to slip away again. The following morning, Marland and the volunteers returned to the spot with his favorite snacks, but they couldn’t find him. Just as they were preparing to search again, some luck intervened; they spotted Chesney approaching them.
“When he walked up to me, he had a very calm demeanor. I could tell he wasn’t in fight-or-flight mode,” recalled Stacey Brereton, a friend of Marland. Brereton decided to stay calm herself, simply sitting down and letting Chesney come to her.
In a heartwarming moment, Brereton shared that Chesney was eager for attention and allowed her to scoop him up into her arms.
The community’s efforts to locate this 40-pound kangaroo have not gone unnoticed; Chesney has become something of a local celebrity.
Returned home, Chesney appeared a bit hungry and tired but was otherwise unharmed.
Looking ahead, Marland plans to install a new mesh top over the kangaroo’s enclosure to prevent any future escapes.
