Authorities have recaptured a two-year-old Tasmanian devil named Mary after she spent approximately two weeks on the loose in Queensland [1].
The successful recovery ends a coordinated search involving wildlife officials and park staff in the Gold Coast region. The incident highlights the challenges of containing agile wildlife species within managed environments.
Mary escaped from a Village Roadshow Theme Parks wildlife park after performing an abnormally large leap from her enclosure [2]. The marsupial then navigated the surrounding bushland, remaining elusive to capture teams for nearly 14 days [1].
"Mary, the two-year-old marsupial, was found and recaptured overnight," a spokesperson for Village Roadshow Theme Parks said [3]. The recapture occurred between June 16 and 17 [2].
Search teams said the animal was extremely shy, which contributed to the length of the operation [4]. The effort required a combination of tracking and containment strategies to ensure the animal was retrieved without injury.
Staff at the wildlife park are now assessing the enclosure from which Mary leaped to prevent future escapes. The animal has been returned to the facility following her time in the wild [2].
“Mary escaped after taking an abnormally large leap from her enclosure.”
The escape of a Tasmanian devil from a professional facility underscores the unpredictable physical capabilities of these marsupials. While the recovery was successful, the incident may prompt wildlife parks to re-evaluate enclosure heights and jump-deterrents to ensure the security of endangered or specialized species.
