29-5-2024 (BANGKOK) Staff at Chiang Mai Zoo are urgently searching for a runaway kangaroo last spotted hopping along the main road leading to the renowned tourist destination, Doi Suthep, early this morning.
The kangaroo’s escape became public knowledge when local resident Tun Chanachai posted a video on Facebook around 8:20 am on May 29. The footage showed the kangaroo bounding ahead of Chanachai’s motorcycle as he rode towards Doi Suthep. The animal then veered off onto a smaller road near the Chiang Mai Earthquake Monitoring Station. Chanachai explained that he didn’t pursue the kangaroo further because he was on his way to work.
The video quickly went viral on social media, with many Thai netizens expressing concerns for the kangaroo’s wellbeing. There were particular worries that the animal could be in danger from stray dogs in the area.
Chiang Mai Zoo confirmed the incident to local news agencies, stating that the kangaroo had escaped at around 7:50 am. The zoo assured the public that their staff, along with veterinary teams, are actively searching for the missing animal. The circumstances of how the kangaroo managed to escape are still under investigation.
This incident brought to mind a kangaroo escape drill conducted at the zoo five years ago. In that drill, a staff member donned a yellow kangaroo costume complete with red boxing gloves, mimicking the animal’s potential defensive behaviour. The staff member’s performance, which involved evading capture and resisting recapture, was praised for its realism.
Despite the training exercise being informative and entertaining for visitors at the time, some netizens expressed doubts about its effectiveness in preparing staff for a real-life escape scenario.
Chiang Mai Zoo remains dedicated to safely recovering the kangaroo and has asked the public to report any sightings of the animal immediately.
This incident is reminiscent of a similar event in September 2021, when an ostrich escaped from a farm in Chon Buri, causing a traffic jam on Suk Prayun Road. It took the rescue team over two hours to recapture the bird and return it to the farm.
