A Transnational Chase as Marsupials Evade Capture in Belgium and France

A cross-border chase ensued in Belgium and France after two wallabies escaped their enclosure. Police and firefighters were actively involved in the pursuit of the fast-moving marsupials.

One of the wallabies was captured on Tuesday near Lille, a city in northern France. This occurred days after the pair had broken free from their enclosure in Mouscron, a border town in Belgium. However, the second wallaby remained at large as of Thursday at noon.

The escape took place while the wallabies' owner was on vacation. The animals were being cared for by a neighbor at the time. Authorities in Mouscron stated they were not actively searching the area, but were relying on local residents to report any sightings.

Sightings of the wallabies spread throughout the region over the weekend. Videos of the animals hopping through urban areas, sometimes startled by passing vehicles, quickly went viral on social media.

French firefighters eventually cornered one of the escapees in the garden of a residential building on Tuesday evening. They used a net to prevent the animal from fleeing further. Wildlife specialists spent two hours safely capturing the wallaby and placing it in a cage. It was then returned to its enclosure in Belgium.

Wallabies, which are smaller members of the kangaroo family, are native to Australia. Owning wallabies and other exotic animals is permitted in Belgium, provided they are properly cared for.

Similar incidents involving escaped marsupials have occurred in the United States. In April, a runaway kangaroo in Alabama caused a traffic incident before being captured. Another kangaroo in Colorado was captured after escaping from its home.