Residents of the West Flemish town of Waregem have been seeing a wallaby hopping about for several days now. The animal escaped during the stormy weekend at the end of October. Its owner, Timothy Maes, has already received several reports from people who have seen the animal. Yesterday, it was spotted in an apple orchard in Sint-Eloois-Vijve, but it has not yet been caught.
Skippy the wallaby has been on the loose in Waregem for over a week now: has anyone spotted Skippy?
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Two wallabies – small kangaroos – belonging to Timothy Maes managed to escape from his garden during the recent storms. “A tree fell onto the garden fence, allowing Skippy and Skibo to escape,” explains Maes.
Skippy and Skibo are a pair. Maes managed to recapture Skibo, the female, just two days after her escape with the help of the police. “She was in the neighbours’ copse. The police were able to herd her from there back into our garden.”
Cage and net
But Skippy, the male, remains missing for the time being. He has already been spotted by several people. “I’ve already received several reports, but every time I arrive at the spot, he’s already disappeared,” says Timothy Maes.
“He was last spotted at the apple orchard belonging to the Baart fruit farm. I drove there straight away, but he’d already hopped off again. I suspect he was tucking in to a nice meal there.”
Maes is certainly well prepared for when he has to set out again. “I’ve got a cage and a net in my car. That’s the only way to catch him; especially if he’s in an enclosed space like a garden, you should normally be able to catch him.”
Baart Fruit Farm and Farm Shop filmed Skippy during his adventure in Waregem.
Tempting fruit
Wallabies are nocturnal animals. According to Maes, Skippy is most likely to be seen in the evening and early morning. Anyone who spots him can try to lure him with fruit and vegetables. “If you see him, you could leave a piece of fruit in your garden with the gate open, for example. We hope he can be caught in an enclosed area such as a fenced-in garden,” says Maes.
Wallabies are easily startled and can hop away quickly. Anyone who spots him should not chase after him, Maes says. “It can certainly be dangerous near a road.”
“We hope he’ll be back soon,” says Maes. “We’re worried, both for people on the road and for Skippy himself. Wallabies are animals that are very sensitive to stress. In the meantime, I’ve already reinforced the garden gate; hopefully the next storm won’t blow it open again.”
Anyone who spots the wallaby anywhere should contact Timothy Maes via Facebook.