05-05-2025
Dumfries and Galloway search for escaped wallaby has 'exhausted all possible options'
Three-year-old Parma wallaby Wallace remains on the loose after his escape from Crazy Critters Experience.
The search for an escaped wallaby has 'exhausted all possible options' of finding the little creature.
Wallace got out of his enclosure from Crazy Critters Experience at Johnstonebridge on April 24.
Since then, a huge search has taken place including drones, dogs and experts from Galloway Mountain Rescue Team.
But the three-year-old Parma wallaby remains on the loose.
In a Facebook post from Crazy Fritters Experience owner Luke Mitchell, he said: 'It is with great sadness we announce we have exhausted all possible options of finding Wallace.
'Eight days from morning until night, little sleep, not even managed to finish a meal in eight days.
'We have had thermal and image recognition drones from
• Local game keeper
• 33 Air Solutions
• Galloway Mountain rescue
'We have covered acres upon acres of land and forestry.
'We have had scent trained dogs and tracking dogs from UK Deer Track and Recovery in and neither have managed to trace a scent.
'We have searched mornings, afternoons, nights, early hours and had no success.
'We have made traps and left familiar items along with supplement food and had no results
'We have ran out of options to try and locate where he is, all evidence is suggesting he is nowhere near, in fact there's no evident other than possible sightings that he was 'loose', the lack of traceability or even signs of wallaby are none existent.
'I am hopeful and praying that Wallace has gone off on his own and will be found/seen or make his way home soon so this search leads onto a location or some form or intel to his whereabouts.
'Please continue to keep your eyes peeled and call us immediately if you see any signs of him.'
It is believed on the night Wallace escaped he had been frightened by dogs and he hurt himself while getting out of his enclosure.
The three-year-old is thought to be the only Parma wallaby ever to be hand-reared after he rejected by his mum.
The small marsupial native to forests and densely-vegetated areas of northeastern New South Wales, Australia.
They are described as being 'about the size of a stout cat' and live mainly under thick plant cover in the wild, only active at night when they emerge to feed on grasses and small plants.
They are so shy and elusive, Parma wallabies were thought to be extinct until their rediscovery in the 1960s.
Anyone who can help or thinks they have seen Wallace should call Luke Mitchell from Crazy Critters Experience on 07546 912001.
