Wallaby on loose in Doncaster not one of ours, say Wildlife Park bosses

There have been several sightings of the marsupial hopping through the Sykehouse and Fishlake area over the weekend, sparking fears it might have broken free from the Branton based visitor attraction.

But in a brief statement this afternoon, a YWP spokesman said: “It isn’t anything to do with us.”

Drivers have been warned to look out for the animal in the area.

It is not clear if the animal is an escaped pet or a wallaby living in the wild.

Earlier this year, a wallaby was filmed in a field near Mosborough in Sheffield.

James Ledger who spotted it said: "I was very shocked. I had been out to try and see if I could find a deer or stag. But I never expected to see a wallaby.”

Although native to Tasmania, Britain has had a wild, red-necked wallaby population for more than a century. Descended from wallabies that escaped zoos and private collections, their UK population is unknown.

However, there are believed to be thriving wallaby colonies in Scotland and the Isle of Man.

According to research by The Conversation, there were 95 confirmed sightings of wallabies in the UK between 2008 and 2018.

These included sightings in North Yorkshire and East Yorkshire.

Anyone who has seen the wallaby, which was last sighted in the Sykehouse and Fishlake area, is being urged to pass sightings and information to 07743198369.