Shocked motorist hits wallaby in Sheppey
by Emma Grove
A wallaby thought to have
swum to Sheppey from the mainland died after it was hit by a
motorist.
The shocked pensioner thought at
first that she had hit a kangaroo and called Kent Wildlife Rescue
volunteer Ray Allibone.
The accident happened as the
woman, thought to be in her 60s, was driving along the Lower Road
in Minster, near Sheppey Rugby Club.
Although it was alive when she
phoned Mr Allibone, it had died by the time he got
there.
He said he has been called out
to about five hit wallabies (like the one pictured left) in
his time, but this was the first call he has had to one on the
Island.
He has never had a live one
which he has been able to nurse back to health.
Mr Allibone, from Sheerness,
says there are hundreds of different species of the animals roaming
in the Kent countryside, some of which were accidentally released
in the 1940s.
He says they are quite good
swimmers, so it’s possible the female wallaby had come over here
from the mainland or it could have travelled over the railway
line.
He doubts the creature, which
was about 3ft tall, would have been on the road as he says the
animals are quite secretive and like a bit of cover so the roads
would be too open.
Mr Allibone added: "The lady
thought it was a kangaroo.
"I was quite excited because I
knew it would be a wallaby but it had died by the time I got
there.
"I would be interested to find
out if anyone does keep them as pets but I doubt it."
Have you spotted a
wallaby? Do you know where they might have come from? Join the
debate below.
16/03/12
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