Video Rex the wallaby escapes from New Jersey animal sanctuary
Unmanned aerial vehicles are being implemented in the hunt for Rex, a 3-year-old wallaby, after he broke free from a New Jersey animal haven Monday evening. (Credit: Lots of Love Farm via Facebook)
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Authorities in New Jersey are deploying drones to locate a missing wallaby who bounded away from an animal refuge in Gloucester County on Monday night.
Rex, a wallaby who is 3 years old, absconded from the Lots of Love Farm in Williamstown when a gate was reportedly left unsecured during the night.
The absent marsupial was subsequently sighted at a Walmart parking area roughly five miles distant from the farm on Tuesday morning.
Sue Layden, who co-owns the animal sanctuary along with her spouse, communicated to Fox News Digital that they have cared for Rex for several years and that he “adores individuals,” as well as romaine lettuce.
Officials are engaged in the search for Rex, a wallaby who disappeared in the New Jersey vicinity. (WTXF)
She characterized him as a “small kangaroo,” highlighting his capacity to jump almost 10 feet in a single leap and attain speeds reaching 35 miles per hour.
“They begin hopping about,” Layden stated. “In their natural habitat, they are animals of prey, lacking any genuine defenses, thus their primary reaction is to flee. That is what instills that mentality in him. He doesn’t act like that here, but strangers shouting ‘Oh my god!’ might.”
Wallabies are marsupials of small to medium size, akin to kangaroos, originally from Australia and neighboring islands.
Rex the wallaby is said to have slipped through an unlocked gate at an animal sanctuary located in New Jersey. (Lots of Love Farm via Facebook)
Layden further indicated that the farm anticipates Rex’s return, given his extensive socialization with humans.
“He exited [and proceeded] directly into the woods. I don’t believe he genuinely desires to depart from his home,” she expressed. “Individuals who come to [the farm] pet him and shower him with affection, so he enjoys it here. … I am merely keeping my fingers crossed that he is remaining nearby, because if he approaches close enough and comes in, we have left his enclosure open for him.”
While Layden admitted that Rex is “lovable,” likening him to a plush toy possessing a marsupial disposition, she clarified that this is not invariably the case.
“In a natural environment, if they are cornered, they will attack,” Layden mentioned. “You might get struck down.”
Authorities are in pursuit of a missing wallaby, named Rex, who is still at large within New Jersey. (WTXF)
A drone company specializing in pet location is lending assistance to the search effort, and Layden stressed the importance of the community refraining from attempting to pursue him.
“We have received several fairly promising leads, so we are currently investigating all of them,” she conveyed.