VIDEO: Escaped Kangaroo Returns Home After a Week on the Loose

A kangaroo that escaped from Jiřice Prison in Nymburk has returned voluntarily after a week on the run.

The kangaroo is in good health but was hungry when he returned. He is now safely back in his enclosure with the other kangaroo, the prison reported on the X network.

Last Saturday, two kangaroos managed to escape from their enclosure. While one was quickly recaptured, the other evaded capture for a week despite remaining nearby.

“Today, he hopped back into the prison on his own,” the prison stated. “The convicts and a keeper then trapped him using a volleyball net and returned him to the enclosure in a sling.”

Uprchlík z jiřické věznice je zpět. Klokan rudokrký si užíval svobody přesně týden. Dnes přihopsal do veznice sám a dobrovolně, následně jej odsouzení a chovatel lapili do volejbalové sítě a ve sklopci přenesli do výběhu k druhému klokanovi. Uprchlík je hladový, ale v pořádku. pic.twitter.com/ghWkl2TfWJ

— Vězeňská služba České republiky (@vezenskasluzba) August 10, 2024

Jiřice Prison operates as an open prison and includes a kennel that houses several animals, including kangaroos.  These animals play a significant role in the therapeutic programs for inmates.

Kangaroos have been kept at the prison since 2018, as their presence helps instill a sense of responsibility in the convicts.

Why Did He Come Back?

According to Luboš Vaňek, head of the Rescue Station for Animals in Huslík, there may be other factors at play.

“The kangaroo is an herbivore, and during this period, particularly in the wild, it shouldn’t have significant issues finding food. Of course, it depends on what kind of diet he was accustomed to. If he was never exposed to wildlife or a different diet than what he received in captivity, then food could indeed be one of the reasons why he returned on his own,” Vaňek explained.

Another possible reason could be a strong attachment to his environment.

“Animals, especially those raised in captivity, can become very strongly attached to their surroundings and the familiar scents of their habitat. If such an animal escapes, it may panic and never return to its original location. This doesn’t seem to have happened with this kangaroo; he did not experience extreme stress and eventually decided to return,” he added.

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