The red-necked wallaby in its enclosure at the Košice Zoo on March 8, 2023. (source: TASR)
For nearly a year and a half, a red-necked wallaby hopped around Liptovský Mikuláš, northern Slovakia, often misidentified as a kangaroo by Slovak media. The exotic animal, native to Australia, even survived a harsh winter in the Liptov region.
Reports of its presence in the wild first surfaced last summer.
Those familiar with keeping exotic animals were unsurprised by the wallaby’s ability to survive the winter. Predators and the risk of being hit by a car posed far greater threats, and sadly, the latter proved fatal.
A familiar sight to locals, the wallaby was struck by a car on the evening of Tuesday, October 22. The accident occurred on the road between Vitálišovce and Smrečany, an area where the animal had often been seen.
“A 37-year-old driver, operating a Ford Focus, collided with the wallaby when it suddenly jumped into his path. No people were injured in the accident, but the wallaby did not survive,” confirmed the Žilina Region Police on social media.
At first, locals mistook the animal for a hare or a deer, but as more videos and photos surfaced, it became clear that a wallaby had taken up residence in the Liptov region.
The animal was most often spotted near Vitálišovce, likely drawn by a food source. Videos even captured it hopping along Liptovská Mara, a water reservoir near Liptovská Ondrašová.
International media also covered the wallaby’s unexpected appearance in this cold, sub-Tatra region. It is believed that the red-necked wallaby had escaped from a private collection, finding an unlikely home in the wilds of Slovakia.
