Runaway kangaroo confirmed dead after 30 hour search in Chiang Mai

The Director of the Zoological Park Organisation of Thailand confirmed today that officers discovered the dead body of the runaway kangaroo near the Chang Khian Waterfall at the foothill of Doi Suthep mountain in the northern province of Chiang Mai.

The red kangaroo, aged two years and six months, escaped from the Chiang Mai Zoo at about 7.50am yesterday, May 29. The runaway animal was last seen hopping along the road near Doi Suthep at about 8.20am before disappearing into the forest.

Zoo staff, veterinary teams, and Doi Suthep-Pui National Park officers searched for the kangaroo and found bloodstains and feces believed to belong to the animal near Chang Khian Waterfall yesterday. However, they were unable to locate the kangaroo or determine its direction.

After 30 hours of searching, the Director of the Zoological Park Organization of Thailand, Auttapon Sri-haerun, reported to Matichon that Chiang Mai Zoo staff confirmed the kangaroo’s death with him at about 4pm. Its body was found near Chang Khian Waterfall.

The cause of death has not been confirmed but officers suspect the kangaroo succumbed to an injury due to the discovery of bloodstains. It is also possible that the kangaroo accidentally fell from the waterfall.

Chiang Mai Zoo plans to hold a press conference this evening to clarify the cause of death.

ORIGINAL STORY: Hopping hunt: Chiang Mai Zoo scrambles to find runaway kangaroo

Chiang Mai Zoo staff members are on a mission to locate a runaway kangaroo that was last seen this morning hopping along the main road leading to the popular tourist attraction, Doi Suthep.

The incident came to light when a Thai man, Tun Chanachai, shared a video of the escapee on Facebook around 8.20am today, May 29 with a caption read, “On an escape?” In the video, Chanachai was seen riding his motorcycle along the road to Doi Suthep with the kangaroo bounding in front of him.

The animal eventually turned down a smaller road near the Chiang Mai Earthquake Monitoring Station. Chanachai explained to his followers that he did not pursue the kangaroo as he was rushing to work.

The video quickly garnered attention on social media, with many Thai netizens expressing concern for the animal’s safety. Some worried that the kangaroo might be attacked by stray dogs in the area.

Chiang Mai Zoo confirmed the incident with news agencies, stating that the kangaroo escaped around 7.50am today. The zoo assured the public that staff and veterinary teams are actively searching for the animal. However, the details of how the escape occurred remain unclear.

This incident brought back memories of an emergency kangaroo escape drill held at the zoo five years ago. During the drill, a staff member donned a yellow kangaroo costume complete with red boxing gloves, demonstrating the animal’s fighting prowess.

Netizens praised the staff member’s acting skills as he convincingly portrayed a runaway kangaroo, evading capture and resisting recapture.

While the drill provided staff with the necessary knowledge of the emergency to the staff and also entertained visitors who witnessed it, some netizens expressed concerns that the drill may not have adequately prepared staff for the current real-life scenario of a kangaroo on the loose.

As the search for the missing kangaroo continues, Chiang Mai Zoo remains committed to its safe return. The zoo is urging anyone who spots the animal to contact them immediately.

A similar incident was reported in September 2021 when an ostrich escaped from a farm in Chon Buri and caused a traffic jam on Suk Prayun Road. It took the rescue team more than two hours to catch the animal and take it back to the farm in a pickup.