A Tasmanian devil named Mary has been spotted wandering through suburban streets on the Gold Coast after escaping from a theme park. The animal had gone missing from her enclosure at the park, prompting a search that has stretched on since. She has now turned up roughly two kilometres from where she disappeared. Her unlikely journey through the suburbs has drawn plenty of attention in the area.
Mary went missing at Oxenford, on the northern end of the Gold Coast, last Tuesday. Staff first realised she was gone from her enclosure during their usual morning checks. A review of CCTV footage suggested she had slipped away some time before 4am. From there, the effort to find the missing devil began in earnest.
In the time since her escape, those searching turned to several methods to track her down. Drones were brought in to scan the area, along with sniffer dogs. Searchers focused on the dense bushland surrounding the park, where they believed she had gone. There, they found evidence in the form of Tasmanian devil droppings.
More recently, Mary has been picked up on CCTV a few kilometres away from the park. The footage showed her roaming through the suburbs rather than staying in the bush. At one point, she was filmed on a residential driveway. The sightings confirmed she had moved well beyond the immediate area around her enclosure.
Despite being far from familiar surroundings, Mary appears to be coping with life on the loose. By the accounts of those tracking her, she seems to be adapting fairly well. That is notable given how far she is from where her species usually lives. Her natural home in Tasmania lies around 2,000 kilometres away.
Authorities have urged caution from anyone who might come across her. Tasmanian devils can be a little aggressive if they are provoked. For that reason, members of the public are being asked not to approach the animal directly. Instead, they are encouraged to report any sightings or information they may have.
The park behind Mary's enclosure, Paradise Country, has asked for the public's help in bringing her back. Anyone who spots the devil or has information is being asked to contact the park. The hope is that she can be located and safely returned before she ventures any further. For now, the search for the wandering Tasmanian devil continues across the Gold Coast.