Escaped Tasmanian devil Mary recaptured on Gold Coast

A Tasmanian devil that escaped from a wildlife park on Australia's Gold Coast more than two weeks ago has been found alive and is receiving veterinary care. The two-year-old marsupial, named Mary, was recaptured on Tuesday night, June 16, in bushland less than two kilometers from the Paradise Country theme park where she had been housed.

Mary escaped from a quarantine enclosure at the park in the early hours of Tuesday, June 2. Park staff reviewed CCTV footage showing her making what they described as an abnormally large leap over a 1.4-meter boundary fence shortly before 4 a.m. Her disappearance triggered an extensive search operation involving up to 20 zookeepers, thermal imaging drones, sniffer dogs, trail cameras, and non-lethal traps.

The search spanned a mix of suburban areas and pockets of bushland connected to the broader Gold Coast hinterland. During the fortnight-long effort, Mary was sighted on a home security camera and signs of her presence, including droppings and the remains of kangaroos and wallabies, were found, indicating she had been able to forage. Search crews had triangulated an area near Saltwater Creek Reserve by June 8, but the elusive animal remained at...