Kangaroo Escapes Wisconsin Petting Zoo, Safely Recaptured

A 16-month-old kangaroo named Chesney escaped from a petting zoo in Necedah, Wisconsin, last week by scaling an eight-foot fence, prompting a three-day search by his keeper and local residents that ended with his safe recapture on Saturday.

The incident occurred at Sunshine Farm, a small animal interaction site located about 160 miles northwest of Milwaukee. Chesney, spooked by stray dogs that rushed his enclosure around 11:15 a.m. on Wednesday, leaped over the barrier and roamed within a three-mile radius of the farm. His keeper, Debbie Marland, described the escape as unprecedented for the facility, which houses 25 animals including horses, sheep, alpacas, Kunekune pigs, Highland cows and a Bactrian camel. Chesney shares space with his roommate, another kangaroo named Kenny, both named after country music star Kenny Chesney. The farm typically opens to visitors for interactive tours on Fridays through Sundays from mid-May to mid-November.

Marland and a group of friends and volunteers launched an immediate search, following resident reports of sightings across the rural town. They rented heat-seeking drones to track the kangaroo's movements, which helped pinpoint his location...