There’s a lot to unpack with this one.
Believe it or not, while kangaroos aren’t native to the United States and are primarily found in Australia and New Guinea, there are actually some wild kangaroos here too. Most of them are animals that were once kept as pets and have since escaped or been let loose, but back in 2017 the state of Wyoming actually released some kangaroos into the wild in an attempt to study whether the state could be a suitable habitat for the marsupials.
In 13 states it’s actually legal for an individual to own a kangaroo, although 10 of those states require a permit. (Shoutout to my home state of West Virginia for allowing people to just straight up own a kangaroo without any paperwork).
Alabama isn’t one of those states that allow individuals to own their own ‘roo, unless it was owned prior to 2020 and the owner obtained a permit prior to 2021. So needless to say, there probably aren’t many kangaroos in Alabama – which is why it was such a shock for drivers to see one hopping down the interstate today.
The runaway kangaroo was spotted on I-85 in Macon, Alabama, and according to Alabama State Troopers, caused a minor accident when drivers slowed down to avoid the animal.
Shocked motorists (naturally) pulled out the camera to capture the wild sight as the kangaroo not only ran down the side of the interstate but cut across the road directly in front of oncoming traffic, which thankfully had slowed to avoid hitting the animal.
Troopers then shut down the interstate to try to capture the loose kangaroo, and were finally able to shoot it with a tranquilizer dart and put an end to the bizarre pursuit.
Macon County Sheriff Andre Brunson live-streamed the kangaroo’s arrest on his Facebook page, expressing his disbelief at the situation that was unfolding:
“When somebody said there was a kangaroo of course I didn’t believe it and nobody believed it, but I’m looking at him.”
As it turns out, the kangaroo’s name is Sheila. And to make the story even better, her owner’s name is…Patrick Starr. Yes, like the Spongebob Squarepants character.
Starr says that Sheila had escaped from her enclosure this morning, and was treated by vets from the Auburn University Veterinary Hospital after being captured. Luckily she’s doing just fine and is back home, awake, and munching on hay. But according to her owner, she might be in a little bit of trouble after her big adventure:
“She’s well, she’s safe, and she’s grounded. I’m so thankful to everyone who slowed down and made sure she didn’t get hurt. So glad everyone is safe.”
Definitely not something you see everyday – at least not in the United States. But I’ve seen enough videos of kangaroos throwing hands (or legs, or whatever they have) to know that if I saw a kangaroo in the wild, I would probably keep my distance too. Those suckers can fight and have been known to land a knockout blow or two.
