Wallaby on the loose in Austrian town

A wallaby on the loose in Austria -- not Australia -- has been spotted hopping around town, but so far the animal has managed to evade capture.

The wallaby, a smaller cousin of the kangaroo, escaped from his owner's home in the village of Alberndorf, Hollabrunn, by squeezing through a small hole in a fence, the marsupial's owner said.

The Australian animal, named Captain, has been spotted around town and was photographed by local residents, but the wallaby has evaded capture for about a week.

The Jetzelsdorf Fire Department posted a video to Facebook showing firefighters pursuing Captain, but the marsupial managed to give them the slip.

Captain's owner urged members of the public to contact authorities and not attempt their own captures, as the animal is skittish around strangers and likely to flee.

The same wallaby previously escaped from his owner in 2021 and was later safely captured.