A Tasmanian devil named Mary is on the run after escaping her enclosure at Paradise Country theme park on Queensland’s Gold Coast. CCTV cameras captured the carnivorous marsupial skulking around deserted grounds at 4am on Tuesday before she scampered out of frame.
As of Wednesday afternoon, a dozen wildlife staff and a drone operator with thermal imaging have been unable to locate Mary. Park curator Lauren Mousley said the escape remains “a bit of a mystery”, but staff believe an abnormally large leap allowed her to breach her quarantine area.
Mary, aged two, arrived recently from a zoological facility in New South Wales with her companion Mavka. Mousley described Mary as extremely shy, making her escape surprising. She warned the public not to approach Mary, as devils can be reactive if provoked, and to call Wildcare on 07 5527 2444 if sighted.
Emeritus Professor Hamish McCallum, a devil facial tumour expert, said Mary could pose a risk to brush-tailed possums, stray cats, and foxes. He noted that while some advocate for rewilding devils on the mainland to control invasive predators, a lone escape is not the ideal method. McCallum expressed concern that Mary could be killed by a car or attacked by dogs.
