Kangaroo missing in Germany for 6 months after escape is found some 50 miles from home

Skippy the kangaroo escaped from his owner on New Year's Eve

A kangaroo that escaped from its owner on New Year's Eve has been safely recovered, German media reported on July 9.

The marsupial was found on Thursday, July 4, in Lüdersdorf, a municipality that is northwest of the city of Hamburg, according to RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND), a German media outlet.

The kangaroo had escaped from Sternberg, a town located more than 50 miles away from Lüdersdorf, the report said. 

COLORADO DEPUTY WRANGLES ESCAPED EMU WANDERING ROADWAY, BODYCAM VIDEO SHOWS

The man who found the kangaroo, which another German outlet said was named "Skippy," kept him in a corral and his owner was notified of the recovery, RND reported.

It was "unclear" where Skippy went during the more than six months he was on the loose, RND reported.

Skippy the kangaroo (not pictured) was found in Germany more than 50 miles from his home after he spent more than six months on the loose.  (Joshua Prieto/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Skippy's specific kangaroo species was also not reported.

EXPLORING THE KINGDOM OF KANGAROOS AND WHY THEY PACK SUCH A POWERFUL PUNCH 

In March, it was reported that Skippy had been seen numerous times since his Dec. 31 escape from his enclosure but that all attempts to capture him had been unsuccessful. 

Lüdersdorf, where Skippy was found, is more than 80 kilometers away from the kangaroo's home in Sternberg. (Google Maps)

Skippy's owner, Jens Kohlhaus, kept "several" kangaroos, according to Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), a German public broadcaster. 

"Kohlhaus has already tried several times to catch the animal, but this has proven difficult," the report said — as Skippy is capable of jumping "12 meters [about 36 feet] far and three meters [about nine feet] high." 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

Police were called several times in March when Skippy was spotted near the town of Sagsdorf, Germany, according to NDR, but each time the animal managed to escape before their arrival. 

Skippy, Kolhaus said in March, is not dangerous and enjoys treats like carrots. 

Authorities say they do not know where Skippy (not pictured) lived or traveled during his six months on the run.  (iStock/Google Maps)

Kangaroo escapes have made news across the world in recent months. 

In May, a pair of kangaroos escaped from a farm in Lufkin, Texas – but unlike Skippy, the two kangaroos were recovered within hours of their escape. 

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle

Also, a video produced by the Lufkin Police Department responding to a call about a loose kangaroo went viral on social media. 

Kangaroos are indigenous to Australia and New Guinea but are legally kept on farms and as pets in parts of the world. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

They enjoy warmer climates and eat grass, ferns, leaves and fruit, according to the Bush Heritage Australia website. 

Load more..