THE wandering wallaby of Liskeard has become the talk of the town, but a local sanctuary has warned people should not try and take matters into their own hands by capturing the creature.

Scot Weller, owner of Original Cornish Pasties at Millers Business Park in Liskeard, was heading into town at around 5.20am on Monday, August 24, when he spotted what he initially thought was a dog sitting in the road.

“I saw something just sat there halfway across the road,” he said. “Originally, I thought it was a German Shepherd or something like that. Then it got up and started bouncing down towards the cattle market and I thought, ‘Oh, that’s that wallaby I’ve seen on the social media pages.’”

Since Scot’s early morning encounter the sightings have been hopping in thick and fast, with locals keen to keep tabs on this mysterious creature - whose origins are unknown.

However, as a result of the sightings the Porfell Wildlife Park and Sanctuary in Liskeard has reported a sharp increase in the number of calls it is receiving - with some surmising the wallaby belongs to them.

Setting the record straight on social media the sanctuary said: “We are getting a high volume of messages right now regarding the recent wallaby sighting in Cornwall (Liskeard). Please note that this animal is not an escapee from our sanctuary, and all of our residents are safe and secure.”

Due to the interest this marsupial has generated locally the sanctuary has deemed it necessary to put out the following message: “PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO CATCH IT.”

They say, while it is understandable that people may be worried and want to help this animal, any attempts to catch, corner or chase the wallaby could cause significant stress — or worse, injury — to the animal.

“Wallabies are wild animals and, when frightened, they can react unpredictably. Chasing them can cause them to bolt into roads, fences or other hazards, and the stress of being pursued can be extremely detrimental,” they continued.

“Our sanctuary is unable to go out and catch this wallaby. We are not a wildlife rescue service and, unless an animal is one of our own residents, we cannot simply attend and attempt to capture it. Trying to catch a wallaby without the appropriate experience, equipment and authorisation could put both the animal and people at risk.”

They added: “Please also avoid surrounding the animal or encouraging crowds to gather around it. The less pressure and disturbance it experiences, the better.”

The sanctuary also urged in its Facebook message that people do not feed the wallaby - as this can also have a detrimental impact on its health.

They said: “Wallabies are herbivores and can feed naturally on grasses, wild herbs, ferns, brambles and other vegetation. The Cornish countryside provides plenty of natural food sources, meaning a healthy wallaby is capable of finding food for itself without human intervention.

“Please do not attempt to feed it. Human food, garden scraps and inappropriate foods can cause serious and potentially life-threatening digestive problems.”

Since his encounter, Scot said he has been told there could be ‘wild wallabies’ living in the wider area, with possible colonies around Seaton Valley, Stoke Climsland and the industrial estate up by Liskeard Hospital.

According to the RSPCA, if anyone sees a healthy wallaby in the wild, the best thing to do is keep a safe distance, observe from afar and leave it alone.

However, if anyone finds the wallaby injured, trapped or in immediate danger, contact the RSPCA emergency line on: 0300 1234 999