Kangaroo on the loose in Austria

VIENNA: A kangaroo is on the loose and has been spotted in forests and meadows in Austria, police said Monday.

The animal — not a native to the central European country — has been seen numerous times since late last week in Hellmonsoedt district in Upper Austria state.

Police, who have identified it to be a kangaroo from photos and videos they received, are trying to find out who the animal belongs to.

"We have called all the zoos and kangaroo breeders around us, but no one is missing a kangaroo. We hope the owner will come forward," a Hellmonsoedt police official, who declined to be named, told AFP.

"It sounds unbelievable, but it's true."

Police cannot say what breed the kangaroo is but believe there is little to worry about for now — the kangaroo is a "shy animal" so is unlikely to cause any damage, and "its survival chances (in the wild) are perfect", the official said.

People need permission to keep kangaroos in Austria.

But kangaroos have been spotted before in the wild, according to local media reports, such as in 2015, when one escaped from an owner in neighbouring Germany.