'˜Wild wallaby' captured on camera in the Borders

A retired farmer has captured on camera what he believes could be a wild wallaby living in Scotland.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Aug 2016, 15:52 BST
Updated 15th Aug 2016, 16:58 BST

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A retired farmer has captured on camera what he believes could be a wild wallaby living in Scotland. Picture: SWNSA retired farmer has captured on camera what he believes could be a wild wallaby living in Scotland. Picture: SWNS
A retired farmer has captured on camera what he believes could be a wild wallaby living in Scotland. Picture: SWNS

Jim Shanks, 68, decided to set up a motion sensor camera after neighbours spotted a mysterious animal the size of a large dog with a very long tail during the night.

Locals in the hamlet of Belses in the Scottish Borders were worried it could be some sort of predator which could attack livestock in the area.

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So Jim tried to find out by borrowing a camera from a friend and attaching it to a tree.

Wallabies are a species native to Australia. Picture: Greg MacveanWallabies are a species native to Australia. Picture: Greg Macvean
Wallabies are a species native to Australia. Picture: Greg Macvean

And finally, after three weeks and images of all sorts of animals including foxes, rabbits and hares, he caught the creature on camera - and now believes it is a wallaby.

Jim said: “I’ve been to Australia and seen wallabies, and I’m convinced that is what it is, although someone else may disagree.

“A neighbour had seen an animal cross the road at about 10 at night and we couldn’t figure out what it was. The neighbours were curious as to what it was.

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Footage which shows in the animal believed to be a wild wallaby in the Borders. Picture: SWNSFootage which shows in the animal believed to be a wild wallaby in the Borders. Picture: SWNS
Footage which shows in the animal believed to be a wild wallaby in the Borders. Picture: SWNS

“I borrowed a camera off a friend of mine. It was up for about three weeks before we caught it.

“I got badgers, hares, deer, foxes, stoats before the wallaby appeared.

“Nobody knows where it came from. My daughter is a vet in Carlisle, and she says there have been quite a few in the wild in Cumbria but it’s 50 miles away so I don’t know.

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“Perhaps this is proof that global warming is affecting animal migration into the Scottish Borders.

Wallabies are a species native to Australia. Picture: Greg MacveanWallabies are a species native to Australia. Picture: Greg Macvean
Wallabies are a species native to Australia. Picture: Greg Macvean

“I’m pretty certain it was a wallaby.”

Wallabies are native to Australia and are herbivores.

A colony of the marsupials was introduced to Inchconnachan island at Loch Lomond in the 1920s by Lady Colquhoun.

There were plans to cull them in a bid to save the capercaillie population.

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Related topics:ScotlandScottish BordersAustralia