Austria And Kangaroos: Unlikely Roommates Or Natural Habitat?

Austria is not home to kangaroos, but there have been several instances of kangaroo sightings in the country. In 2015, a kangaroo named Anton escaped his owners and was spotted in the snow near Braunau. In 2016, a kangaroo was seen in the Muhlviertel region, and two kangaroos were tracked by police in Styria. More recently, in December 2024, a kangaroo was sighted in the forests and meadows near Kirchschlag in northern Austria, causing quite a stir. While the origin of this mystery kangaroo remains unknown, it has sparked confusion and intrigue among Austrians and the world alike.

Kangaroos in Bad Vöslau

Although kangaroos are native to Australia, there have been several sightings of kangaroos in Austria over the years. In 2018, a kangaroo was spotted hopping through the forests and meadows of Upper Austria, near the small town of Kirchschlag. This kangaroo's owner never came forward, and it was never caught.

In 2015, a kangaroo named Anton escaped his owner and was found in a snowy backyard near the town of Braunau. Anton managed to evade capture and disappeared into the forest.

In 2016, a kangaroo, possibly a pet named Paul who had escaped from his Bavarian home, was spotted in the Muhlviertel region. The same year, police tracked two kangaroos for several weeks in Styria, in the southeast of the country.

While Austria may not be the first place you'd expect to find kangaroos, there is one place where you are guaranteed to see them: Bad Vöslau, a small town located about 35km south of Vienna. Known mostly for its spas and red wine, Bad Vöslau also boasts a kangaroo enclosure behind a restaurant next to the Harzberg tower. While the animals are probably wallabies, the smaller cousins of kangaroos, it's still an unexpected sight in Austria!

Kangaroo sightings in Kirchschlag

In September 2018, residents of the small town of Kirchschlag in northern Austria reported multiple sightings of a kangaroo hopping through the meadows and forests around the town. Police confirmed these sightings but were unable to identify or capture the animal. Kirchschlag locals were astonished to see the marsupial, native to Australia, in their town, with one resident telling ORF radio:

> "We thought: 'No, this is really real' - and it then hopped a bit over the meadow and then moved away from the road towards the forest."

Police contacted zoos and breeders in the area but found no missing kangaroos. They speculated that the kangaroo may be an escaped pet, and asked for the owner to come forward. A zoologist in the region theorised that the kangaroo was a type of tree kangaroo, possibly a Bennett kangaroo, which can withstand cool temperatures.

This is not the first time a kangaroo has been spotted in Austria. In 2015, one was sighted near a corn field in St. Oswald bei Haslach, having escaped from Germany. In 2016, a kangaroo, possibly a pet named Paul, was spotted in the Muhlviertel region, and another escaped from captivity in Styria, evading police for weeks.

The Kirchschlag kangaroo remains at large, and police have assured locals that they have nothing to worry about, as kangaroos are shy and unlikely to cause any harm.

Kangaroo on the loose in Hellmonsodt

On 4 September 2018, reports emerged of a kangaroo on the loose in Austria, in the area of Hellmonsodt. The marsupial, which is suspected to be a wallaby, was seen "numerous times" in the week leading up to the reports.

A Confused Community

Hellmonsodt residents were baffled by the presence of the kangaroo, which is indigenous to Australia, not Austria. An unnamed local police officer commented:

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

Previous Kangaroo Escapades in Austria

This was not the first instance of a kangaroo on the loose in Austria. In January 2015, a kangaroo named Anton escaped his owners and was found lost in the snow near Braunau. A similar incident occurred in August 2016, when a kangaroo, possibly a pet named Paul, was spotted in the Muhlviertel region after escaping his Bavarian home during a thunderstorm.

In 2016, another kangaroo escaped captivity in Styria and evaded police for several weeks. This incident was followed by sightings of a kangaroo in Bad Vöslau, a town located about 35km south of Vienna. While these animals were likely wallabies, the smaller cousins of kangaroos, their presence contradicted the popular saying, "No kangaroos in Austria."

Austrians confuse Austria with Australia

It is understandable that people confuse Austria with Australia, given the similarity of the names. The two names are only separated by two letters, and both date back to the same Proto-Indo-European language base, from the word "ausōs", meaning "dawn". The country of "Austria" dates back more than 1,000 years, to 996 AD, but the word itself has even older roots. In Medieval Latin, "Marchia Austriaca" means Eastern borderland, and as many of you geography buffs know, Austria is directly to the east of Germany. In Old High German, which followed Latin roots, this area was referred to as "Ostarreich", meaning "Eastern Kingdom".

"Australia", on the other hand, is derived from a completely different compass direction – south. Before explorers had managed to make their way to the southern tip of the planet, it was proposed that there must be a massive landmass at the "bottom" of the planet, in order to balance out the large landmass that had been explored and mapped in the north. Back in the 2nd century AD, this southern continent was called "Terra Australis Incognita". In Latin, "Australis" means "southern", derived from the Latin word "auster", which means "southern wind".

Adding to the confusion, kangaroos have been spotted in Austria, which are native to Australia. Austrians often lament having their European country mistaken for Australia, but the kangaroo sightings may not be helping matters. In 2015 and 2016, there were sightings of kangaroos in Upper Austria, which turned out to be escaped pets. In 2024, there were further sightings of kangaroos in Austria, with one being spotted in the forest and meadows near the small town of Kirchschlag in northern Austria. While kangaroos are indigenous to Australia, it seems that Austrians may have to get used to sharing their land with these marsupials!

Adding to the intrigue, there is a town in Austria called Bad Vöslau, located about 35km south of Vienna. While the town is mostly known for its spa and red wine scene, it also has an interesting attraction - a kangaroo enclosure. So, while Austria and Australia are two very different places, it is easy to see how people could get confused between the two, especially when there are kangaroos involved!

Escaped pet kangaroo in Styria

In 2016, a kangaroo escaped captivity in Styria, a region in southeastern Austria. The kangaroo evaded police for weeks, with authorities struggling to locate and capture the animal. This incident caused quite a stir, as kangaroos are not native to Austria and are typically found in Australia, roughly 14,000 kilometres away.

The escaped kangaroo in Styria was not an isolated incident. There have been several reported cases of kangaroos, or suspected wallabies, on the loose in Austria. These marsupials are often kept as exotic pets by private owners, and they occasionally escape or are released into the wild. This particular escapee in Styria managed to elude capture for an extended period, becoming something of a local celebrity.

The presence of kangaroos in Austria is a source of confusion and intrigue for locals and international observers alike. While Austria is known for its beautiful landscapes, it is not expected to be home to these iconic Australian creatures. The escape of a kangaroo in Styria highlighted the unusual nature of finding these animals outside their native habitat.

The escaped kangaroo in Styria was first spotted by surprised residents, who reported the unusual sight to local authorities. The police and animal control officers were dispatched to locate and capture the kangaroo, but their efforts proved challenging due to the animal's agility and the rugged terrain. The search extended over several weeks, with the kangaroo remaining elusive and evading capture.

During the search, the kangaroo was sighted multiple times, with residents reporting an unexpected guest in their backyards, meadows, and forests. The animal's ability to move swiftly through different terrains added to the challenge of capturing it. The extended pursuit and the kangaroo's ability to evade capture sparked curiosity and amusement among the local community, with some even speculating about its origins and motives.

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