Wild wallabies spotted on Crieff streets as Scottish population grows

Several wild wallabies have been spotted around Glascorrie Road in Crieff, Perthshire, prompting surprise and amusement among residents. Their presence matters because the animals are native to Australia, and the sightings point to a wild population in Scotland.

Perth and Kinross Council said the animals were part of a wild Scottish population and suggested reporting sightings to wildlife-tracking websites. Theories suggest they may descend from wallabies that escaped from wildlife parks; Scotland’s best-known colony lives on Inchconnachan Island, where about 60 red-necked wallabies were estimated to be living in 2011. They were introduced there in the 1940s, and a separate population is also found on the Isle of Man.