Wallabies recaptured after they escape from petting zoo during holiday event

SIMPSONVILLE, S.C. (WHNS/Gray News) - Two wallabies are back at their facility after escaping a petting zoo at a holiday event.

Officials in Simpsonville said the wallabies, Creed and Sylvester, escaped the petting zoo at the Nights of Lights event at Heritage Park. The event is a walk-through Christmas event that has rides and ice skating along with the petting zoo.

A spokesperson for the city said Creed was recaptured Thursday, but the search continued Friday for Sylvester.

Sharon Bice, a manager at CCNB Amphitheater, said employees were out looking for Sylvester on Thursday night. The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office also brought in drones to help with the search, but efforts were called off shortly before 9:30 p.m.

Police said Friday that Sylvester had been spotted, tranquilized and safely returned to the petting zoo.

Officials don’t yet know how the wallabies escaped their cages.

Wallabies are marsupials in the same taxonomic family as kangaroos. The pair are both males, about 4 to 5 years old.