thisisplymouth - A motorist was stunned when he came face-to-face with this wallaby – on a Cornish country lane.
Peter Glaser, 59, was driving home from work when he spotted the kangaroo-like creature near his house.
The wallaby – normally found in the Australian outback – was hopping around a lane in St Breward.
It is thought to be one of a family of three living wild in the area.
Peter said: "I couldn't believe it – a wallaby is the last animal you expect to see bounding around the fields down here.
"I was nearly home when I saw it right in front of me. I got quite close – he's not too shy that's for sure. I could look right into its eyes."
The animal is thought to be a male which escaped from a farm three years ago and is now living wild. He managed to find another escaped female who was later caught on camera with a baby in her pouch.
**********
Large Humped-Back Cat Seen On Road
thecourier - A Perthshire woman has been left stunned by a close encounter with a large cat-like creature.
Helen Graham, of Lower Auchtenny, is hoping for a rational explanation for the sighting, which was corroborated by a companion.
She said, “My friend and I were driving along the Edinburgh Road, towards Bridge of Earn, at about 11.30pm on Friday night, when a very strange animal crossed the road in front of us.
“It was definitely cat-like in shape but much bigger than any domestic cat.
“It had very long, thin legs and a long thin tail and a cat-type face.”
She added, “It had a strange, humped-back look about it and a very convex underside.
“It was about the size, but not the build, of a spaniel, and it loped slowly across the road and disappeared into the wood below Craigclowan School.”
Helen said, “We looked at each other in disbelief, and spent the rest of the journey wondering what on earth we had seen.”
Helen appealed to readers to come forward if they knew the answer to the mystery or had experienced similar sightings.
She said, “I have never seen an animal resembling this creature—and we are country ladies and not prone to fancies.
“I hope someone can shed some light on the sighting.”
**********
Wild Beaver Spotted in Scottish Village
Residents of a busy Scottish village have been amazed at the sudden arrival of a wild beaver, which has taken up residence in a leafy burn running through a new housing development.
The animal has delighted local children walking to the nearby primary school with its graceful dives and splashes of its paddle-like tail.
Twelve-year-old Catriona Taylor first spotted the wild beaver in the burn and excitedly ran home to tell her parents. While sceptical, her father and brother went along with her "story" and visited the burn to see for themselves.
Within minutes, they too were amazed at the sight of the lean mammal foraging in the riverbank in their village of Invergowrie, on the outskirts of Dundee.
Dad Cameron Taylor, 43, and son Euan, nine, took a video and some photographs of the large rodent and have delighted in spotting it ever since.
Mr Taylor said: "My daughter Cat first saw it a few days ago. She came running into the house all excited, so we went down to have a look for it and sure enough there it was.
"The beaver was swimming around for ages and when it went to swim away, it dived under the water and it's big flat paddle-tail waved at us. We got a great view of it. It was quite large û I would say between 18-inches and two-feet.
"We were all very excited, especially to have something as exotic as a beaver right on our doorstep. The kids walk past the burn every day on their way to school, so they are watching it like hawks now to see if they can get another sighting. I took about a minute of video footage and Euan took a photograph of it on a mobile phone."
Another Invergowrie resident, David Leckie, 45, also saw the beaver while he was carrying out paper deliveries early in the morning. The former Camperdown Wildlife Centre volunteer contacted the Dundee centre, but was informed their collection of beavers had been given away years ago.
He said: "I usually spot a lot of wildlife around that time such as deer, foxes and mallard so I am always on the lookout. I was coming down by Alastair Soutar Crescent and Greystane Terrace when I saw the beaver beside the water munching on some vegetation.
"It was like a huge rat with a large flattened tail. I couldn't believe it. I know my wildlife and I sat and watched it for ages so I always knew exactly what it was. I stood there for a couple of minutes and then went to get my camera but it wasn't there when I got back."
NOTE: the wildlife of the United Kingdom is ever changing, usually surprising and always fascinating...Lon
UK: Wallaby, Wild Beaver and a Large Humped-Back Cat
