Authorities in Cao Bang Province, northern Vietnam recently found three non-native wallabies left behind by smugglers on their way to illegally cross the border under the scrutiny of rangers.

“Currently, the rescue center is providing care and nurturing for these three wallabies,” an official from the Forest Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said on Saturday. 

“Subsequently, their origin will be verified to formulate the most appropriate plan for their future.”

Residents of Duc Long Commune in Cao Bang’s Thach An District discovered and caught the first wallaby on Wednesday evening. 

The following morning, two additional wallabies were spotted along a local road.

Upon capture, the locals turned the animals, each of which weighs approximately eight to 10 kilograms and is in good health, over to forest rangers. 

According to experts, these animals are likely wallabies, commonly referred to as small kangaroos.

Importantly, Vietnam has not officially sanctioned the import of this kangaroo species. 

The three captured wallabies are presumed to be an exotic species smuggled into Vietnam rather than an invasive one.

Vietnam’s environmental factors, including geographical conditions, climate, soil, and forests, which are hot and humid, are not conducive to wallabies that typically thrive in hot and dry climates.

Presently, the Forest Protection Department has requested a comprehensive examination of all three wallabies in question to determine their specific species, the official from the department said, adding thatg the wallaby has not been previously documented in Cao Bang. 

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