Northumberland College Zoo welcomes Choppy the wallaby after Chopwell rescue

The zoo which has taken in Choppy the wallaby is hoping the marsupial will prove a hit with visitors when he settles in with new mates Adelaide and Sydney.

The wallaby, which made national headlines after being spotted hopping around Chopwell, in Gateshead, is the newest resident at Northumbria College’s zoo at Kirkley Hall.

Now named Choppy, he was rescued on Saturday 29 October in a 12-hour mission involving Blyth Wildlife Rescue, BeastWatch UK (BWUK) and The Lost Dog Trapping Team.

The animal suffered an injury to his face after being caught in a dog trap but is now recovering well and is settling in his new home.

No-one had come forward as the owner of the wallaby, a more common sight in the Australian bush than Gateshead, which was not microchipped.

Choppy is back to his bouncing self

When he has completed a period of quarantine he will be moving in with wallabies Adelaide and Sydney, who are already residents at the zoo.

Loren Elliott, deputy head keeper at the zoo, said: “It will be lovely to have an extra addition. We have a walkthrough and it will be quite nice. Hopefully people are going to recognise him. It’s going to be nice to have him in with the girls.”

Coral Chapple, senior medic at Blyth Wildlife Rescue, said the rescue had been a "once in a lifetime" opportunity.

She said: “We’re more likely to see badgers, foxes, deer in those rural areas.

“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to rescue a wallaby.”

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