Mary, a two-year-old Tasmanian devil that escaped Paradise Country in early June, was recovered alive after roughly two weeks in Gold Coast bushland. CCTV suggested she left the park at about 4 a.m., and teams used drones, thermal imaging, traps and modelling to locate her less than 1.2 miles away. She cleared a 4.6-foot barrier in what keepers described as an "abnormally large leap," was found in an unstable condition, and has been stabilised at a specialist veterinary hospital.
Missing Tasmanian Devil Mary Found Alive After 'Abnormally Large Leap' — Rushed To Specialist Vet
Photo Credit: Paradise Country
Mary, a two-year-old Tasmanian devil that captured national attention after escaping from Paradise Country, has been found alive in Gold Coast bushland roughly two weeks after her disappearance. Keepers and search teams say the endangered marsupial survived longer than many expected before being located and rushed to a specialist veterinary hospital for treatment.
How She Escaped and Where She Was Found
Staff first realised Mary was missing in early June after reviewing CCTV that reportedly showed her moving through the park at about 4 a.m. Keepers believe she escaped quarantine by making what they described as an "abnormally large leap" over the 4.6-foot (1.4 m) barrier surrounding her enclosure. The animal was found at night in dense scrub less than 1.2 miles (approximately 2 km) from the park.
Search Effort
Search teams employed a combination of drone tracking, thermal imaging, on-foot field searches, humane traps and computer modelling to narrow the search area. The coordinated effort involved park staff and wildlife experts, including Al Nucci, an adjunct associate professor of environmental science at the University of Queensland, who helped advise the search.
"Tassie devils escaping is a rare event. I can count them on one hand over the last 30 years," Nucci said.
Condition and Risks
Paradise Country said Mary was found "in an unstable condition" and required immediate veterinary care. She was rushed to a specialist veterinary hospital where clinicians stabilised her. Experts warned that the primary risks she faced while in the wild were vehicle collisions and dog attacks — threats she would not normally encounter in a managed conservation setting.
Mary had been at Paradise Country as part of conservation and breeding work for the endangered species. Tasmanian devils are native to Tasmania and are not found in the wild on mainland Australia, making managed-care and captive-breeding programs an important part of species protection.
"In a captive environment, Mary gets treated like a princess — the best quality food and the best care. Then going to nothing is a completely different ordeal," Nucci said, noting her time away from care likely took a significant toll.
Paradise Country confirmed Mary is now stable and remains under specialist veterinary supervision while additional diagnostic testing is carried out. Staff and wildlife experts are hopeful she will continue to recover under care.
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