Trending Now - Kangaroo Chesney Escapes Petting Zoo, Goes Missing for Three Days
WHO:
ABC News - Chesney the kangaroo, 16 months old, and his keeper, Debbie Marland.
ABC News - Colton Johnson, owner of Midwest Aerial Drone Services.
ABC News - Stacy Brereton, friend of Marland who helps at the farm.
WHAT:
ABC News - Chesney was discovered on the night of March 27th, 2026, after being spotted under a tree in a wooded area.
ABC News - Marland stated, "I haven't done so much exercise in a very long time," referring to her efforts during the search.
ABC News - Brereton described Chesney's calm demeanor when he approached her, saying, "He had a very calm attitude when he walked up, obviously you could tell he wasn’t in fight-or-flight mode."
ABC News - Brereton added, "I do believe he heard our comforting voices, he smelled the familiar smells of home and it just made him feel safe."
ABC News - Chesney was discovered nestled under a tree in a wooded area on the night of March 27th, 2026.
ABC News - Chesney eluded searchers by jumping into a cold river during the search.
ABC News - Marland reported that she was putting on about 37,000 steps per day while searching for Chesney.
ABC News - Chesney's heat signature on drone footage was described by Johnson as resembling "a dinosaur running through the woods."
ABC News - A fan of Sunshine Farm has written a children's book about Chesney's adventures, which Marland hopes to publish and sell to recoup some of the search costs.
ABC News - Chesney's roommate, Kenny, was happy to be reunited with him after the search.
ABC News - Chesney escaped from Sunshine Farm by jumping an eight-foot (2 1/2 meter) fence.
ABC News - Chesney was missing for three days, staying within a three-mile (5-kilometer) radius of the farm.
ABC News - The search involved renting heat-seeking drones to locate Chesney.
ABC News - Chesney was found on March 28th, 2026, after being spotted under a tree.
ABC News - Chesney weighs 40 pounds (18 kilograms).
WHERE:
ABC News - Sunshine Farm, located in Necedah, Wisconsin, approximately 160 miles (255 kilometers) northwest of Milwaukee.
WHEN:
ABC News - Chesney escaped at approximately 11:15 a.m. on March 25th, 2026.
ABC News - Chesney was found on March 28th, 2026.
WHY:
ABC News - Chesney was spooked by stray dogs that rushed the enclosure, prompting his escape.
HOW:
ABC News - Marland plans to install a new mesh top over the kangaroo enclosure to prevent future escapes.
ABC News - Brereton used a calm approach to coax Chesney back, stating, "I just stayed calm with him and I just kind of went and sat and let him come to me."
ABC News - Marland plans to install a new mesh top over the kangaroo enclosure to prevent future escapes.
ABC News - Marland and volunteers searched for Chesney, with Marland reportedly taking about 37,000 steps per day during the search.
ABC News - Johnson used heat-sensing drones to track Chesney, describing the kangaroo's movement as resembling "a dinosaur running through the woods."
ABC News - Marland returned to the search area with Chesney's favorite treats and items with familiar scents to attract him.
(UPDATED March 30, 2026 19:18 UTC)
Chesney, a kangaroo, was discovered on the night of on Friday, after being spotted under a tree in a wooded area, and Brereton noted that Chesney had a calm demeanor when he approached, indicating he wasn't in fight-or-flight mode. Marland, who participated in the search, expressed that she hadn't exercised that much in a long time, and she believes Chesney felt safe upon hearing their comforting voices and smelling familiar scents. To prevent future escapes, Marland plans to install a new mesh top over the kangaroo enclosure.
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(UPDATED March 30, 2026 07:19 UTC)
Chesney was found nestled under a tree in a wooded area on the night of on Friday, after eluding searchers by jumping into a cold river. Marland reported putting in about 37,000 steps per day during the search, while Johnson described Chesney's heat signature on drone footage as resembling "a dinosaur running through the woods." Brereton successfully coaxed Chesney back by staying calm and allowing him to come to her.
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(UPDATED March 30, 2026 03:57 UTC)
A fan of Sunshine Farm has written a children's book about Chesney's adventures, which Marland hopes to publish to help recoup some of the costs from the recent search for the kangaroo. Chesney's roommate, Kenny, expressed his happiness at being reunited with him after the ordeal. To prevent future escapes, Marland plans to install a new mesh top over the kangaroo enclosure.
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(UPDATED March 30, 2026 01:19 UTC)
Chesney, a 16-month-old kangaroo, escaped from Sunshine Farm in Necedah, Wisconsin, on Wednesday after being spooked by stray dogs, and was missing for three days before being found on Saturday under a tree. The search for Chesney involved his keeper, Debbie Marland, who took about 37,000 steps a day, and Colton Johnson, who used heat-sensing drones to track the kangaroo's movements. Marland returned to the area with Chesney's favorite treats and familiar scents to help lure him back home.