As the search heads to its sixth day, a kangaroo named Guroo and two porcupines named Marshmallow and Lucky are still missing from Ghost Ranch Exotics, a privately owned petting zoo in Marana.
Guroo has been spotted multiple times about a half-mile away since going missing after Friday's big storm that damaged enclosures at the ranch, but remains elusive, Georgi Davisson, Ghost Ranch Exotics co-owner, said Wednesday afternoon.
Davisson said the kangaroo is usually active in the early morning and at dusk. Efforts are underway to monitor the area until dusk in hopes of capturing Guroo with tranquilizer darts, she said.
As for the two African crested porcupines, Davisson said there was also a recent sighting, and that petting zoo personnel have a strong sense about what property they might be on. However, as nocturnal animals, the porcupines tend to stay hidden during the hot daytime hours, making it challenging to locate them, she said.
One of two missing African crested porcupines from the Ghost Ranch Exotics petting zoo.
A night search is planned for when they become active and the temperatures cool down, she said.
According to Davisson, kangaroos can go without water for more than a week and there is a pond nearby, providing a water source. As for food, the porcupines are known for eating a wide variety of items, including roots, while the petting zoo personnel are putting Guroo's favorite fruits and vegetables out where the kangaroo has been seen.
Davisson expressed concern because the animals are not native to the area and have been in captivity their entire lives. She said she'sย unsure of what predators are out there and how the missing animals might react to them.
Petting zoo personnel urge the public to report any sightings to them directly, or to contact Pima County animal control officers, who have been in contact with Ghost Ranch Exotics about the missing animals, Davisson said.
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