GARDAI AND THE DSPCA are probing claims that a kangaroo died after being set loose at a 30th birthday party held at the Clarion Hotel in Liffey Valley in Dublin at the weekend.

The Irish Daily Star reports that the kangaroo was presented as a 30th birthday gift to a man who was holding his celebrations at the hotel, while the theme tune to Skippy the Bush Kangaroo blasted out on the hotel’s speakers.

The animal was reportedly terrified by the ordeal.

The Clarion’s managers told the newspaper that the “baby kangaroo” had been smuggled into the hotel.

Sometime during the night this box made its way up to the function room and they opened it up and there was a kangaroo in it. We didn’t know anything about it until this appeared in our hotel. It’s crazy. It’s not something we condone and we don’t want anything to do with it. We got our security guys to escort it out.

Speaking on Morning Ireland, a representative of the DSPCA said she was concerned for the kangaroo’s wellbeing, following reports that it died hours later. The organisation said it hadn’t been able to confirm what happened afterwards and was appealing for information.