SYDNEY, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- An Australian wallaby which created a stir after being spotted hopping along the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge is in a serious condition, zoo authorities said on Wednesday.

The animal, which belongs to the same family as kangaroos but is smaller in size, is under observation at the city's Taronga Zoo Wildlife Hospital following its ordeal early on Tuesday.

"We would like to release him as soon as possible, when he is well enough. We have not yet confirmed where, we will find a suitable environment around Sydney but not too close to the city," the zoo's senior veterinarian Larry Vogelnest was quoted as saying.

The male wallaby was filmed by the police as it traversed across the car lanes on the bridge, with its images soon widely circulated by local and international media outlets before it was caught.

Wallabies, like the koalas native to Australia, are marsupials or mammals that carry their young in pouches and can be found in the wild throughout the country.

The zoo will continue to keep the public updated on the wallaby's condition, said Vogelnest.