The latest picture of the mystery creature, in Lisvane

There have been more sightings of the animal first seen in a car park in the Llanishen area last Thursday.

It was also spotted in nearby Lisvane on Sunday. But it always manages to hop away before police or the RSPCA arrive.

Now an expert has put forward the idea that it is not a wallaby, as many people suggest, but a kangaroo.

Nick Jackson, zoological director at the Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay, thinks it may be a young kangaroo.

"Looking at the photo, the animal has quite big ears which look more like a kangaroo," said Mr Jackson.

Dogs are probably going to be this one's biggest enemy - apart from the road traffic Nick Jackson

"The kangaroo is normally a very large animal up to two metres tall - maybe it's a young kangaroo."

The RSPCA has said that, judging by the description, it is most probably a wallaby.

Wallabies are herbivores and eat grass, leaves and roots. They need very little water and can go for months without drinking.

This animal has been caught on camera in the Cardiff suburbs several times, including on a garden patio.

One city resident , Wayne Joinson caught it on camera lurking in his garden.

"It looked very odd, it had a grey body and a different sort of pointed nose," he said.

Is this a wallaby... or a young kangaroo?

Mr Jackson said he believed the animal on the loose had probably escaped from a private owner.

There has been a colony of red-necked wallabies living in Derbyshire for around 50 years so the animals were quite used to living conditions in Britain.

"Dogs are probably going to be this one's biggest enemy - apart from the road traffic. A quiet life in somebody's garden in Cardiff and it will be able to survive a long time".

Meanwhile, the search for the elusive animal hopping around the streets of the city goes on.

An RSPCA spokesperson said: "It was said to be a kangaroo but we are fairly certain that it is in fact a wallaby.

"We need a positive sighting before we can go out and catch it.

However, the spokesperson repeated a warning to the public not to approach the animal as it can scratch and bite,

"If it could be contained in someone's garden or garage to give us time to get there that would be ideal."