Bronx Zoo Tree Kangaroo Still Needs Mom
March 14, 2009
Cuter than ever, the pink bundle of "Joey" we brought you in late December is almost all grown up now, although Mom's pouch is never far afield.
The Bronx Zoo's Tree Kangaroo Joey can be seen exploring his exhibit on his own, as well as darting back to Mom's pouch for a snooze. This exhibit is one of the highlights at the Zoo's "Jungleword" attraction which offers year round access to tropical creatures including otters, gibbons, and a tapir.
Photo credit: Julie Larsen Maher © WCS
The Matschie’s tree kangaroo joey is now really exploring his JungleWorld home at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo. Mom, Arboroo, is always nearby to keep on eye on the little one This species is known to have two birthdays: it youngster was “officially” born on July 4 and in an embryonic state crawled back into mom’s pouch to continue developing; and then another celebration at 39-41 weeks when the joey is mature enough to brave being outside in the real world to explore and test its climbing abilities.
Mom is showing off her fuzzy reddish-golden offspring, as the little one uses its rough foot pads and claws to gingerly climb tree trunks. The species is native to the rain forests of Borneo. The zoo’s adult tree kangaroo diet consists of browse, kale, and root vegetables, while the joey’s diet is provided by mom with some “tasting” of solid foods.
To plan a visit to see this little one and the many other amazing animals at the Bronx Zoo, go to www.bronxzoo.com. Be sure to check out the upcoming EARTH MONTH Celebration and RUN FOR THE WILD activities on www.wcsrunforthewild.org.
The Bronx Zoo is open every day of the year. Now through April 3 hours are 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM; beginning April 4, spring/summer hours are 5:00 PM daily and 5:30 PM on weekends and holidays. Admission year-round is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors (65+) and $11 for children (3-12 years); children under 3 years are always free. Wednesdays, admission is by suggested donation. Parking is $12 for cars and $16 for buses. For directions and other wild information, please visit online at www.bronxzoo.com or call 718-367-1010.
The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth. For further information, visit www.wcs.org.
You can make donations to the Bronx and other NYC zoos here: www.wcs.org/donation.