|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issue: 852 Date: 12/21/2006
|
|
PEEK-A-BOO, LITTLE 'ROO!
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
First-ever birth of a Matschie𠏋 tree kangaroo at St. Louis Zoo
A baby Matschie𠏋 [match-eez] tree kangaroo has started to peek out of its mom𠏋 pouch in its habitat at the Emerson Children𠏋 Zoo. This is the first-ever birth of a tree kangaroo at the St. Louis Zoo.
The joey, named "Little LaRoo," was born six months ago about the size of a lima bean and quickly moved into its mother𠏋 pouch. First-time mother "Kasbeth" has nurtured the baby, which has grown to the size of a small cat. It will not be known if the baby is a male or female until it fully emerges from the pouch in January. The joey will continue to nurse from the pouch until it is about one year old.
Dad "Iri" is also a first-time parent and will continue to live in a separate habitat nearby until the youngster is older. Kasbeth is from Riverbanks Zoo, and Iri came from the Kansas City Zoo. The pairing was recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums?Species Survival Plan for tree kangaroos.
The endangered Matschie𠏋 tree kangaroo is a small marsupial found only in the thick, mountainous forests of Papua New Guinea, an island just south of the equator, north of Australia. A relative of larger kangaroos, the reddish-brown and cream-colored tree kangaroo also retains the legendary ability to jump. The tree kangaroo can jump up to 30 feet from a tree to the ground.
Little is known about tree kangaroo behavior in the wild, though it𠏋 thought that they live a solitary lifestyle. Females and males have non-overlapping ranges, and the only strong social bonds are between a mother and her young.
Matschie's tree kangaroos and other unique flora and fauna of Papua New Guinea are threatened by mining, logging and over-hunting. The St. Louis Zoo WildCare Institute, along with its conservation partners, is working to conserve habitat in Papua New Guinea and to provide new opportunities for sustainable development for the landowners of the region. The Zoo sponsors field studies on tree kangaroos and rare long-beaked echidnas. It also educates clans with a goal of establishing a refuge for endangered wildlife.
The St. Louis Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Zoo will be closed December 25 and January 1 and will close at 3 p.m. on December 24 and December 31. Admission to the Zoo is free. Admission to the Children𠏋 Zoo is free from 9-10 a.m. and $4.00 after 10 a.m. Children under two are free.
|
|
|
|
