Listen to the news

A tree kangaroo has emerged from its mother's pouch for the first time at Chester Zoo.

It is the first animal of the rare species of Goodfellow's tree kangaroo to be born at the zoo.

It was born in July and has been in its mother's bag since then, BTA reported.

Unlike the Australian kangaroo, the tree kangaroo lives in trees, the zoo said.

The species, which traditionally inhabits Papua New Guinea, is characterized by "one of the most complex birth processes in the animal kingdom," said David White, manager of the zoo.

A rare white camel has been photographed in China

"When born, the cub is the size of a jelly bean and is extremely underdeveloped. Moments after birth, with eyes still closed, the cub instinctively crawls onto its mother's belly and tucks into her pouch, following a line left by her licking on the fur," he clarified.

For six months, the baby feeds in the mother's pouch, where it develops until it shows its head from there, he added.

"Then we can determine if it's male or female and give it a name," White said.

Zookeepers have been monitoring the cub's development in the mother's pouch using an endoscope camera inserted into the mother's pouch every few weeks.

It is already known that the little one is male.

In the coming days and weeks, it will fully emerge from its mother's pouch and begin learning to jump and climb trees.

Goodfellow's tree kangaroo is one of 14 species of tree kangaroo.

They inhabit Indonesia, Australia and Papua New Guinea.

Kangaroo

zoo