Peekaboo!
The Denver Zoo is welcoming an endangered Huon tree kangaroo joey to first-time parents Pearl and Tristan.
The joey, a boy with a pink nose, was born in late July, according to a . He was the size of a jellybean when born but has since grown bigger and stronger and is now poking his little head out of his mom’s pouch, the zoo said.
Over the past few months, zoo staff said they have been closely monitoring the joey using “voluntary pouch-check training” and a specialized scope to ensure the baby is meeting his key developmental milestones.
“We’re happy to report that both mom and joey are doing well!” the zoo said Thursday in a social media post. “The joey has been busy wiggling around in Pearl’s pouch, and Animal Care Specialists are beginning to spot him moving in and out of the pouch. In the coming months, he’ll continue taking brief trips outside before eventually venturing out on his own.”
Parents Pearl and Tristan arrived at the zoo in 2023 as part of an Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP) breeding recommendation, Denver Zoo said.
“Native to the mountainous rainforests of Papua New Guinea, Huon tree kangaroos are uniquely adapted for life in the trees, using their powerful forelimbs and long tails to climb and balance,” the zoo said. “Habitat loss and hunting pressures have caused their wild populations to decline, making every birth an important conservation success.”
As the joey gets more active, zoo guests may get a sighting of the little guy peeking out from his mommy’s pouch.
