Young of red giant kangaroo at AquaZoo Leeuwarden shows itself

At AquaZoo, the young of the red giant kangaroos can be seen in the pouch, after staying in it out of sight for months to continue developing. About eight months ago, a young was born to this species at the park for the first time in years.

Kangaroo cubs hide in the pouch for the first eight months after birth and come out when they have grown enough. The exact date of birth is anyone's guess, because the cub crawled into the pouch immediately after birth. There it sucked on its mother's nipple and continued to grow. As a result, the gender is not yet known. Head of animal care William Kreijkes: "In the fall we inoculate the kangaroos annually, so then we can also determine the gender."

The cub and the mother are doing well. The cub is expected to leave the pouch soon. It will continue to drink its mother's milk until it is about a year old, at which point it will occasionally climb back into the pouch. In addition to the mother and father, another adult female belongs to the group at the park. The red giant kangaroos can be viewed up close in AquaZoo's walk-through enclosure.

Largest marsupial

The red giant kangaroo is the largest marsupial in the world: they can weigh up to 90 kilograms and grow up to 1.20 meters tall. Males can be recognized by their reddish fur, which distinguishes them from other kangaroos. Females and young have blue-gray fur. Red giant kangaroos are not threatened with extinction, but they are part of a European management program to sustainably maintain the population.

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