THE kangaroo mob at Kyabram Fauna Park is jumping for joy at the arrival of two Kangaroo Island joeys and two Eastern Grey joeys.
One cheeky Kangaroo Island joey is already hopping around and climbing all over mum Winnie, while the three others can be seen poking their heads out of their mother’s pouch.
Kyabram Fauna Park macropod keeper Claire Bensted said the little joey is a joy to watch as he frolics around the vast Kangaroo Walkthrough area.
“The new joey is so boisterous and confident, he’s using mum as a climbing frame and even tries to hop from her pouch to other pouches,” Ms Bensted said.
“Winnie is a great mum and it’s amusing to watch her try and keep the cheeky little one out of the pouch while she takes her afternoon nap.”
Of the two closely related sub-species, Kangaroo Island joeys tend to reach independence earliest at approximately eight months old, while Eastern Grey kangaroos may take slightly longer before making the leap. Kangaroo Island kangaroos are a relatively small subspecies, known for their long eyelashes and easy-going temperaments.
They can be distinguished from the Eastern Grey kangaroos by their red-brown fur. Ms Bensted said visitors can enjoy walking through the vibrant woodlands and observing the joey as he grows into a large, 60kg male.
“The large woodland setting allows the kangaroos to comfortably undertake their parenting behaviours, graze together and rest together,” Ms Bensted said.
“Their habitat also includes a waterbody that gives them the opportunity to retreat if they need to, have a drink or take a refreshing dip. As we come into Spring, the other three joeys will start to hop out of the pouch and join the rest of the mob, which will be lovely to see.”
