A baby red-necked wallaby made the trip from his mother’s pouch out into the world at the San Francisco Zoo in recent weeks, according to zoo officials.
The joey, an infant marsupial, was born in September 2011 and has been living in his mother’s pouch since.
The wallaby and its mother can be spotted at the Australian Walkabout at the zoo.
Zoo officials said red-necked wallabies are often mistaken for small kangaroos, but are a different medium-sized marsupial from Australia, that can grow up to 3 feet tall and weight between 25 and 60 pounds.
They tend to live about 15 years in the wild.
Babies remain in their mother’s pouch for about six months before sticking their head out to take in their surroundings. Once out of their mother’s comfort they are “parked” in a hidden location for about a month while the mother feeds.
The young wallaby continues nursing at this point for another nine months, zoo officials said.
The San Francisco Zoo is located at Sloat Boulevard and the Great Highway.
Sasha Lekach, Bay City News
Want more news, sent to your inbox every day? Then how about subscribing to our email newsletter? Here’s why we think you should. Come on, give it a try.
