'Bettong Baby Boom...'
12/01/2019
Updated 21-02-2019
Rufous Bettongs are really tiny Kangaroos. Our animals are the only ones in Europe, and were received directly from Queensland in the middle of 2018. They are currently being kept off-show whilst a number of new enclosures are prepared, and we hope one group will be on display during later in 2019. The peace and quiet has allowed both groups to settle in nicely, and their keepers of assess their needs and work on ideas for their on-show accommodation. At least three new joeys have been born are now growing on well, having left their mothers pouches. There could be more to follow, which our keepers have not seen yet, as the second group is still quite shy. We hope that this success continues. If it does then babies born at Hamerton will be sent to other zoos in Germany and the Czech Republic later in 2019.
Update 21-02-2019 - Our first young Rufous Bettongs have left today for the zoos in Jilhava and Brno in the Czech Republic. We hope that this is the first step in re-establishing this unusual little marsupial in Europe.