These amazing pictures show a baby tree kangaroo inside its mother’s pouch here at the Zoo.
Keepers took the images using a special camera and say the joey should begin emerging from the pouch in the next week or two.
The birth of the tiny Goodfellows tree kangaroo is a huge boost for the captive breeding programme for this Endangered species. It is one of only two tree kangaroo joeys to have been bred successfully in captivity in the UK during the past 12 months.
Its appearance will mark the end of a six-month wait for keepers since the tiny embryo made its way up the outside of mum Kitawa’s pouch and nestled inside.
From the day the tiny marsupial was officially born last November, staff at the Zoo have been keeping a close eye on how it has progressed.
Videos taken by keepers show the joey at first as a tiny kidney-bean shaped embryo just 2cm in length, having found its way into the pouch by following a path of saliva laid down by its mum.
Once safely in the pouch, the joey immediately latched onto Kitawa’s teat and started to feed. Further footage shows its eyes and tiny claws developing.
In the latest pictures the tiny marsupial, now about 20cm long, excluding its tail, can be seen almost fully developed, with its eyes open and ready to emerge into the world!
Keepers expect the joey to emerge from the pouch in the coming weeks and be hopping and climbing around on its own by June.
