A rare tree kangaroo joey emerges at Chester Zoo
The arrival marks a major milestone for the conservation of one of the world’s most endangered marsupials.
We’ve welcomed a rare Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo joey to our conservation zoo – the second ever born here at Chester Zoo.
The tiny male joey recently left mum Kitawa’s pouch for the first time. Born as part of an international conservation breeding programme, he’s one of only a handful of Goodfellow’s tree kangaroos in the UK.
When he was born, he weighed just a few grams – smaller than a jellybean. He made an incredible climb into Kitawa’s pouch shortly after birth, where he’s been developing out of sight for several months. Now weighing 1.85kg, he’s beginning to take his first look at the world.
To track his progress, our conservationists used tiny endoscopic cameras, monitoring Kitawa's joey as he developed in the pouch. The insights gained are already helping conservationists better understand the species – knowledge that will shape breeding programmes across the globe.
Watch as endoscopic footage reveals the joey developing inside mum Kitawa’s pouch:
The joey’s arrival follows the carefully planned pairing of parents Kitawa and Kayjo. Our scientists were able to pinpoint the best time for them to be introduced using hormone analysis in our on-site science centre – the only facility of its kind at a zoo in Europe.
Goodfellow’s tree kangaroos are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with wild populations declining by over 50%. Found only in the mountainous forests of Papua New Guinea, their survival is threatened by hunting and widespread deforestation. With slow breeding rates, they’re particularly vulnerable to habitat loss.
Tree kangaroos don’t breed quickly – a joey is a huge energy investment for the mother.
David White, Team Manager of Twilight at the zoo
Dave continued:
“That’s why this birth is such a significant moment. It’s taken a huge amount of work from keepers, vets and scientists, all collaborating to support the joey’s safe arrival. Everything we’ve learned is helping to protect this remarkable species.”
We’ll be naming the joey soon, inspired by the communities in Papua New Guinea who live alongside tree kangaroos and are now part of efforts to protect their forest homes.
As he grows more confident, visitors might catch a glimpse of him peeking out from Kitawa’s pouch in our Islands zone.
