Matschie’s tree kangaroo at Lincoln Children's Zoo.
One of the Lincoln Children’s Zoo’s newest additions was the size of a lima bean when it was born.
Then the Matschie’s tree kangaroo joey promptly — and blindly — crawled into its mother’s pouch to nurse and grow, and it’s remained there for 27 weeks.
The Matschie's tree kangaroo joey was born in early May.
Courtesy photo
But it should soon start making appearances, the zoo said this week in a release announcing the joey’s early May birth to mother Judie and father Bexley.
At 28 weeks, tree kangaroos begin to explore outside the pouch, and at 40 weeks they leave it completely — though they will continue to stick their heads inside to nurse.
The zoo will name the joey once they can determine its gender.
Matschie’s tree kangaroos, found on the Huon Peninsula of Papua New Guinea, are considered an endangered species, meaning they face a high risk of extinction in the wild.
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And Lincoln’s zoo has been part of a network trying to bolster their population since 2003. It participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ species survival plan, which dictates the breeding and distribution of animals to try to keep their genetics diverse.
Zoo staff haven't been able to determine the joey's gender.
Courtesy photo
In fact, of the 42 Matschie’s tree kangaroos in zoos in North America, 14 are descended from the Lincoln zoo’s breeding program.
“This is an incredible accomplishment and important for animal conservation efforts considering the continued decrease of the tree kangaroo population in the wild,†CEO Evan Killeen said in the release.
Judie and the joey are on exhibit, but it spends so much time in its mother’s pouch that sightings could be elusive. It should be more visible to visitors in the coming months, the zoo said.
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
A Matschies tree kangaroo joey munches on corn in 2015 at the Lincoln Children's Zoo.
Journal Star file photo
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
A baby ring-tailed lemur sticks tight to it's mother at the Lincoln Children's Zoo on Thursday, March 26, 2015.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
A snow leopard looks through the glass of it's enclosure at the Lincoln Children's Zoo on Thursday, March 26, 2015.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
This Tomato Horn Worm is new to the Lincoln Children's Zoo this year.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
This African Serval Cat named Johnny is new to the Lincoln Children's Zoo this year.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
Everest the Lincoln Children Zoo's male snow leopard (left) now has a female companion named Ranney.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
Green Anole lizards are one of new attractions at the Lincoln Children's Zoo this year.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
This Mossy Leaf-tailed Gecko is among the new attractions at the Lincoln Children's Zoo this year.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
Gideon, the Lincoln Children's Zoo's Gibbon will be joined by a companion this year with the hope that baby Gibbons might result.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
Ranney, a female Snow Leopard, has joined Everest in his enclosure this year at the Lincoln Children's Zoo this year in the hope that baby Snow Leopards might result.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
East African Crowned Cranes sun themselves Wednesday, March 8, 2017, as the Lincoln Children's Zoo staff prepared for Saturday's opening day.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
A ring-tailed lemur, a native of Madagascar, watches birds outside its gated enclosure as it sits on a branch at the Lincoln Children's Zoo on Wednesday morning, April 6, 2011.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
Pengee, one of the five male penguins at the Lincoln Children's Zoo, gobbles down a mackerel offered to him by staff member Elizabeth McClure on Wednesday morning, April 6, 2011.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
Six-year-old Trenton Schmid of Waverly inspects the monarch butterfly that is perched on his finger during a visit to Laura's Butterfly Pavilion on Sunday afternoon, June 5, 2011.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
Seven-year-old Ava Flood (right) and Brianna Hartman, 8, ponder the stare of Chavala, a 19-year-old Goffins Cockatoo held by zoo staff worker Anthony Anderson during a visit to the Oxbow Junior Veterinarian Club on Wednesday, June 12, 2013, at the Lincoln Children's Zoo.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
Axl the Sumatran tiger watches foot traffic pass the tiger enclosure on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020, at Lincoln Children's Zoo.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
Charlotte Vander Zwaag (left), 12, and Shae Weinert, 11, friends from Omaha, interact with a giraffe at the Lincoln Children's Zoo in June 2020. The zoo is among nonprofits that would be helped by a bill moving through the Legislature that would set aside $25 million of state dollars to help complete capital construction projects that were interrupted by COVID-19.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star file photo
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
A female cheetah plays with an enrichment toy in the new cheetah run at Lincoln Children's Zoo on Wednesday, June 24, 2020.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Photos: Lincoln Children's Zoo
A pipevine swallowtail butterfly acclimates to its new environment as director of education Aimee Johns and education specialist Kayla Manley unpack their first shipment of butterflies and pupas on Tuesday, May 23, 2017, in the butterfly pavilion at the Lincoln Children's Zoo.
KRISTIN STREFF, Journal Star
Reach the writer at 402-473-7254 or psalter@journalstar.com . On Twitter @LJSPeterSalter
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