Hopping Into New Hope
Born in late July 2025, the male joey is the first offspring of Pearl and Tristan, first-time parents who arrived at DZCA in 2023 as part of an Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP) breeding recommendation. Their pairing supports a collaborative effort among accredited zoos to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse population of Huon tree kangaroos in human care.
Native to the mountainous rainforests of Papua New Guinea, Huon tree kangaroos are uniquely adapted for life in the trees, using their powerful forelimbs and long tails to climb and balance. Habitat loss and hunting pressures have caused their wild populations to decline, making every birth an important conservation success.
“Our little joey is doing well; we’ve been seeing him peek out more and more in the last week just checking things out! Tristan and Pearl are first-time parents and this is the first tree kangaroo joey for our Zoo, so we are absolutely over the moon with excitement! Born late July 2025, the joey is about six months old and will continue to hang out in mom’s pouch for another couple of months before he’s big enough to start exploring on his own.” – Thea McCormack, Animal Care Specialist – Australasia