Kangaroo born in Bojnice Zoo

A red kangaroo has been born at Bojnice Zoo for the first time, announced zoo spokeswoman Simona Kubičková on Tuesday. The red kangaroo is the largest of any kangaroo, typically found living on dry grasslands in Australia, with around 400 individuals living in European zoos. "We began a breeding program for red kangaroos in 2011 after receiving a young pair from Bratislava. Their first mating was only first recorded in 2016 but unfortunately no joeys were born," explained zoologist Michal Sloviak. He added that they attempted to obtain new females but were unsuccessful until a doe was donated from a zoo at Kronberg im Taunus in Germany at the end of the previous summer. "Unfortunately, this year in March we lost a male who died of an acute lung inflammation. The young female from Kronberg, however, began to show signs of pregnancy to our surprise, which was also evidenced by her behaviour. The youngster was probably born in the last week of March, with its presence long being suspected by movements in the female's pouch. At the end of May, it began to cautiously peek out," said Sloviak. Recently, the youngster has been appearing more frequently in the early morning hours and in the evening, leaving its mother's pouch.