Tiny Baby Wallaby Makes Grand Entrance At Living Desert

PALM DESERT, CA — The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert announced a new arrival this week at its Australian Adventures experience, just in time for more visitors.

After months of growing and moving around in its mother’s pouch, a tiny baby wallaby, also called a joey, started to peek out.

“We are so excited to finally meet our new wallaby joey,” said RoxAnna Breitigan, director of Animal Care at the facility. “We’ve seen it moving around in mom’s pouch for a few weeks and have been eager to see the joey’s face emerge. We estimate the joey was born mid-May and is now about four months old with its eyes open and peach fuzz beginning to grow. We expect it will be another two months before the joey fully emerges from the pouch; however, guests will start to see the joey exploring its new surroundings in the coming weeks.”

Yellow-footed rock wallabies are marsupials native to Australia. Wallabies are born underdeveloped and then crawl into their mother’s pouch where they stay safe, nurse, and continue to develop for six to seven months before they leave the pouch.

Joeys are born blind, hairless, and are about the size of a raisin, weighing only 500mg. They are currently listed as Near Threatened by the International Union of the Conservation of Nature.

Born to first-time parents, 7-year-old mother, Prissy, and 7-year-old father, Marstey, the joey will continue to peek out of the pouch over the next few weeks and will soon begin to explore the world around, while continuing to return to the safety of mom.

Wallaby mobs are led by a dominant male with a few breeding females.

“This is a very exciting birth for all of us,” said Allen Monroe, Living Desert president/CEO. “As the first wallaby birth at The Living Desert, this cute little joey is the perfect addition to our new Australian Adventures experience. This birth was based on a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan. The Living Desert’s mob of wallabies has future breeding recommendations, so we are hopeful there will more new arrivals in the future.”

A well-baby exam will be scheduled in a few months, once the joey has fully emerged and left the pouch, Breitigan said. And, although the gender is not yet known, the Living Desert said this adorable joey is sure to win the hearts of guests.

The number of guests hoping to capture a glimpse of the joey might increase next week as the zoo reopens additional amenities to the public.

Three nature preserve hiking trails are set to reopen Oct. 1, along with the zoo gift shop, with protocols in place to guard against the spread of COVID-19.

Animal lovers can also enjoy the zoo for a longer time period starting Oct. 1 as the Living Desert shifts out of its shorter summer operating hours. Gates will start opening at 8 a.m., and the zoo and amenities open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last admission at 4 p.m.

"Now that we have some cooler weather ahead, we are looking forward to returning to our regular, seasonal hours," Monroe said. "As an outdoor facility, our visitors can enjoy time with their families and see some amazing desert animals. We continue to follow the latest guidelines from the state and county health departments to keep our guests, staff and animals safe."

Zoo-goers are invited to enjoy the nearly 80-acre property amid COVID- 19 safety protocols, including required face coverings, a cap on guest capacity and timed ticketing.

After shuttering for nearly three months, the Living Desert reopened to the public on June 15. Zoo officials said they worked with both state and county officials in creating specific precautions to guard against COVID-19, which remain in effect and include a limit on entry to 200 guests per hour with a maximum of 1,000 guests per day, including both members and daily visitors.

All tickets must also be purchased in advance, including tickets for members, using the zoo's online system. Tickets can be reserved up to two weeks in advance for contact-free and expedited admissions.

For additional information on the zoo's safety protocols, visit www.LivingDesert.org/Health.