First Baby Wallaby Born in 10 Years at Detroit Zoo Makes Debut

Welcome to world little one! The Detroit Zoo was proud to debut their latest addition this week.

Get our free mobile app

The baby wallaby, known as a joey, is now available to everyone to see at the zoo. Born in October, the little one is the first wallaby born at the zoo since 2010, and is ready to meet the world. The joey, which has not yet been named, was born to proud mom Eloise.

“This is Eloise’s first joey. She’s very protective,” said Elizabeth Arbaugh, curator of mammals for the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) in a press release.

So is it a boy or a girl?

Well, the sex of the baby cannot be determined until the baby is older and completely out of its mother's pouch. According to zoo officials, joeys immediately crawl into their mother’s pouch after birth and continue developing, usually for a few months. Officials said this week makes the first time the joey came out of Eloise’s pouch.

“Joeys don’t start getting fur until about six months. Now that there is a fine layer of fur, the joey is starting to venture out,” said Arbaugh.

The new joey will spend their days in the two-acre Australian Outback Adventure exhibit with its mother Eloise, and two other wallabies, along with 13 red kangaroos.

If you are hoping to catch a glimpse of the adorable new resident of the Detroit Zoo, you will be able to get face-to-face with all the marsupials inside the special Australian Outback Adventure. Visitors have a chance to travel along a winding path while the wallabies and kangaroos are free to bound and graze wherever they please.

To get information on the zoo hours and events, click here.