Update on Barkly the Joey: She is Hopping and Well!

The Chahinkapa Zoo’s baby kangaroo Barkly, is thriving.

The now six month old joey only had a 25 percent chance of living after her mother died from an incurable disease.

Since then zookeeper and trainer Amanda Dukart has taken on the role of  surrogate mom, giving Barkly 24 hour care.

Dukart says watching Barkly as she matures has been an amazing experience.

“Last week, she starting hopping around in my apartment. She’ll do little circles, and come back and see if everything’s okay. She’s about three and a half pounds now, so she’s gained about two pounds or so since we first got her so that’s really awesome,” said Amanda Dukart Zoo Trainer.
 
Dukart says once Barkly has fully matured, they hope to integrate the joey into zoo’s kangaroo exhibit as early as this Fall.