Keeper at Chahinkapa Zoo Becomes Mom to Baby Kangaroo

A keeper at the Chahinkapa Zoo has become an unexpected mother to a baby kangaroo.

“It’s a completely new experience, and I didn’t think I’d experience motherhood, but here it goes,” said Amanda Dukart, zookeeper and trainer at Chahinkapa Zoo.
 
Dukart has taken on the role of caring for the zoo’s four-month-old red kangaroo, Barkley.

Shortly after birth, zoo keepers were forced to put Barkley’s mother down.
 
“We found that she had water in the brain, which is something she was most likely born with, so there wasn’t really anything we could do. It was really unfortunate, we were hoping to save her, but we just couldn’t,” said Dukart.

Since then Amanda has stepped in, and has been giving Barkley 24/7 care as her new mom.

“She basically was torn out and it was right into my pouch, so there’s stress there making sure she’s getting the right formula,” said Dukart.

For the next 11 months to just over a year, Dukart will be playing surrogate mom to little Barkley.

Dukart, who doesn’t have any children of her own just yet, says it has been an experience of a lifetime.  “It’s like being a new mother, it turns your life upside down. My whole waking up routine is different, I’m feeding every three hours.”
 
After eighteen months, keepers are hopeful they will be able to encourage Barkley out of the pouch in hopes to have her hop and settle in at the zoo’s kangaroo exhibit.