Auckland Zoo welcomes new Forester kangaroos, public exhibit to open soon

New Zealand has received new visitors from across the Tasman Sea. A mob of forester kangaroos have got a new home at Auckland Zoo. A subspecies of the eastern grey kangaroo, the new addition to the famous zee will stay in the Australia Bush Track exhibit.

Making the announcement in a Facebook post on the eve of Anzac Day, Auckland Zoo said, "We’ve welcomed kangaroos from across the Tasman! A mob of forester kangaroos (a sub-species of the eastern grey kangaroo) have been settling in into our Australia Bush Track, under the care of our animal experiences keepers."

"While the mob are being introduced to their habitat, we have temporarily closed part of the Track (which includes emu, brolga and Cunningham’s skinks), and this may be closed when you visit. It’s still early days for the ‘roos to get to know their new surroundings and our kaimahi, and while we’re excited for you to meet them, we can’t guarantee that you’ll be able to see the kangaroos this week. Please stay tuned for more updates on the kangaroos and how they’re doing!" the post added.


The Australia Bush Track has other animals like emu, brolga and Cunningham's skinks. The exhibit will be opened for public by early May according to the zoo authorities.

The forester kangaroo (scientific name Macropus giganteus) is the second largest marsupial in the world. An adult male forester kangaroo can weigh over 60 kilogrammes and reach a height of almost 2 metres. The males is light brownish grey while the female of the subspecies is grey in colour. The have thick tails and large ears and they make clucking sounds as well as a guttural cough when they sense a danger or are alarmed.

In the wild, they are found in open grassy forests and woodlands.