Hoppy Mother's Day

This Mother’s Day has seen another new arrival at Longleat, this time a red necked wallaby joey born by an unusual reproductive phenomenon.

The joey was born to now four-time mum Lara and happened via embryonic diapause, which is a temporary halt to the development of an embryo until the mother can support a new joey and her pouch is free. As wallabies can get pregnant soon after giving birth and have a short gestation period of only 30 days before the joey then stays in mums pouch for ten – 12 months, embryonic diapause can be common in wallabies and other marsupials.

The joey was born around January; however, it first poked its head out of mum’s pouch on 14 February, a Valentine’s Day treat.

Emily Sage, Animal Adventure keeper said “It’s always exciting at this time of year when babies begin arriving, and this arrival for Lara is particularly exciting as we weren’t expecting any wallaby joeys this year due to Dodger, our male, moving to a new home.

“Lara has been a fantastic mum to her other three joeys, and I’ve been lucky enough to be here for all her births. She is one of my favourite wallabies and it’s a privilege to meet another one of her babies.”

The joey hasn’t yet been sexed and as such hasn’t been named, but mum and joey are doing well and can be seen at Family Farmyard this Mother’s Day and throughout the Easter holidays.