First rufous rat-kangaroo born in Olomouc Zoo

A rufous rat-kangaroo joey has been born in the zoo in Olomouc, in the Svatý Kopeček district of the city, which has been breeding these small marsupials since 2022. According to the keepers, the joey is doing well and is most likely a female.

The first two male rufous rat-kangaroos were brought to Olomouc Zoo in 2022. A female joined them a few months ago. Females are pregnant for 22 to 24 days, and give birth to one young, which she carries in her pouch for 16 weeks. The rufous rat-kangaroo is included in a separate group of four-toed marsupials. It lives in grasslands, scrublands and sparse forests in the northeast of Australia. Along with some other species, experts consider them to belong to a sister group to true kangaroos.