The doctor is in the house!

A new breeding male kangaroo named Dr. Roolittle has joined our mob! He may not be able to talk to his keepers, but they are certainly talking about him!  

The 4-year-old comes from another zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. His move is guided by the Species Survival Plan (SSP) for red kangaroos in AZA-accredited facilities. The goal of an SSP is to maintain genetic diversity of groups of animals in AZA-accredited facilities. At his previous Zoo, Dr. Roolittle had one offspring. 

You may see Dr. Roolittle living in a separate area within our Kangaroo Walkabout for some time. Fencing between his space and the rest of the Walkabout allows him and the mob to interact safely while animal care staff watch for positive social behaviors. Dr. Roolittle’s keepers will also take time to get to know him and establish a relationship before moving him into the Walkabout.  

Our previous breeding male kangaroo left for another Zoo in December 2021 on an SSP recommendation, so it’s been some time since we had baby kangaroos! We’re looking forward to this possibility in the near future.  

Kangaroos have a gestation period of about 28 days, before the lima bean-sized infant is born and climbs up its mother’s stomach to the pouch. The joey continues to grow in the pouch, and often starts climbing in and out of the pouch at about 8 months. Our Lands of Change animal care team works with our female kangaroos to make them comfortable with “pouch checks” to see if the kangaroo has a baby. You can learn more about kangaroos (and their amazing gestation abilities) on our Paws for a Moment podcast – check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. 

Please keep an eye on our social media channels and blog for updates on Dr. Roolittle and our mob!  

Brevard Zoo is an independent, not-for-profit organization that receives no recurring government funding for our operating costs. Your generous support enables us to continue to serve our community and continue our vital animal wellness, education and conservation programs.