San Jose

Hey Joey! New Baby Wallaby Welcomed at San Jose Zoo

A new joey is set to debut in San Jose.

A baby Parma wallaby born at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo in 2018 has been peeking its head out of its mother's pouch regularly, zoo officials said Wednesday. The zoo has yet to reveal its gender, and the joey is not quite ready to pounce around outside Mama's cozy pouch.

"This sweet little joey has decided to start exploring life outside the pouch," said Kevin Hertell, Happy Hollow Zoo manager. "It will be another month or so before we see the little one hopping around on their own, but in the meantime we are seeing more of a very cute little head."

The joey is the 26th Parma wallaby born at San Jose’s zoo since 1994. The zoo is home to two adult Parma wallabies, one juvenile and the new addition.

Parma wallabies are smaller than a jellybean at birth and must climb their way up into their mother’s pouch after birth, the zoo said. The joeys typically don't start appearing outside the pouch until months after birth.

Adult Parma wallabies weigh 7 to 12 pounds and are about 18-20 inches tall, zoo officials said.

Hertell said Happy Hollow has been an important contributor to the survival of the species native to Australia.

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