Longleat Safari Park: Baby wallaby emerges from mother's pouch

The joey was growing inside its mother's pouch for around seven months before it emerged. Credit: Rachael Hall

Zookeepers have described the "emotional" moment a baby wallaby emerged from its mother's pouch for the first time.

The joey weighed less than a gram when it was born at Longleat Safari Park.

The red-necked wallaby joey was growing inside the pouch for seven months before it finally poked its head out.

Gemma Short, Head Wallaby Keeper at Longleat Safari Park, said seeing a joey take its first glimpse at the world "makes you emotional every time."

"It's always exciting when you finally see the joey's head pop out," she said. "They have such large eyes!"

"It's something I will never get bored of seeing. I feel like a proud keeper every time," she added.

One of the zookeepers captured the moment the wallaby took its first peek at the world. Credit: Rachael Hall

Ms Short said the joey is currently around 60cm tall, and zookeepers are keeping an eye out for when the joey leaves the pouch.

"It won't be long until the joey is hopping around causing havoc with the other animals," she said.

"When it comes out of the pouch, we will be able to sex it and then give it a name," she added.

Longleat Safari Park said they are "delighted" with the new arrival to the current nine-strong group of wallabies.

Keepers added the red-necked wallaby, also known as the Bennett's wallaby, is not rare and breeds "extremely well" in both captivity and the wild.

The marsupials are native to the east coast of Australia and are commonly found in eucalyptus forests.