Bettong joey born at Longleat being hand reared by keepers
The joey weighs just 135 grams
Longleat has welcomed the birth of a Brush tailed bettong joey, which is being hand reared by keepers in a first for the Wiltshire Estate.
The joey, who has yet to be named, weighs just 135 grams and is estimated to be approximately 90-100 days old.
As a marsupial, joeys are born after 12 days of gestation, before spending 90 – 98 days in the mother’s pouch.
Despite being rejected by her mother before fully developing, the joey is receiving round-the-clock care from Animal Adventure Lead keeper Gemma Short.
Gemma said “Our joey was sadly rejected by mum, so we’ve had to step in and continue their care. It is always a last resort to hand-rear, but we had no choice.
This has meant feeds every four hours with puppy milk, but we’re starting to introduce solid foods as well.
“We’re so pleased the joey is doing well and putting on weight steadily.
“This is a huge milestone here at the park as it is our first bettong joey and we’re pleased to announce that it is a girl, making her vitally important to the breeding programme, especially as until recently, brush tailed bettongs were classified as critically endangered.”
While guests won't have the opportunity to see the joey during the hand-rearing period, visitors can enjoy the pair of brush-tailed bettongs at the park's Koala Creek throughout the half term.
Brush tailed bettongs are know as ecosystem engineers, due to their digging for food, which turns over topsoil and promotes nutrients, water, and aeration.
As near-threatened species on the IUCN Red List, the new arrival is considered vitally important to Longleat’s breeding programme.