ROYAL OAK, Mich., May 11, 2006 – Saturday, May 13, will be a g’day for the Detroit Zoo’s 17 red kangaroos when the Australian Outback Adventure officially opens to the public.  The new experience allows visitors to get an up-close-and-personal look at marsupial life Down Under via a walking path through a simulated Outback habitat.  Only knee-high wire cables along both sides of the trail separate visitors from the big red ‘roos, enabling the animals to bound around at will. 

“Any time we can provide a close encounter for the public and, at the same time, not interfere with the animals is a reason to celebrate,” said Detroit Zoological Institute Director Ron Kagan.  “The ability to walk among the kangaroos will be very exciting for our visitors and might prove to be a source of curiosity for the kangaroos.”

The Australian Outback Adventure is double the size of the former kangaroo habitat, combining the previous enclosure with two neighboring vacant ones.  While the kangaroos watched from their adjacent quarters over the winter months, Zoo staff transformed existing buildings into Outback-themed structures – complete with tin roofs and sun-baked exteriors – to serve as holding areas where the kangaroos can access shelter and food at will.

The experience features Aboriginal-style artwork throughout as well as educational signage providing information about kangaroo history, range, habitat, diet and behavior.  It also includes a “kangaroo jump” where children – and spry adults – can compare their jumping ability with that of a kangaroo. 

The red kangaroo, or Macropus rufus, is the largest of all marsupials and hails from Australia’s arid interior region.  The male, called a buck or a boomer, stands about six feet tall and weighs up to 150 pounds.  The female, called a doe or a flier, grows to a height of about three and a half feet and tips the scales at approximately 65 pounds. 

The Detroit Zoo’s “mob” of red kangaroos consists of nine males and seven females, as well as one of undetermined gender and age.  A joey, or baby kangaroo, was born at the Zoo sometime in the past six months and has recently been spotted peeking from its mother’s pouch. 

After a 33-day gestation, a bee-sized joey is born with only its front limbs developed.  It finds its way into the mother’s pouch, attaches to a nipple, and continues its development until the age of five months when it first peeks out of the pouch.  Typically, a joey will stay with its mother for up to a year.   

Visitors to the Australian Outback Adventure are instructed to stay on the pathway and not to approach or attempt to pet the kangaroos.  Guests also are not permitted to feed the kangaroos, as they receive a balanced diet of pellets, hay, fruit, vegetables and browse. 

The Australian Outback Adventure will be open daily during regular Zoo hours at no additional charge.

The Detroit Zoological Institute is comprised of the Detroit Zoo and the Belle Isle Nature Zoo.  Founded in 1928, the Institute is committed to celebrating and saving wildlife.  Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic exhibits, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of Ten Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak.  The Detroit Zoo is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily April through October, with extended hours 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays during July and August.  Admission is $11.00 for adults 13 to 61, $9.00 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $7.00 for children ages 2 to 12; children under 2 are free.  For more information, call (248) 398-0900 or visit www.detroitzoo.org.  The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is currently undergoing renovation but provides some programming, with interpretive staff support from the Huron-Clinton Metroparks, on Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on weekdays with advance reservations by calling (313) 852-4056.  The Detroit Zoological Society works to promote the general welfare and interests of the Institute.  Financial support has allowed the Zoo to open new exhibits, develop important education and conservation programs and implement major beautification projects.  To help the Detroit Zoological Society through financial support, partnership opportunities, membership or volunteering, please call (248) 541-5717.
###