BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A baby kangaroo that was abandoned by its mother is getting another shot at life thanks to caretakers at one Florida zoo.
The 5-month-old joey was found Jan. 23 outside its mother’s pouch at Brevard Zoo.
Zookeepers believe that the mother pushed the kangaroo out of her pouch because of stress from a bad storm the night before.
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[ Photos: Abandoned kangaroo cared for at Brevard Zoo ]
Animal care managers decided to raise the joey by hand.
"Red kangaroos don’t start emerging from the pouch until they’re about 7 months old,” said Michelle Smurl, the zoo’s director of animal programs. “We think this joey is 5 months old, so the situation is still very precarious.”
Keepers feed the joey every four hours, day and night, and weigh her once a day.