Philadelphia Zoo Welcomes New Marsupial Residents and Pilots New Animal Experience at Outback Outpost
Philadelphia Zoo is excited to share a new animal experience involving its charismatic marsupials.
The Walkabout at Outback Outpost invites guests into the Tammar wallabies and kangaroos’ habitat with a light fencing barrier that the animals can cross. This experience is in its pilot phase and will only be open through Sunday, November 30 before the habitat undergoes further construction for the full experience, slated to open sometime in 2026.
“At the Zoo, we are always thinking about ways we can create transformative memories for our guests,” said Senior Director of Animal Care Maggie Morse. “This special experience brings you closer to some of our Australian animals, who are just as excited to meet you as you are to meet them. We are thrilled for guess to have this first-chance to experience it before the full attraction opens next year. Plus, our wallabies are here on a Species Survival Plan breeding recommendation, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed for joeys!”
Who We Have at the Zoo
Tammar wallabies:
- Maaka: male, born January 2021. He is the most confident of the wallabies and the most comfortable around people.
- Mavis: female, born September 2017. She is the shiest of the group.
- Grace: female, born November 4, 2023. She is becoming more confident around people and will sometimes approach her animal care specialists.
Red kangaroos:
- Nugget: female, born November 7, 2013. She is the most personable of the group. She’s an active participant in training sessions with her animal care specialists and is very food motivated.
- Martha: female, born July 12, 2020. She is patient with the wallabies and emus, earning the nickname “momma Martha” from her animal care specialists.
Tammar wallabies are one of the smallest species of wallaby and only grow to be two feet tall and weigh around 15-20 pounds. They have short, dark gray fur and small heads compared to their bodies. In the wild, they are found in south and southwestern Australia in coastal shrublands and dry forests where they eat grass, shrubs and fruit. They are called Tammar Wallabies because they are named after the tamma sheoak shrub thickets that provide them shelter.
Red kangaroos are one of four kangaroo species. In the wild, they are found throughout central inland parts of Australia. They get the name from their color, but only the adult males are reddish brown; females and juveniles are bluish gray and get the nickname “blue flyers.” They are the only marsupial with a multi-chambered stomach, allowing them to digest dry, spiky grasses. They are so well designed for hopping that they can’t move their legs independently in a typical walking motion and cannot walk backwards at all.
Also living in this habitat are the Zoo’s three male emus Dancer, Fiddler and Topper. Emus are the second largest bird in the world after the ostrich. Emus are native to the same habitats and kangaroos in Australia. When the Walkabout experience is open, they will be in a separate, fenced-off part of the habitat.
Philadelphia Zoo works with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP). The goal of the SSP is to manage populations of threatened, endangered and other species across AZA institutions to maintain long-term genetic and demographic viability to protect species from extinction.
The Walkabout at Outback Outpost is open daily from 10:00am – 4:00pm through Sunday, November 30 before closing for the season and construction.
