Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia is hand-raising a wombat joey named Waru after his mother died.
Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, is hand-raising a baby wombat who was recently orphaned, keeping him warm in a beanie hat.
The wombat, a male named Waru, was born in February and lost his mother aged three months due to a rare fungal infection.
Keepers explained that they are hand-raising the southern hairy-nosed wombat as his only chance of survival, because at this age joeys are still developing in the pouch, which acts as an external womb.
Posting a video of the wombat joey to Facebook, Taronga Zoo said: “Our little wombat joey Waru has officially stolen our hearts!”
Keeper Suzie McNamara said: “He requires 24/7 care and is bottle fed every four hours. He goes wherever we go, to work, to home and even to the shops.
“Waru is already starting to portray quite a feisty personality, he likes to investigate new things, and often enjoys a good scratch when he emerges from his pouch for playtime each day.”
Infants of the species are born around 22 days after mating, and then continue to grow inside their mother’s pouches until they fully emerge at around eight to ten months old.
Keepers hope that the successful breeding of the species will help them develop a method for breeding the critically endangered northern hairy-nosed wombat, of which there are only around 250 left in the wild.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A beloved giraffe at a zoo in South Dakota has died.
On Thursday, the Great Plains Zoo and Butterfly House & Aquarium in Sioux Falls announced the death of Chioke, an 18-year-old reticulated giraffe. He died March 28.
“Following a severe fracture in his front left foot, Animal Care and Veterinary leaders made the difficult, but responsible, decision to humanely euthanize him,” the zoo said in a news release.
Chioke, born in Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida, came to the zoo in 2007. He grew to nearly 15 feet tall and sired three offspring, who went on to other zoos. The Great Plains Zoo remembered him for his playfulness.
He had recurring hoof and foot issues in his later years, including two fractures to the tip of his toe bone and resulting arthritis, the zoo said. He suffered a more serious fracture in March.
The zoo consulted nationwide for a treatment plan and used several methods, including drugs, rest and laser therapy, but ultimately decided to euthanize Chioke “due to quality-of-life concerns" after his team had ruled out immobilizing him for surgery or an orthopedic device, and X-rays showed the fracture had worsened.
Zoo staff visited the giraffe to say goodbye, feeding him apple biscuits, a favorite of his.
“We remember Chioke as a gentle, curious, mischievous giraffe who was always up for feedings and interacting with his keepers and guests,” the zoo said. “'Chioke' means ‘gift from God,’ and he certainly was."
This image provided by the Great Plains Zoo shows Chioke relaxing in an enclosure at the zoo in Sioux Falls, S.D., in May 2023. The beloved 18-year-old reticulated giraffe died, March 28, 2024, the zoo announced Thursday, April 4, 2024. Chioke, born in Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla., came to the zoo in 2007. He grew to nearly 15 feet tall and sired three offspring, who went on to other zoos. (Great Plains Zoo via AP)
This image provided by the Great Plains Zoo shows Chioke plays with his ball in an enclosure at the zoo in Sioux Falls, S.D. , in July, 2021. The beloved 18-year-old reticulated giraffe died, March 28, 2024, the zoo announced Thursday, April 4, 2024. Chioke, born in Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla., came to the zoo in 2007. He grew to nearly 15 feet tall and sired three offspring, who went on to other zoos. (Great Plains Zoo via AP)
This image provided by the Great Plains Zoo shows Chioke in an enclosure at the zoo in Sioux Falls, S.D., in March 2024. The beloved 18-year-old reticulated giraffe died, March 28, 2024, the zoo announced Thursday, April 4, 2024. Chioke, born in Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla., came to the zoo in 2007. He grew to nearly 15 feet tall and sired three offspring, who went on to other zoos. (Great Plains Zoo via AP)
