Holland gifts wallabies to Mysore

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE, JULY 26. The Mysore Zoo received a ``bundle of joy'' in the form of two male wallabies from the Holland Artis Zoo on Wednesday.

With this, the number of wallabies in the Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens here has gone up to six. There were four female wallabies in the zoo before the addition from Holland.

The Executive Director of the Zoo, Mr. N. Rajashekar, has said in a release that the gift from Holland followed a visit by the Artis Zoo Director, Mr. Robert Vande Paul, in February. Impressed by the management of the Mysore Zoo, Mr. Paul offered a pair of male wallabies as a token of appreciation. While one of the wallabies is five years old, the other is around two years.

In 1995, four female wallabies were brought from the Munich Zoo in Germany, and the male pair is expected to be their mates.

Wallabies are native to Australia. The word ``wallaby'' is derived from a native Australian word, ``Walla'', meaning ``to leap''. The animal belongs to the Kangaroo family, and are marsupials or ``mammals with pouch''. Wallabies are basically herbivorous and feed on grass, leaves, grains and vegetables. The longevity of the animal is between 10 and 12 years, and the gestation period is about 40 days.

Mr. Rajashekar has said that wallabies, like kangaroos, mate throughout the year, and the female bears a young one called ``joey''. The joey crawls to safety into the mother's pouch and continues to grow there for several months before leaping out. In times of danger, the joey dives back into the pouch. A quick somersault inside turns it right side up.

This wonderful creature from Australia will be displayed for public viewing after the six-week quarantine period. During the period, the wallabies will be under the observation of the zoo veterinarians, to ensure that they acclimatise to the new surroundings. The health and other aspects of the new pair of wallabies will be constantly monitored. The Mysore Zoo is the only zoo in the country having wallabies, Mr. Rajashekar has said.

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