The Easter Bilby has visited the furry, feathered and scaly residents at Zoo SA to bring some special treats to celebrate the long weekend.
Along with colourful Easter enrichment items created by Zoos SA’s Behaviour and Environmental Enrichment of Zoo Animals (BEEZA) team, there was also an extra special delivery who made his big debut.
Just in time for Easter, a little Greater Bilby joey, born to six-year-old Tinka, popped his snout out to sniff and scratch some egg-cellent goodies in the Adelaide Zoo Nocturnal House.
Keeper, Kasey Fenwick, said welcoming the three-month-old fluffy joey out of mum’s pouch was the perfect start to a very hoppy Easter weekend.
“The joey has been a very cute addition to the Nocturnal House, he is quite shy, but can often be seen hopping around his habitat with Tinka,” she said.
“He takes after his dad, Rocky, and is following mum around closely and trying different foods including Tinka’s favourites; mealworms and dog kibble.
“We hope to have a naming competition soon for him soon – watch this space!
“The birth of a bilby is always exciting as their species’ numbers are declining with less than 9,000 remaining in the wild. Cats and foxes have had a huge impact on the species, which has disappeared from over 80 per cent of its former range.
“As a conservation charity, it is really special for us to have this little one make his debut, particularly in time for Easter, so we can raise awareness about these beautiful animals and their protection in the wild.”
The Easter fun spread around the zoo, with Giant Pandas, Wang Wang and Fu Ni, cracking into a giant carrot and rabbit filled with panda cake, the Asian Small-clawed Otters munching on mealworm-filled Easter eggs, residents of the Envirodome and Nocturnal House receiving some colourful rabbit enrichment and Dingo pair Lara and Indi tucking into bunnies filled with kibble.
Meanwhile, the native species at Monarto Safari Park were also treated to some bilby-themed snacks including Ruby the Warru, the Greater Bilbies and Curly the Brush-tailed Bettong.
You can learn more about eggs and the conservation of species this weekend at Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park with a range of egg-citing activities.
At Easter we often celebrate with chocolate eggs, but eggs symbolise so much for wildlife and the environment around us.
Hop in and find the three giant Easter eggs around Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park while learning about nesting sites, species that lay eggs and how we can protect and support their conservation in the wild.
Once you’ve discovered all three eggs along the Easter the trail, visitors can collect a delicious Easter bilby from the Zoo or Safari Shop, thanks to our pawsome pals at Melba’s Chocolates and Confectionery.
For more information, visit adelaidezoo.com.au or monartosafari.com.au.
