PREVIEW

An adorable kangaroo joey has taken its first hops.

The Eastern grey kangaroo joey, fittingly named Hopscotch, was captured on camera taking its first jumps at the Australian Reptile Park.

As Hopscotch continues to find her footing, the joey is still in the early stages of exploring. In the upcoming weeks, she will gradually gain confidence and begin to bound around and explore the park. For now, the joey remains close to her mum’s side but as she gets older and more confident, will begin to venture further away with other kangaroos.

Australian Reptile Park Director Tim Faulkner expressed his excitement, “Whilst it’s always an exciting time when we see kangaroo joeys start to pop their heads out of mum’s pouch, and it’s even more exciting when they take the great big leap from Mums pouch. There’s nothing cuter than the first wobbly hops of a roo joey!”

“From looking at the rest of the female kangaroos in our kangaroo mob, there’s a few big pouches out there! So it won’t be too long before we start seeing more heads and feet popping out of mum’s pouch,” Mr Faulkner concluded.

Hopscotch is a part of the Australian Reptile Park’s Eastern grey kangaroo family which visitors to the Park are able to interact with and hand-feed them every day, and even grab a selfie with them! This hands-on experience with an Aussie icon is often a highlight to the guests at the Park.

The Eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) is one of Australia's most iconic marsupials. This kangaroo species is native to the eastern regions of Australia and are known for their distinctive grey fur, powerful hind legs, and adorable faces. As marsupials, they spend their early months of life safely nestled in their mother's pouch, gradually exploring the world outside as they grow.