Wroclaw Zoo in Poland welcomes endangered marsupial baby

A highly endangered marsupial known as a bear cuscus was born in Wroclaw Zoo in Poland. Cuscus came to Wroclaw in spring 2016 from an Indonesian animal rehabilitation centre. The official site of the Wroclaw Zoo mentioned that bear cuscus is one of the rarest, least known and most endangered animal species on Earth. 

Poland zoo welcomes marsupial

The Zoo on Friday said that the baby is believed to be male. On July 20, 2020, animal keepers had confirmed the presence of a young cuscus in its mother's pouch. In September, the baby started to look outside. The baby first left the pouch of its mother Duzy, in late December. It is the fourth baby for Duzy and her mate Garetto. Both of them are six years old. 

Bear cuscuses are reclusive and only a few keepers are allowed to go near them and other than keepers nobody can go near them. As per the zoo's website, the bear cuscus lead an arboreal lifestyle. However, they move slowly and carefully. The site also mentioned that they do not jump from branch to branch. They mainly eat leaves, flowers, buds and unripe fruit. It is not a social animal. It lives in small groups. As for the newborn baby cuscus, its diet will mainly be mother's milk. An adult marsupial can weigh up to 10 kilograms. 

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The Zoo President Radoslaw Ratajszczak said that "From the beginning, we have carefully observed our cuscuses and recorded everything their individual behaviour, interactions, activity, eating habits and even analyzed their bowel movements". He added that we also try to give them as much peace and freedom as possible  which is why they live in a facility where they have contact only with selected employees, and where no visitors are allowed". The marsupials live in the Indonesian forest of Sulawesi. Only 14 animals live in four zoos in the world - Batu Secret in Java (Indonesia), Pairi Daiza in Belgium, Ústí nad Labem in Czech Republic, Memphis Zoo & Aquarium in the USA and in Wroclaw. 

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