Peel Zoo celebrates birth of six eastern quolls

ZOOKEEPERS at Peel Zoo are celebrating the birth of six eastern quolls born at the zoo earlier this year.

Yesterday, the zoo sexed the joeys and discovered that Sassa is the proud mother of three female and three male joeys.

From the moment the rice-sized joeys are born, it is survival of the fittest.

Sassa could have given birth to up to 20 young, but she has just six nipples, so only the joeys that latched survived.

Head zookeeper Bronte Hodgson said Sassa is a protective mother.

“We’re pretty happy at the moment,” she said.

“One little girl will become part of our education program.”

One three-month-old female joey will be hand reared, Ms Hodgson said.

“She is the perfect age for handling and is beginning to eat solid food,” she said.

“For the first few months it was critical for her to be with mum.

“But once they reach maturity they begin to venture away.”

Peel Zoo will notify the stud owner of the sex of the joeys and they will become part of other breeding programs around the country.

Eastern quolls were once only found in Tasmania.

They are endangered due to land clearing and human impact.

They became extinct on the Australian mainland more than 50 years ago.

But thanks to breeding programs, similar to the one at Peel Zoo, there is now a wild colony in Canberra.

Ms Hodgson said the zoo would continue breeding endangered species.

Visitors to the zoo will be able to meet the joeys soon, as they are expected to begin moving around their enclosure.

Peel Zoo will be having a competition to name the baby quoll.

Head to www.facebook.com/peel.zoo/?fref=ts for details.