Animal Diaries Archive

Cheeky Little Leno

4 February 2005

Leno is growing up! He was born last April to his mum 'Oprah'� As with all joeys he was born after a short pregnancy of only 35 days and weighed approximately � a gram, with no fur, no external ears and with eyes still closed. In fact the only well developed feature of a new born joey is their sense of smell, their forelimbs and their front claws which they use to climb unaided from the birth canal into a backwards facing pouch.

Leno is now 9 months old and weighs 1.13kg. He lives in an enclosure with his mum Oprah and many other mums and joeys. Leno is a very cheeky boy and spends his days, not only on his mothers back, but also on the backs of Raindrop and Kelly (the other nursing mums). He is not above sitting on another joey, or pushing it out of the way to make room for himself either!

Leno has started eating eucalypt leaf however he has not yet been fully weaned and suckles not only from his mum Oprah but from his part-time baby sitter Kelly as well!

If you get a chance to visit Australia Zoo, make time to visit our baby's enclosure. Leno is only one of many cute and cuddly joeys that have joined our Koala crew.