Lehigh Valley Health Network is the Official Motherhood Partner of the LV Zoo

(Schnecksville, PA) – Lehigh Valley Zoo, in conjunction with Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), is hopping for joy over the announcement of two kangaroo joeys! LVHN is the Official Motherhood Partner of the LVZoo.

First time mom, Cara, and second time mom, Sadie, have recently shown enlarged pouches and a significant pouch movement; indicating a joey is present. Keepers have also occasionally observed a foot sticking out of the pouch and they are eagerly waiting for the little ones to emerge.

Last year, Sadie gave birth to the then newest member of the mob, Hopscotch. The three new additions were all fathered by George, the lone male kangaroo at the Zoo.

Kangaroo pregnancies and newborns are unique, as joeys are born and then continue to grow inside the pouch. When they are born, newborn joeys are smaller than a cherry. After birth, the mother will lick a pathway up the fur of her pouch for the joey to climb unassisted into the pouch where it stays until it is between 2 and 4 months old. For this reason, our kangaroos don’t have birthdays but “pouch days”! A “pouch day” is the first time a joey makes an appearance outside the pouch and can be seen on exhibit, so it is difficult to determine the exact day a joey is born.

While joeys will occasionally leave the pouch to explore, they will immediately dive back into the pouch if they feel scared or sense danger. As joeys grow, it is a common occurrence to see their head and feet hanging outside of the pouch since they are becoming larger over time. The pouch will continue to expand to accommodate their growth. When joeys are between eight and ten months, they are mature enough to leave the pouch for good. During this time, the mother kangaroo can produce two different types of milk to feed two separate babies: one that has emerged from the pouch but is still nursing and another newborn.

The newest residents of the LVZoo still need names. In partnership with LVHN, the LVZoo is hosting a naming poll. The zookeepers have narrowed their list of possible names down to five finalists — Taz, Jenga, Jax, Uno, and Jinx. Fans will then decide the final official names by voting for their favorite one in person at the Lehigh Valley Zoo using tokens. Two lucky winners will receive a family four pack for picking the winning name!

Anyone interested in helping further the care of the new joeys– or any of the animals – during this critical time is encouraged to visit lvzoo.org/SustainOurMission or to donate on the Zoo’s Facebook page.

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Lehigh Valley Health Network includes eight hospital campuses, three in Allentown, one in Bethlehem, one in East Stroudsburg, one in Hazleton and two in Pottsville, Pa.; Coordinated Health, which includes two hospital campuses, nearly two dozen multispecialty locations including ambulatory surgery centers and orthopedic injury centers in northeastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey; 26 health centers; numerous primary and specialty care physician practices; 22 ExpressCARE locations including the area’s only Children’s ExpressCARE; pharmacy, imaging, home health, rehabilitation and lab services; and preferred provider services through Valley Preferred. Specialty care includes: trauma care for adults and children, burn care at the Regional Burn Center; kidney and pancreas transplants; perinatal/neonatal, cardiac, cancer, orthopedics, neurology, complex neurosurgery capabilities including national certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, and robotic surgery in 10 specialties. Lehigh Valley Cancer Institute, Lehigh Valley Heart Institute and Lehigh Valley Institute for Surgical Excellence physicians provide the most advanced treatments. Lehigh Valley Cancer Institute is a member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Alliance, an initiative that helps community providers improve the quality of cancer care and offers access to MSK clinical trials. Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, the community’s only children’s hospital, provides care in more than 30 specialties and general pediatrics. Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest is the region’s only hospital nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report for orthopedics and has been recognized among Pennsylvania’s top five hospitals for six consecutive years. Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Cedar Crest, LVH–17th Street and LVH–Muhlenberg are the region’s only Magnet® hospitals for nursing excellence. Additional information is available by visiting www.LVHN.org/motherhood, or following us on Facebook and Twitter.

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As a member-supported non-profit organization, Lehigh Valley Zoological Society was founded in 2004, but as a treasured community landmark, the Zoo’s history spans over a century. Founded in 1906 by General Harry C. Trexler, a local industrialist, the Lehigh Valley’s Trexler Game Preserve has educated and entertained more than five million people.

Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the Lehigh Valley Zoo hosts year-round, family-friendly events and activities, educational programs, and camps. With a mission to create a safe, engaging and enlightening wildlife experience for guests of all ages, the Zoo demonstrates leadership in the cultural, scientific and conservation communities. To learn more about Lehigh Valley Zoo, we invite you to visit our website, www.lvzoo.org, or follow us on Facebook @LVZOO.