Three 'roos arrive for Orana Park

Press, 13 April 1978, Page 1

Three 'roos arrive for Orana Park

Two ladies and a gentleman from Australia were delayed at Christchurch Airport last evening before being allowed into the country. They were kangaroos, the only three now in the South island. Their new Orana Park Zoo owners waited patiently, while “The Press” supplied a pair of pliers needed so that Customs and agricultural officers could get into the shipping crates for a look at the new immigrants, worth about $100(4 each. The Eastern Grey kangaroos are now about four years old, and one may be carrying young. It took about 18 months for Orana Park to get permission for their delivery’ from the Taronga Park Zoo in Sydney.

there are strict regulations about allowing the animals to leave Australia. The three now in Canterbury have always lived in captivity. The male could grow up

to 2m in five or six years. Those at Orana Park are now about twice the size of a wallaby. Eastern Greys live for about 15 years. They can jump about 3m in the air when panicked, and can leap forward about 10m at a time. Orana Park officials hope to start a colony. An open forest animal, the kangaroo will graze apart from regular feedings. A kangaroo escaped from its keepers in Melbourne last week, bounding through city streets and disrupting morning rush-hour traffic. It was caught in a hotel. Orana Park’s consultant veterinarian, Mr L. Frazer, toured several Australian zoos recently, and the park hopes to get more Australian birds and animals, including emus. A walk-through Australian exhibit area is now being built at Orana Park, and may be open by the Mav school holidays.