- Roosta the kangaroo joey is celebrating his first birthday after being hand raised at the Australian Reptile Park.
- After being thrown from his mother’s pouch as a tiny joey, Roosta was placed into the care of zookeeper, Brandon
- With more than 80 million views online, Roosta has captured hearts around the world and is now thriving.
A tiny kangaroo joey who was once fighting for survival is now celebrating a major milestone, with Roosta the kangaroo turning one at the Australian Reptile Park.
Roosta has been hand raised for most of his life by Australian Reptile Park Operations Manager Brandon Gifford, after he was thrown from his mother’s pouch at a very young age. While it may sound shocking, this is a natural behaviour that can occur in the wild, and without intervention, Roosta would not have survived.
The Australian Reptile Park was able to capture rare footage of Roosta as a tiny jelly bean joey, making the incredible journey from his mother’s cloaca into her pouch before he was later thrown. From that fragile beginning, Roosta has grown into a lively, curious and much-loved young kangaroo.
“Roosta was so tiny when he came into care, and every day with him has been a milestone,” said Brandon Gifford, Operations Manager at the Australian Reptile Park. “To see him reach his first birthday is incredibly special. He has had a huge impact on everyone who has followed his journey.”
Roosta has also become an online sensation, with videos posted to Brandon’s social media pages reaching more than 80 million views. His most famous clip shows him playfully “boxing” with Brandon, a natural kangaroo instinct that quickly captured the hearts of people around the world.
“He might be small, but he has a huge personality,” Brandon said.
To mark his first birthday, the keepers created a special cake made from Roosta’s favourite food, grass! The celebration was a chance for keepers to recognise just how far the young kangaroo has come.
Roosta is now thriving under Brandon’s care and will soon begin his transition into the kangaroo area at the park, where he will eventually join the other kangaroos. For now, he remains in Brandon’s care as he continues to grow, gain confidence and prepare for the next stage of his life.
The Australian Reptile Park is inviting everyone to wish this little Aussie battler a very happy first birthday.