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College jumping for joy after Wallaby gives birth to new baby

News overview

A college has welcomed a new arrival to their animal studies department, and staff and students are jumping for joy.

Mother and baby wallaby

ΊωΒ«ΝήΚΣΖ΅ Rural in Otley, part of ΊωΒ«ΝήΚΣΖ΅, was delighted to see that one of their wallabies had given birth.

According to Andrew Waddingham, a senior technician at the college – mother and baby are doing well.

Animal handler with rat

He said: β€œThe mother (called Jessie) has been looking after the newborn and all has been fine.

β€œWe first noticed a head pop out of Jessie’s pouch about three weeks ago. Although with wallabies, it could be up to six months old as they crawl up into the pouch for nearly half a year.

Wallaby family at animal unit

β€œHopefully within a couple of weeks it will hop out of the pouch.”

In addition to the marsupials on site, ΊωΒ«ΝήΚΣΖ΅ Rural has also welcomed two new baby skunks called Winston and Ralph.

Baby skunks in animal unit

Helen Pearson is the animal centre manager at ΊωΒ«ΝήΚΣΖ΅ Rural College and she named the pair after her childhood gerbils.

The duo (one of which is an albino) were born about nine weeks ago and have been at the college for a fortnight.

Albino skunk

The skunks and wallabies are a number of new species to have come to the college after a half-million revamp of some new facilities that were unveiled earlier this year in front of Jimmy Doherty, TikTok influencer Kyle Thomas and a selection of guests and stakeholders.

Latest additions to the unit include meerkats, and it is hoped that some capybaras will be joining the college in the near future.

Mr Waddingham continued: β€œWe currently support over a hundred students who get to work with lots of different animals in some amazing new facilities – so it’s a very exciting time for our department.”

For more information about the college and courses you can visit www.suffolk.ac.uk/animal-management/

Posted 15 July 2025
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