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Rare tree kangaroo species has twins at Neb. zoo

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-01-12 09:23

OMAHA, Neb. -- Nebraska zookeepers are seeing double and they're thrilled about it, with the births of twins to a rare species of tree kangaroo.

This photo released by the Lincoln Children's Zoo, shows Milla, a Matschie's tree kangaroo, on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 in Lincoln, Neb. The Lincoln Children's Zoo is celebrating its first set of Matschie's tree kangaroo twins and an official who tracks numbers of the extremely rare species says it's the first documented case in North America among records that go back to the 1970s. [Agencies]

Twin joeys were born last month at the Lincoln Children's Zoo to Matschie's tree kangaroos Milla and her mate Noru. They were found in Milla's pouch last month, and count as two of the four documented Matschie's tree kangaroo births last year.

Kansas City Zoo zookeeper Jacque Blessington says only about 50 of the animals exist in North America. In the wild, they live in the rain forest in northeastern Papua New Guinea.

The babies are expected to begin poking out their heads or feet as early as May.