A quokka is seen at the Saitama Children’s Zoo Park in Higashi-Matsuyama, Saitama Prefecture.
16:48 JST, June 9, 2024
HIGASHI-MATSUSHIMA, Saitama – A children’s zoo in Higashi-Matsuyama, Saitama Prefecture, will collect donations to build a new indoor facility for quokkas, which come from the same family as kangaroos.
Saitama Children’s Zoo Park is the only place in Japan that keeps the animals, which come from southwestern Australia. Quokkas stand about 40 to 50 centimeters in size and are affectionately known as the world’s happiest animal because of their facial expressions, which make it appear as if they are smiling.
The zoo, which currently has nine quokkas, limits their outdoor display to 2 to 3 hours per day to avoid stressing the animals. An indoor exhibit area would allow the nocturnal animals to live comfortably while keeping the exhibit open all day, so the zoo decided to seek donations to fund the project. The zoo aims to raise ¥10 million through donations.
The existing facility will be renovated to accommodate the new exhibit and is expected to be completed by the end of the fiscal year. Donations can be made online and are accepted Monday through the end of September. For more information, please visit the zoo’s website “Saitama Children’s Zoo Park” .
