Rocket the Wallaby Explores the Office at Aussie Ark

Rocket the brush-tailed rock wallaby made a rare visit to the offices of conservation organisation Aussie Ark this week. The jumping joey delighted in exploring the new sights and sounds presented by the office. While the new environment made up of chairs and tables is a far cry from the wild conservationists at the Australian sanctuary say it is "all perfect training for his future life in the great outdoors!''

The mini marsupial has become an internet sensation since his rescue late last year. Now 9 months old he has hit the magic 2 kilo weight and carer, Dean Reid says he is"growing up in leaps and bounds.''

“In the wild Rocket would now be out of the pouch most of the time, exploring his surroundings,” Mr Reid said. “His species lives on rocky escarpments and are agile jumpers, bouncing from rock to rock. So Rocket’s time in the office was well spent training for this wild behaviour…bouncing on chairs and table tops!”

Mr Reid said he found it a bit hard to focus on his office work with all the ‘chaos’ of this activity. But thankfully Rocket is still very bonded to Mr Reid, so easily calmed.

“Even when he’s having this sort of fun he comes back to me constantly, for reassurance,” Mr Reid said. Mr Reid just waves Rocket’s cloth pouch and the joey bounds back to him, and tucks himself away.

Next up for rocket will be weaning from milk and beginning to eat exclusively solid food including wattle and grass. Then he will become independent and move in to a yard at the sanctuary, potentially with a girlfriend to help bolster numbers of his threatened species.