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(Above, from left): As a young joey, Whitney was carried around
in a comfy pouch hand-sewn by a staff member, an older
Whitney meets zoo guests at HAMILL FAMILY WILD ENCOUNTERS
(Opposite page): Pascal received around-the-clock feedings
and care at the Animal Hospital and was transitioned to solid
food—fish—at HAMILL FAMILY WILD ENCOUNTERS.

Raising Whitney staff worked closely with Watts and During the day, Whitney’s caregivers
another important member of the team, carried her around in a hand-sewn pouch
Fortunately for helpless Whitney, the Department of Animal Health and while they performed their daily work
the zoo’s HAMILL FAMILY WILD Welfare, to create an around-the-clock tasks. They took her outdoors for exercise
ENCOUNTERS staff had successfully feeding schedule. Throughout the day and sunshine. As she grew stronger, she
hand-reared other wallaby joeys, as well and night, an animal care staff member was let out of her pouch to explore and
as baby animals of other species includ- would prepare a bottle and feed her exercise in the animal yard. After Whitney
ing sloths, binturongs, porcupines, at scheduled intervals, said Granat. was weaned and eating solid food, she was
servals, lynx, and goats. The amount of food Whitney introduced to the Wild Encounters wallaby
“Hand-rearing an animal is a team received and consumed at each feeding mob, including two other joeys born about
effort,” said Glenn Granat, curator was carefully tracked. She was also the same time.
of Wild Encounters, Hamill Family routinely weighed to make sure she “When we look back on our career,
Play Zoo & Ambassador Animals. was gaining the appropriate amount of this will be one of the most memorable
An important member of the team weight for a youngster of her age and size. things we did,” said Granat. “Hand-rearing
is Jennifer Watts, Ph.D., director of She received frequent checkups by the animals is always cool.”
Brookfield Zoo’s Nutrition Services veterinary staff. However, it also requires a huge com-
department. She custom-formulates The job of caring for Whitney mitment from the entire department and
nutritious diets for baby animals. overnight was rotated among six staff can be very expensive, he said. When staff
In Whitney’s case, a commercial members. For 12 weeks, one of them took members work overnight or extra hours,
diet for wallaby and kangaroo joeys her home at the end of his or her shift they receive overtime pay. “When people
was available and had already been at the zoo. After each feeding, Whitney— are hand-rearing an animal, they are still
approved by Watts. like other young mammals—had to be expected to do the work they normally do.”
To ensure Whitney received the stimulated to urinate. “As you can imagine,
nourishment she needed, animal care staff didn’t get a lot of sleep,” said Granat.

14 GATEWAYS | RAISING ZOO BABIES