Cleland Wildlife Park’s spring baby boom
Will COVID-19 lockdowns lead to more babies? While the isolation-induced statistics aren’t yet clear for humans, at Cleland Wildlife Park, it’s a resounding yes!
The park is in the midst of a population boom, with yellow-footed rock-wallaby joeys, baby bandicoots and even infant stick insects recently welcomed by the team. Many more new arrivals are expected in coming weeks, and the park is eager to welcome visitors curious to get a first look at the new arrivals.
Cleland Wildlife Park General Manager David Rice says that while spring is traditionally the time for babies, the number of newborns in 2020 seems to be significantly higher than recent years.
“We’re pretty sure it had something to do with the park being closed for five weeks during the initial COVID-19 response, and the animals having a bit more privacy and alone time," he said.
“If you haven’t been to Cleland for a few years, spring really is the best the time to visit. You’ll see plenty of cute creatures over the next few months, but don’t delay - they grow up fast.”
Along with the baby boom, Cleland’s ever-popular Out of School Hours Care program, Wildification, will run again these school holidays.
Children will enjoy a unique day as a junior National Parks and Wildlife Service Ranger, filled with supervised games, scavenger hunts, animal encounters, keeper presentations and more! Bookings are essential as there are limited spaces available for each session, and an additional cost applies to this activity.
Alternatively, visitors can join the free and informative 'Super Survivors’ trail any time they visit Cleland Wildlife Park to discover the amazing powers our native Australian animals use to survive the many dangers they face in the wild.
Make your way around the park to learn about some of the risks facing our native species, find out what is being done to help them, and discover how you can get involved in conservation. There’s also a secret message hidden in the trail to decode!
For details about our school holiday programs and to plan your trip to Cleland Wildlife Park, visit www.clelandwildlifepark.sa.gov.au or phone 8339 2444.
