Adelaide, Matschie's tree kangaroo, prepares to depart Gainesville
September 28, 2026
In bittersweet news for fans of Adelaide, Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo’s Matschie’s tree kangaroo will soon be moving to a new home.
Adelaide has been recommended for a move through the AZA Matschie’s Tree Kangaroo Species Survival Plan® (SSP) to support the breeding program.
Moves like Adelaide’s are an important part of cooperative population management. Including the SF Teaching Zoo, 24 AZA-accredited zoos in North America participate in the SSP for Matschie’s tree kangaroos, collectively caring for a small, genetically diverse population of roughly 50 individuals. Animal care professionals across these institutions work together to determine appropriate matches and moves that support a healthy future for this endangered species.
Before her journey, Adelaide will move behind the scenes to a quiet quarantine area. This allows her keepers to closely monitor her health, behavior, stress levels and appetite while completing health screenings to help ensure she is ready for transport and does not carry parasites or infectious diseases that could affect animals at her new home. Spending time in a quieter space before her move can also help make the transition easier for her.
Adelaide’s departure will mark the end of a long chapter for the SF Teaching Zoo. Matschie’s tree kangaroos have lived at the zoo since 1986.
“We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has visited them over the years, especially those who joined us for World Tree Kangaroo Day and took the time to learn about these remarkable arboreal animals and their conservation,” said Zoo Director Jonathan Miot.
There’s still time to say farewell! Adelaide will remain on the guest path through Sunday, October 4. From now through October 4, the Zoo also will have special tree kangaroo crafts and stickers available for guests while supplies last.
The Zoo encourages everyone to stop by to see Adelaide and help them wish her well on her next adventure!
You can continue to support the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program through Quarters for Conservation until June 30, 2027. Quarters for Conservation directs 50 cents of each admission back to select conservation initiatives, raising more than $100,000 in the past 15 years.
