The second tree-kangaroo calf made its public debut in New York this week, its pink head poking out of its mother’s furry white pouch.

Little Matschie’s tree kangaroo, or Dendrolagus matschiei, was born in December and is the second specimen from the same mother since 2022. It was also the third specimen of its kind born at the Bronx Zoo since 2008.

The tree-kangaroo species only gestate for about six weeks before they are born, and immediately crawl into their marsupial mother’s pouch, the zoo said in a statement. It takes about seven months for the young to start emerging from the pouch.

A spokesperson for the Bronx Zoo said in a statement Friday that the kangaroo’s birth is of great significance to the network of zoos that aims to preserve genetic diversity among endangered species.

“It is estimated that fewer than 2,500 remain in the wild and they are threatened by habitat destruction, unsustainable hunting practices and other human activities,” the statement said.

Tree kangaroos originate from the Huon Peninsula in Papua New Guinea. They live primarily in trees and are smaller than the more common red kangaroo of Australia. An adult tree kangaroo weighs between 20 and 25 pounds (9-11 kilograms). The joeys are about the size of a human thumb when they are born, but can grow to 30 inches (76 centimeters).

Wildlife recovery programs often rely on zoos for genetic diversity. For example, wolves reintroduced to the wild are often given zoo-born pups to raise, reducing the risk of inbreeding and expanding wild populations.