The kangaroo yard at Ft. Wayne Children's Zoo in Indiana is jumping with seven Kangaroo joeys!

Most of the joeys were born last year in May or June, but they've only recently been out of their mothers' pouches, exploring the world around them. All of the joeys were sired by the zoo's only adult male kangaroo, Mako, who arrived there in March 2011.

Why are these babies only emerging now? Kangaroos are marsupials, so they are born in a highly underdeveloped state. Right after birth, the babies, or joeys, crawl to the pouch, where they remain for months nursing and growing.

Now, even though a joey might be too big to fit into mom's pouch, that doesn't stop the joey from trying.  Visitors should not be surprised to see odd combinations of legs, feet, tails, and noses poking out of pouches, much like the below!

Photo Credit: Ft. Wayne Children's Zoo