SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A rare pet tree kangaroo imported from Papua New Guinea to South Korea has died during quarantine at Incheon International Airport, officials said Thursday.
The one-and-a-half-year-old male tree kangaroo was found dead in its cage at the airport’s animal quarantine center on Wednesday morning. It had been quarantined at the center since its arrival in South Korea on Sept. 20.
The cause of death is still under investigation, but airport officials said there were no signs of external injuries or infectious diseases.
The tree kangaroo was one of three that were imported by a South Korean zoo from Papua New Guinea. The other two tree kangaroos are still alive and in quarantine.
Tree kangaroos are a type of marsupial that is native to Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. They are known for their ability to climb trees and their long, muscular tails.
The death of the tree kangaroo is a setback for the South Korean zoo that imported it. The zoo had planned to put the tree kangaroo on display to the public once it completed quarantine.
The zoo is now working with quarantine officials to determine the cause of death and to prevent similar incidents in the future..
