Crown Princess Mary of Denmark will now be able to enjoy a slice of home in her adopted homeland with the opening of ‘Mary’s Australian Garden’ – at the Copenhagen zoo.
The exhibition was first announced as part of Mary’s 50th birthday celebrations in February, and now the Tasmanian native has finally got her “wish” of welcoming some of Australia’s most iconic animals to her adopted homeland.
Dedicated to showcasing the unique species that call the land down under home, the exhibition will be home to more than 15 new species, which will join other Australian animals, including kangaroos and Tasmanian Devils, already living at the zoo.
Mary visits Copenhagen zoo alongside Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.
(Image: Getty)In 2006, Copenhagen Zoo — of which Mary is patron — was given four devils from Tasmania to mark the baptism of Prince Christian.
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It is the first zoo outside of Australia to keep the animals, and in 2013 the zoo successfully bred a pair believed to be the first time a Tasmanian devil has given birth to a pup outside of Australia.
The new arrivals include koalas, echidnas, yellow-footed rock wallabies, wombats and emus.
Mary, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine cut the first sod for what will be Mary’s Australian Garden at Copenhagen Zoo.
(Image: Getty)Reportedly, Mary is most excited for the kookaburra, which was personally requested by the princess, its hearty chuckles and hoots surely reminiscent of the country she first called home.
According to the local publication FredriksbergLiv, it was Mary’s “special wish” that the kookaburra, described as the “Australian laughing bird” by the zoo, be given a place in the faculty.
”We are of course happy and proud to be able to accommodate that,” Copenhagen Zoo director Jørgen Nielsen said.
Nielsen, who has an office directly next to the Australian animals exhibit, said he was excited to hear the distinct call of the kookaburra every day.
”In the Australian garden, we can draw guests even closer to the animals and the zookeepers’ daily work, and the hope is that our commitment and efforts to look after the world’s animals rub off on both children and adults,” he added.
A number of other native Australian birds have also been introduced into a newly constructed state of the art aviary, including the pink cockatoo, red tailed black cockatoo, green rosella, golden whistler, welcome swallow, cockatiel, budgerigar and crested pigeon.
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