Park & Recreation looks at kangaroo exhibit for Rapids zoo

By Kris Leonhardt

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – At its Feb. 14 meeting, the Wisconsin Rapids Park & Recreation Commission unanimously approved a motion that would allow for the construction of a kangaroo enclosure at the city’s municipal zoo.

“We did confirm last week with Diane from Fantasy Corral that the kangaroos that we were talking (about) earlier in the fall, I guess she does have in stock for us,” said Rapids Park & Building Supervisor Jake Klingforth.

“We did get a price quote from American Fence about doing the exhibit. It would be a closed in area – 48 feet by 28 feet would be the outside fence; that fence would be four feet tall. The inside fence would be 40x20 (feet); that fence would be 20 feet tall. For roughly around $12,000.”

Klingforth said that there was currently $23,000 in the Zoo Feed Fund.

“It’s pretty much the corn money that people pay to feed the ducks and camels and donkeys and stuff like that, so we’ve been saving. So, there is $23,000 in the fund that we would like to use for this kangaroo exhibit.

“We would be building the structure – the shelter – in house by staff. So, we are going to be using the old light post that we got from Water & Light for the structure.”

Klingforth added that American Fence, out of Plover, could install the fencing in early spring.

“I think it would be a real good attraction at the zoo – something different,” Klingforth added.

Fantasy Corral is located in Woodville and offers breeding programs, as well as petting zoo exhibits for special events.