Kangaroo Creek Farm wraps up for the year

• Kangaroo farm closes for the season
• Visitor numbers down this summer
• Guest activities restricted due to COVID

One of Kelowna’s popular attractions has officially closed to the public after another challenging season.

The Kangaroo Creek Farm holds over 200 animals including 62 Macropods (kangaroos, wallabies, wallaroos).

Owner Gregory Wightman said this year was projected as a rebound year but they saw challenges in the early stages along with complications throughout the summer.

“Typically, we start on school spring break in March, usually an excellent two weeks,” Wightman explained.

“This year we couldn’t; the schools weren’t allowed so we just didn’t bother. Weekends are good until summer when it ramps up, but this year it didn’t happen until July.”

July saw guest and revenue up 30 per cent, but then the forest fires came.

“August tanked,” Wightman noted. “We lost 50 per cent by the end of August. The fires were a huge problem and the government meddling telling the Albertans to stay away and not come. It hurt our cause.”

However, Wightman added the smoke from the wildfires did not harm any of the animals.

“The choking smoke extended over Kelowna and Vernon. For some reason our little strip here along the airport was typically not very bad. It never became a big issue.”

A trademark of the farm is close interaction between guests and animals, but that couldn’t happen.

Farm manager Jamie Halverson said the COVID measures shut down closer encounters with certain animals.

“We haven’t been able to put birds on people because we can’t get the staff within six feet of the guests. The same goes for our sugar gliders and joey holding.”

As winter approaches, Wightman said many of the animals will be comfortable in the cooler climate in the months to come.

“The wallabies, they’re Tasmanian descent animals. Tasmania has a similar climate to us with snow and winter, they require very little adaptation,” Wightman said.

“The big red kangaroos are the desert dwellers. The desert is quite cool, below freezing in Australia, so the cold is not an issue. They do have a barn which is heated to five degrees year-round.”

Additional information on the farm can be found on their website or Facebook page.