Exotic animals steal the show at the MS State Fair, and some are pure Mississippi

Mississippians will get to see a piece of the Australian outback at this year’s Mississippi State Fair, mate.

Willow, a 6-year old kangaroo, is making her debut at the McClain Lodge Petting Zoo inside the fair, which started Thursday and lasts until Oct. 15.

Fairgoers will have the opportunity to pet and feed her carrots. A mother of three, Willow currently has a baby kangaroo in her pouch. The baby isn’t big enough to take out just yet, but once in a while it will come out on its own, said Timothy Emerson, a handler working the petting zoo.

“When the baby comes out of the pouch, another baby will crawl in the pouch and latch on … inside, and that’s how they grow,” Emerson said.

Though most people would assume Willow is an Aussie, she is actually a true Mississippian. She was born and raised at the McClain Lodge, a general store, restaurant and zoo based in Brandon. Attendees of the fair can reach their hand in to try and pet Willow, but she is a little timid. There’s also no need to worry about her jumping over the fence to escape, Emerson said.

“The gate is far up enough that she can’t (escape) but I mean at a dead run in the wild she can run 35 miles-per-hour and jump about 10 feet. They can fly,” Emerson said.

Emerson, a native of Sykeston, Missouri, was manning the entrance of the petting zoo and handing out carrots to kids and parents who wanted to feed the animals. He is the owner of Emerson Farms, a petting zoo based in Alabama. He came to the state fair to help out and take care of the animals for the McClain Lodge.

Right next to Willow, is a large, 2-year-old camel named Franklin. A little more experienced than Willow when it comes to state fairs, this is Franklin’s third time at the petting zoo. Kids were climbing Franklin’s gate to try to touch the top of his head as he was peering over the fence trying to get a better look at who these small people were. A few were afraid he was going to spit on them, as camels are known to do.

Other animals at the petting zoo include goats, pigs, alpacas, rams and sheep. The zoo is located across from the Dixie National Rodeo.