THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SHIHAB RATTANSI, CNN ANCHOR: A small Southern town in the United States is a breeding ground for some native Australian animals.
ASIEH NAMDAR, CNN ANCHOR: And now, the Georgia town is home to the largest population of kangaroos outside Australia.
Australia's Network 10 Melody Horrill traveled to Dawsonville, Georgia, where the marsupials are attracting wildlife lovers from across the U.S.A.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELODY HORRILL, NETWORK 10 CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You could be forgiven for thinking that this is somewhere in the Australian outback. But in fact, it's Dawsonville, a small town just outside of Atlanta.
Debby and Roger Nelson started breeding kangaroos here 16 years ago to share their love of these marsupials with others.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When we first started, there weren't many kangaroos exhibited in American zoos, and we found a lot of people have fascination for them, and that has really increased over the years. We get visitors from all over the world, and people are thrilled at the opportunity to see kangaroos up close.
HORRILL: That opportunity is available twice a week, and there is never any shortage of takers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I will always love Australia. I wish I could have gone to the Olympics, and I love kangaroos. They are beautiful animals.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maybe because they are not in the United States naturally, and it's a unique animal. And I have always wanted to see kangaroos, so I am going to touch a kangaroo later on. I'm so excited!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have never seen one, so it will be neat to see one in real life.
HORRILL: Using an ex-Army troop carrier, visitors are taken on a safari around the Nelsons' 180-acre property. Although the vegetation is much different from the Aussie bush, the kangaroos don't seem to mind. In fact, around 400 have been successfully bred here.
After the tour comes the highlight of the day, a chance to touch the kangaroo and take the evidence home.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get another one!
HORRILL: The group is then taken into an educational area, where they are taught more about kangaroo behavior.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If she runs up to you and wants to box with you, she is just playing.
HORRILL: Although kangaroos are plentiful in their native habitat, the Nelsons say Australians should not become complacent about conservation.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think anybody that says that a species is perfectly safe for all generations is a fool, basically. No species has a guaranteed future.
HORRILL (on camera): The Nelsons' love affair with Australian wildlife continues to grow, and they plan to breed many other species of Australian native animals here. They have even planted 15 different varieties of eucalyptus trees in readiness for their next visits, koalas.
Melody Horrill, in Georgia, America, for CNN WORLD REPORT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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