Australia Zoo’s newly renovated Koala Nursery has welcomed its newest residents, with six koala mums and their adorable joeys now settling into their new home.
Among the residents are Maxi and her joey, Bluey and her joey, and Koya, whose joey is continuing to grow safely inside her pouch.
For the first time since Australia Zoo opened, the Koala Nursery has undergone a complete upgrade, creating a purpose-designed environment to support the specialised care, comfort and wellbeing of the Zoo’s koala families. Built from the ground up using new and improved materials, the upgraded nursery provides a wonderful environment for koala mums and their joeys to settle in and thrive.
The exciting renovation comes as Australia Zoo continues its important koala breeding program, helping to secure the future of one of Australia’s most iconic and endangered species, while giving guests the opportunity to learn more about koala development and the challenges they face in the wild.
General Manager at Australia Zoo, Luke Reavley, said, “Koalas are endangered, so every joey is incredibly important. Through our breeding program here at Australia Zoo, we have one of the largest koala populations in the world, a carefully managed insurance population with strong genetic diversity, helping to safeguard the future of this species.”
Koala joeys are born just two centimeters long and spend their earliest months developing safely inside their mother’s pouch. Koalas have a gestation period of around 34 to 35 days, and joeys generally remain in the pouch for approximately six months before gradually emerging.
Luke said, “Our koala joeys are wonderful ambassadors for their species. By admiring these beautiful animals in their expansive home and learning about the challenges they face in the wild, we hope guests at Australia Zoo leave with a deeper appreciation for koalas and are inspired to protect them for generations to come.”
Australia Zoo is proud to play a role in safeguarding koalas through conservation, education and wildlife care, continuing Steve’s legacy of protecting wildlife and wild places.
