Daily Dose of Cuteness: Koala Joey Season Kicks Off in Queensland

Just as Queenslanders have started emerging from lockdown, some of the first koala joeys of the season have started to show their noses as they begin to explore the outside world for the first time after spending the last few months growing in their mother's pouches.

Keepers at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary are celebrating the exciting arrival of their first koala joey of the season after spotting a little head and black nose popping out from the pouch last week.

Koala Keeper Karen Nilsson said the joey is only about six months old and is the first of his group to emerge from the pouch with several more to follow over the next few months.

“He has only just started testing life outside the pouch which means he is rarely out, so we don't see him very much at this stage,” Ms Nilsson said.

“But we will get to know him better as he grows and shares more of his personality.”

Breeding season for koalas is between September and March and after developing in their mother's pouch over several months the joeys start to take their first look at the outside world from around March onwards.

This means keepers will begin to see many more joeys appearing over the next few months as part of Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary's successful koala conservation breeding program.

In fact, this new joey's mother, Jazz, was also born at the sanctuary, and her latest joey now makes her a proud mum of two.

"This little guy is her second joey. Her first was called 'Angelica' who was named after a Rugrats character that had a similar 'diva' personality,” Ms Nilsson said.

“This young lad will also get a Rugrats name but not just yet, as we need to get to know him a bit better first.”

However, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary are not the only ones celebrating a new addition with Cooberie Park Wildlife Sanctuary near Yeppoon also welcoming a new joey.

The first-time mother named Calypso first revealed the joey's arm on the 8th of May and only last week allowed the young one out of her pouch to enjoy its first taste of freedom.

“We're not quite sure if it's a boy or a girl, however, we've chosen 'Kudos' as its name,” Cooberrie Park Ranger Kieron Smedley said.

"After Novembers bushfires and the pressure of having the park shut down as a result of the coronavirus, this is the silver lining we were looking for.”

With travel restrictions starting to ease across Queensland, and many wildlife parks and zoos looking forward to reopening their gates, the next six months will be the perfect time for visitors to catch a glimpse of these koala joeys as they start exploring outside of the pouch.

To get up close and personal with Queensland's fluffy faunal emblem, people can visit one of many wildlife sanctuaries across the Sunshine State that offer koala encounters*:

• Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary (Brisbane)
• Cooberie Park Wildlife Sanctuary (Yeppoon)
• Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary (Gold Coast)
• Dreamworld (Gold Coast)
• Paradise Country (Gold Coast)
• Australia Zoo (Sunshine Coast)
• Wildlife HQ Zoo (Sunshine Coast)
• Snakes Downunder Reptile Park & Zoo (Childers)
• Hamilton Island Wildlife (Whitsundays)
• Billabong Sanctuary (Townsville)
• Wildlife Habitat (Port Douglas)
• Hartley's Crocodile Adventures (Wangetti)
• Cairns Zoom and Wildlife Dome (Cairns)
• Kuranda Koala Gardens (Kuranda)

For more information on koala cuddling experiences in Queensland be sure to check out the Queensland Uncovered blog.

*Due to current health advice on social distancing, please contact the business for the most up to date information regarding opening times, operations and services.

Website: www.queensland.com/