After months of
anticipation, the first baby koala to be born at the zoo for a
number of years has finally made his way out of his mother's pouch.
Senior Zoo Keeper Tina Janssen said the baby was estimated to
be between six and to seven months old.
Everyone stands here and holds their breath," she said yesterday.
We haven't named him yet. “I've nicknamed him Eucy, it's
short for eucalyptus."
Eucy has been making his way out of mother Caramello's pouch for
the past three weeks, but still heads back to the fold when he's
looking to catch a few Zs, Ms Janssen said.
Yesterday, all four adult koalas were lolling around in a leafy
gum tree when Eucy poked his head out for a look at waiting media
and holiday makers.
And he wasn’t camera shy, much to the delight of onlookers
Even Ms Janssen's revelation that the baby koalas survive solely
on their mother’s faeces for their first few months of development
did not damper anyone’s high opinion of the baby beauty.
Eucy is Caramello's first baby, and it is believed she mated sometime
after Christmas, Ms Janssen said. She said the baby was starting
to come out of his mother's pouch more often, and within the next
few months he would begin riding on her back.
Rockhampton City Councillor John Broad was also getting snap happy
with the cuddly creatures, and said he was delighted to say "major
improvements" at the zoo were about to happen.
"It's all happening at the Rocky Zoo," he said.
Two grey kangaroo joeys were also causing a stir at the zoo, with
the bounding babies becoming the subject of many visitors photos.
Quick Koala Facts
Koalas are marsupials, not bears
Adult koalas weigh between four and 14 kilograms depending on
their sex and where they are from
Koalas spend approximately 20 hours asleep or resting, one to
three hours feeding, and one to three hours grooming, moving from
tree to tree, and during the breeding season, searching for a
mate
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