Koala joey emerges from pouch

Taronga Western Plains Zoo is celebrating the arrival of its second Koala joey this season, with a female joey emerging from the pouch to the delight of keepers and visitors.

The joey named Matilda can be seen in the Zoo’s Australian Walkthrough, clinging tightly to her mother Carrie.

“Matilda tends to stick to her mother’s tummy, but she does occasionally climb up on her mother’s back to take a look around,” said Keeper Natacha Richards.

“She’s nine months of age and her experienced mother Carrie is taking everything in her stride. Matilda looks exactly like her, although she seems to have inherited her father’s ears, which are a bit less fluffy than her mother’s.”

Matilda’s diet now mostly consists of leaves, she particularly likes the really fresh soft tips, but she is also still drinking her mother’s milk. She will become more independent over the coming months.

The Zoo’s Australian Walkthrough is now home to nine Koalas, with the arrival of Matilda and also male joey Thunder this season.

Keepers report Thunder is doing really well and is starting to be more active, venturing a short distance away from his mother Wild Girl in the evenings when it is cooler.

Koalas are one of Australia’s most iconic species. Unfortunately Koala numbers are declining in the wild due to habitat encroachment, so every birth helps to secure a future for this iconic species.