The first Koala joey in the group has emerged from its mother’s pouch to the delight of keepers and visitors at Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

The female joey, ‘Rosea’, after a species of flowering eucalypt, is the first joey for mother ‘Wild Girl’, who is displaying all the right maternal behaviours.

“Rosea is approximately eight-months-old and is a little shy at present, preferring to stay close to mum’s chest but in the coming months will start to move on to her mother’s back,” said keeper Natacha Richards.

“We have lots of little wallaby joeys on the way in the Aussie walkthrough exhibit as well as two more Koala joeys that are yet to emerge from their mother’s pouches.”

“The best time to see the new arrival is on the warmer winter days in the afternoon, when you just need to look closely,” said Natacha.

Koala numbers are declining in the wild due to habitat encroachment, so every birth helps to secure a future for this species.

Taronga Western Plains Zoo has four Koalas, one male and three females in the Aussie Walkthrough exhibit and this is set to grow with more on the way.