Spring has sprung at Taronga Western Plains Zoo with the birth of two Zebra foals as well as a Koala joey emerging from its mother’s pouch.

The two Zebra foals were born just one month apart and have been on exhibit since birth. The male and female foals have been named Khari, meaning like a king in Swahili and Zina, meaning free spirit in Swahili, respectively.

“The foals are staying close by their mother’s side at present and are growing and developing well under their watchful eye,” said Keeper Pascale Benoit.

“As they get older the foals will start to interact with each other more but for the time being they like a little gallop in the morning and then spend the rest of the day eating, mingling with the herd or sleeping,” said Pascale.

The Aussie Walkthrough exhibit has had a number of joeys emerge from their mother’s pouches over the past couple of months including a Koala joey, Quokka joey and two Swamp Wallaby joeys.

The Koala joey is just over five months old and has only just emerged from its mother’s pouch. The male joey named Jiemba, meaning laughing star in the local Wiradjuri language, will stay clinging to his mother, Wild Girl, until approximately 12 months of age.

The Quokka joey and Swamp Wallaby joeys are becoming more and more independent, often spotted away from their mothers, exploring their surroundings.

“Spring is always a great time to visit the Zoo, with generally lots of babies born at this time. The weather is ideal to get outdoors and experience the Zoo by foot, bike or electric cart,” said Pascale.

Visitors are encouraged to take time to plan their visit, looking at the free daily keeper presentations on offer as these are the best times to see the animals and learn about the species.

In addition to free daily keeper presentations, there are behind-the-scenes tours and animal encounters including an Early Morning Walk before the Zoo opens, Tiger Encounter, Meerkat Encounter, Giraffes in Focus and Wild Africa Encounter. Bookings are essential.

The Zoo is open every day of the holidays, from 9am–5pm last entry at 4pm, and is a great place to relax and unwind with family.