The Australian Reptile Park has welcomed its second koala joey born this breeding season.
A little sister to Elsa, who was born last year and attracted a lot of online attention, the new joey has appropriately been named Anna, in a nod to the popular Disney movie Frozen.
Staff at the Park said Anna will be spotted coming out of the pouch more as each day passes, and eventually will become a crucial part of the koala conservation breeding program.
Curator Hayley Shute hand-raised Elsa when mum Irene experienced mastitis and was unable to supply the milk the joey needed.
But this time around Irene doesn’t seem to have any problems and Shute says Anna is thriving.
“It was a very special moment being there when she popped her head out for the first time,” Shute said of Anna’s arrival.
“I couldn’t contain my excitement and ran over and grabbed Elsa so she could meet her baby sister for the first time.
“Anna is estimated to be around 10 months old and is right on track as we can see her emerging from the pouch more and more.
“We will be keeping a close eye on her to make sure she is growing up healthy alongside Ash (the first-born joey of the season) and will keep bringing Elsa over for regular visits to bond with her sister.”
The Park reopened on June 1 after two months of closure forced by COVID-19 restrictions.
“We’re very excited to be open again and educating people on our amazing wildlife,” Shute said.
Source:
Media release, Jun 30
Australian Reptile Park