A momentous, yet bittersweet, occasion rolled around at the Australian Reptile Park recently when Albert, the tiniest koala joey ever hand-raised in the history of the Park, celebrated his first birthday.
Amidst the joyous celebration, it was also time for Albert to bid a fond farewell to his surrogate zookeeper mother, Australian Reptile Park’s Life Sciences Manager Hayley Shute, and her family, who have played a vital role in his nurturing and growth.
Accompanied by her two daughters, Shute escorted Albert to his new abode, bearing not only birthday gifts, but a profound bond forged through over eight months of care and devotion.
As they entered his new home, Albert was presented with a generous bunch of fresh eucalyptus leaves from his adoptive family.
Since his rescue in September 2023, the tiny joey has woven himself into the lives of the Shute family, making today a bittersweet occasion.
“I’m overjoyed to be celebrating such a special birthday,” Shute said.
“There were moments where I wasn’t sure whether he’d make it, but he’s always pulled through and is now absolutely thriving.”
Albert’s journey began last year when Elsa, his biological mother, fell ill.
The dedicated keepers at the Australian Reptile Park intervened, ensuring both Elsa and her joey had a second chance at life.
At just the right time, the decision was made to remove the joey from his mother’s care, leading to the remarkable story of Albert’s survival and growth.
Weighing a mere 280 grams when rescued, Albert holds the distinction of being the tiniest koala ever hand-raised by Shute.
Over the past eight months, Shute, known as the Australian Reptile Park’s koala whisperer, embraced the role of a full-time mother to the joey, dedicating herself 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Remarkably, she managed to balance her responsibilities as a surrogate mother while raising her own three human children.
“Hand raising a koala is not an easy journey,” she said.
“It demands time, love and dedication to see them thrive, but it’s absolutely worth it.
“Once he’s mature, he’ll become an integral part of saving this iconic species as he’ll eventually join our breeding program at the Park.
“For now, he’ll spend his time learning to become fully dependent and socialising with the other koala joeys.”
Albert’s journey is not the first time Shute has played a crucial role in koala conservation.
In 2019, she took on the challenge of hand-raising Elsa, Albert’s own mother.
Elsa’s mother, Irene, fell ill with mastitis, necessitating urgent medical attention.
During Elsa’s recovery as a joey, she became a cherished member of the Shute family, just like Albert has.
The Australian Reptile Park continues to be a leading force in koala conservation, working tirelessly to raise awareness about the threats facing these beloved creatures.
Koalas are estimated to be extinct by 2050.
The Australian Reptile Park continues to breed their koalas to help boost population numbers for the endangered species and educate its visitors about koalas.