Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

Hey guys, I finally got a chance to hold a cute cuddly koala on Thursday [3 May 2012] at the koala sanctuary! Although they look like they have soft fur it's a lot thicker and rough than most people would expect. When the zoo keeper set the koala in my hands it immediately uses one of its features- 2 opposable thumbs on each paw. Their big claws and 2 opposable thumbs allow the koala to easily climb up and down eucalyptus trees. This koala was among 130 koalas at the sanctuary. What is truly impressive there is how the staff has to be able to recognize and know the name of each koala by their physical features. The staff told us they can identify the koalas by their face, ears, fur, scars, and if they have any white marks on their back. We also learned that koalas typically eat 400-600 grams of eucalyptus leaves a day. The first time people usually see a Joey is at 6 months and they become completely independent at about 12 months.
Brianna B.