In these trying times, it’s important that we grab ahold of wholesome content with both hands, squeeze it tight and never let go. With this in mind, I welcome the following images of two koala joeys passing their first health check.
Ilani and Jasper (10 and 9 months, respectively) belong to WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, and completed their all-positive developmental checks-ups and weigh-ins this week. And there are some stellar snaps to prove it.
Time to collectively aww in unison, in 3, 2…
TOO DAMN CUTE.
“These two will be fantastic ambassador animals for their species,” WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo keeper Renee Howell said. “Their role will be to educate the public about their wild cousins and just how important it is to be aware of what we as humans can do to protect our wild populations.”
This latest round of koala breeding is part of the zoo’s efforts to protect vulnerable Australian-native species. And given that a recent parliamentary inquiry into the NSW’s koala population found that koalas could be extinct in the state before 2050 “without urgent government intervention”, programs like this are move important than ever.
WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo is open for business once more. Feel free to head over to the website for further information about tickets and experiences.
Now, if you don’t mind, it’s time for these koala joeys to snooze – it’s been a big day.
