Perth Zoo is celebrating another conservation win with the birth of a tiny koala joey!
 
During Mindjil’s routine annual health check in the Veterinary Hospital, vets and nurses were delighted to find a small pink joey wriggling in the three-year-olds pouch.

 

It’s estimated the joey was around two months old when it was discovered.
 
Koalas typically breed across the warmer spring and summer months, and after observing certain behaviours from male Laurie and Mindjil, keepers suspecyted the pair had bred.
 
his year, keepers had a hunch Mindjil might have been hiding a little surprise, but as an elusive koala who likes her own space, the team hadn’t been able to confirm for sure.
 
Mindjil was given a thorough general check-over and vets were pleased to see both mum and bub are healthy.  
 
This little joey is the second born to mum Mindjil and dad Laurie as part of Perth Zoo’s involvement in the regionally coordinated breeding program.

While the vet team were busy working away, Zoo’s expert horticulture team carried out some tree-mendous upgrades in the koala habitat.


 
Two live trees were craned through the Zoo and over the boardwalk to be replanted and add to the already lush canopy.
 
Moving two mature trees, each weighing more than a tonne, is certainly no mean feet.
 
But this important addition provides extra canopy for the tree-dwelling species and provides each koala with more choice as to where they spend their time.

The facts on koala breeding

Koalas are usually solitary and spend most of their time snoozing up high in the trees. But during breeding season, they become more active in search of a mate.

The males can be surprisingly loud during this time, making deep bellowing calls to attract females and warn off other males.



After a successful mating, koalas have a very short gestation of only around 35 days – that’s just over a month of being pregnant!
 
Despite this, the joey will still take months to develop into the cute, fluffy animal you know and love.
 
Like other marsupials, a koala joey is born about the size of a jellybean and makes its own way up mum’s belly and into the pouch.
 
Once safely inside, it latches on and settles in to continue growing and developing for another seven months.

We can't wait to share more updates with you soon!