Two Queensland koala joeys were examined by keepers Thursday at the San Diego Zoo and found to be right on track in their development.
The 8-and-a-half-month male joeys, Coedie and Burra, and their mothers were brought down from the perching structure in their exhibit and placed onto a scale by animal care staff for their weigh-in.
Coedie (meaning boy in the Aboriginal language) weighed 2 pounds and Burra (meaning big fella) weighed 2.49 pounds.
“We weigh all of our koalas weekly, not just mom and joeys,” senior keeper Katie Tomlinson said. “It’s just to make sure they’re healthy, they’re growing like they should, and it’s a good opportunity for us to get a nice up-close look at them.”
The San Diego Zoo has the largest breeding colony of Queensland koalas and the most successful koala breeding program outside of Australia.
Researchers at the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research are studying koala populations both at the zoo and in the wild to better understand the species’ complex ecology, mating behaviors and health. The information gleaned from this work will help further develop conservation strategies for koalas.
http://timesofsandiego.com/life/2014/04/18/keepers-say-san-diego-zoos-koala-joeys-well/
The 8-and-a-half-month male joeys, Coedie and Burra, and their mothers were brought down from the perching structure in their exhibit and placed onto a scale by animal care staff for their weigh-in.
Coedie (meaning boy in the Aboriginal language) weighed 2 pounds and Burra (meaning big fella) weighed 2.49 pounds.
“We weigh all of our koalas weekly, not just mom and joeys,” senior keeper Katie Tomlinson said. “It’s just to make sure they’re healthy, they’re growing like they should, and it’s a good opportunity for us to get a nice up-close look at them.”
The San Diego Zoo has the largest breeding colony of Queensland koalas and the most successful koala breeding program outside of Australia.
Researchers at the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research are studying koala populations both at the zoo and in the wild to better understand the species’ complex ecology, mating behaviors and health. The information gleaned from this work will help further develop conservation strategies for koalas.
http://timesofsandiego.com/life/2014/04/18/keepers-say-san-diego-zoos-koala-joeys-well/