Wildlife park celebrates birth of seven koalas
The joeys were born at the Australian Reptile Park in New South Wales.
A wildlife sanctuary is celebrating the arrival of seven baby koalas.
The joeys have been been dubbed the Lucky Seven by the Australian Reptile Park in Central Coast, New South Wales, where they were born.
General manager Tim Faulkner said: “We pride ourselves in our koala breeding programme, as sadly we’re at a critical turning point for the future of koalas in the wild.”
Koala populations have decreased dramatically in the last 30 years or so, with habitat and dehydration in heatwaves caused by climate change major factors.
According to the Australian Koala Foundation, there are fewer than 80,000 left in the wild and the species is functionally extinct, meaning there are not enough breeding pairs to produce a new generation.
Mr Faulkner added: “We are doing everything we can to ensure a future for what is arguably Australia’s most iconic native mammal.”
