Sydney Wildlife World launches KOALA HQ

Sydney Wildlife World launches KOALA HQ

To celebrate the birth of its new baby koala named Boonda, Sydney Wildlife World will launch KOALA HQ to help raise much needed awareness regarding the importance of conserving one of Australia's most iconic and adored marsupials in July 2011.

To coincide with July school holidays, KOALA HQ will offer visitors an up close and personal glimpse of Boonda, the new joey koala, in its open air habitat. Daily talks will also take place on the hour between 10am and 4pm* and offer visitors an insight into the importance of saving Australia's favourite icon and debunk some popular myths around our fluffy little friends.

Sydney Wildlife World's resident vet, Dr Sam Gilchrist, said the joey is going through an important stage of bonding with its mother Elle, who is carefully guarding and protecting the little joey during its early months.

"At this stage, Boonda is still under constant supervision from his mum Elle and it would be detrimental on the joey's development and relationship with its mother if we intervene at all," said Dr Gilchrist.

"The new joey at Sydney Wildlife World provides us with a timely reminder on the importance in continuing to raise awareness on the critical steps that need to be taken for ensuring a safe future for Australia's koala population."

"While Sydney Wildlife World offers visitors a chance to see these cute and cuddly creatures up close, we are all working towards a sustainable future, which can only be achieved by reducing the threats that impede their natural survival," said Mammals Supervisor, Ms Kate Blount.

Due to mass land clearance, the greatest threat to the koalas' natural survival is a shortage in suitable habitat. Sadly it is estimated that there is as few as 43,000 koalas remaining in the wild and this population is living in segmented colonies. Without sufficient corridors of bush-land to link these communities the chance of koalas being killed on roads as well as the outbreak of disease greatly increases.

For the duration of the July School Holidays Sydney Wildlife World will donate a portion of the money raised from each koala photo package purchased at the Koala Rooftop to the Australia Koala Foundation.

Talks dedicated to Sydney Wildlife World's other exciting animals will be taking place at the following times throughout school holidays:
Kangaroo: 10:30, 2:30
Crocodile: 11:30, 1:30, 3:30
Cassowary: 12:30
Koalas: On the hour from 10:00 - 4:00

For more information on Sydney Wildlife World please visit: www.sydneywildlifeworld.com.au