LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The Louisville Zoo announced it is getting a cute and cuddly duo from the San Diego Zoo.
Two male koalas named Dharuk ("da’ rook"), 2, and Telowie (“tell ou-ee”), 4, will be arriving from California sometime late June. They are expected to be at the zoo for awhile per an agreement with the Australian government, a news release said on Thursday.
(Photo courtesy of San Diego Zoo)
Louisville Zoo Director, Dan Maloney, who previously worked at the Melbourne Zoo in Australia, is excited to bring koalas back to Louisville. The animals used to be at the Louisville Zoo in the 1980s and early 2000s.
“Koalas are fantastic ambassadors for Australia, representing a truly unique species,” Maloney said. “I am excited to see families experience our friends from the ‘Land Down Under.'”
The duo will live at the foot of Glacier Run with fellow Australian species in an habitat near Lorikeet Landing where the snowy owls and red panda used to be housed.
After their arrival at the Louisville Zoo, the koalas will be quarantined for the standard 30 days in their habitat, allowing them to be on exhibit sooner rather than later the zoo said.
When on exhibit, the koalas will be housed separately as they are territorial and alone in the wild.
Zoo guests can expect the animals to sleep most days. The koalas eat eucalyptus leaves that will be supplied from one of just two eucalyptus farms in the U.S.
Koala comes from the Dharug language spoken by Aboriginal people in Australia, and means "no drink," referring to the animals low water consumption. The animals get most of their water from eating eucalyptus leaves.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened species, koalas are listed as "decreasing in the vanishing wild." Two main threats to the species are human development and habitat destruction.
For more information about the Louisville Zoo, click here.
More Louisville Zoo Coverage:
- Louisville Zoo receives national recognition as a 'gold standard' in animal care
- Louisville Zoo elephants Mikki and Punch retiring to sanctuary in Tennessee
- Louisville Zoo extends popular Wild Lights exhibit through June 16
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