LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Louisville Zoo unveiled its two new koalas on Tuesday, their first public appearance since arriving from the San Diego Zoo.

Two male koalas named Dharuk ("da’ rook"), 2, and Telowie ("tell ou-ee"), 4, arrived from California earlier this month. They are expected to be at the zoo for a while, per an agreement with the Australian government.

"It's always sad to see a couple of them go, but we know they're in a really good situation," said Scott Rammel, senior wildlife care specialist with the San Diego Zoo. "They're going to have a really good time here in Louisville."

Rammel came with the koalas from San Diego and plans to stay in Louisville until mid-June, helping them adjust to their new home.

The Louisville Zoo welcomed two new koalas. They are now on exhibit at the foot of Glacier Run.

The Louisville Zoo welcomed two new koalas. They are now on exhibit at the foot of Glacier Run. (WDRB photo from June 11, 2024)

Louisville Zoo Director Dan Maloney, who previously worked at the Melbourne Zoo in Australia, said he's excited to bring koalas back to Louisville. There used to be koalas at the Louisville Zoo in the 1980s and early 2000s. 

"It's very rare. We're actually the ninth zoo in the country that has koalas," said Louisville Zoo Assistant Mammal Curator Jessica Cunningham. "Tenth is coming online, but we are number nine so, not too many."

Dharuk and Telowie are now living at the foot of Glacier Run with other Australian species in a habitat near Lorikeet Landing where the snowy owls and red panda used to be housed. When on exhibit, the koalas will be housed separately — with a wall between them — as they are territorial and alone in the wild.

"I'm just happy to see something new at the zoo. We come at least once a year so it's exciting to see new creatures that we don't have to travel across the world to see," said visitor Christian Lucas.

Zoo guests can expect the animals to sleep most of the day. The koalas eat eucalyptus leaves that will be supplied from one of just two eucalyptus farms in the U.S. The zoo said the plant provides them low-quality nutrition that takes time for them to process and helps them conserve energy.

The Louisville Zoo welcomed two new koalas. They are now on exhibit at the foot of Glacier Run.

The Louisville Zoo welcomed two new koalas. They are now on exhibit at the foot of Glacier Run. (WDRB photo from June 11, 2024)

The koalas quickly drew crowds Tuesday at the zoo.

"As soon as I saw the line forming, we just had to come and see those two little critters," said Liz Chapman, a zoo visitor. "Just how sweet they look. I wish they would've been closer. But I absolutely understand they're just getting used to those habitats but we are very excited."

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.

And these koalas aren't the only changes ahead for the zoo. Property plans include bringing back the famous train, one element of an expansion at the zoo which also includes walking trails and adding a water feature for kayaking. The idea is to work around part of the property where a sinkhole opened in an undeveloped area in 2019, meaning the train won't run along the same path.

As for animals, elephants Mikki and Punch are expected to move to a sanctuary in Tennessee next spring. That move will shift the white rhino into the elephant yard and make way for something new: okapi.

"Those are nicknamed the giraffes of the forest, or forest giraffes," said Cunningham.

The zoo's red panda, Sunny D, is in his newest habitat after coming to Louisville just last year.

And there's a chance more polar bears could be in the zoo's future, after the addition of a male named Bo.

"We're hoping everything goes well so we could hopefully have cubs at the Louisville Zoo," Cunningham said. "So we'll see if that happens."

In the meantime, Tuesday's focus was on the new boys in town: Dharuk and Telowie. 

"We just love it," Chapman said, saying her family has a zoo membership. "We think it's a memory-maker."

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