In an adorable and unpredictable find, it has come to keepers attention at the Australian Reptile Park that koala mother, Molly (13) and daughter, Maddie (6) are both pregnant with confirmed joeys in their pouches to affirm the successful kickoff of the parks conservation breeding program!
Not only is it exciting to have the confirmation of the first joeys of the season inside the pouches, but keepers were also ecstatic to see that both the koalas are pregnant! This is especially significant, as Molly is now officially the oldest koala at the Australian Reptile Park still breeding and has contributed to ensuring the future of koalas in Australia by having 7 joeys over the years. For Maddie, this will be her 4th.
Molly was paired with Joe the koala and Maddie with Gundy, both prominent males with great success in the breeding program. Thankfully, they were all a match made in heaven for each other and now the future generation of koalas is about to be born.
Director Tim Faulkner says “Our koala conservation breeding program has never been more crucial than what it is right now. From the fires that wiped out a huge percentage of koala habitat, to land clearing and habitat destruction, koalas are in trouble.”
Mr Faulkner continued “It brings me hope to know we are doing what we can, and how special to have this mother daughter duo able to be there for each other through the exciting process of having a joey! Molly and Maddie are both sensational koalas and I can’t wait to meet our newest family members when they decide to show their faces!”
At the moment, the koala joeys are merely the size of a tiny jellybean and will stay in their respective mums’ pouches until they grow large enough to peer out and say hello to the great wide world for the first time!
Molly and Maddie can be seen in their yard every single day during the school holidays happily enjoying their eucalyptus and enjoying sleeping snuggled up together.
