A First For Edinburgh Zoo As Two Baby Koalas Born

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has shared the first pictures of two koala joeys born at Edinburgh Zoo to mums Kalari and Inala. 

Keepers at the wildlife conservation charity have confirmed the youngsters are both female and only recently started to emerge from the pouch where newborn koalas spend their first few months.   

Lorna Hughes, animal team leader at RZSS, said “We are delighted both joeys are doing well and we are beginning to see them more and more. They are the only Queensland koalas in the UK which makes every newborn really special. 

“With their species facing many threats in the wild, the two new girls give our charity an incredibly exciting opportunity to engage and inspire even more visitors to help protect, value and love wildlife around the world.” 

The names of the joeys will be chosen by RZSS supporters in the coming weeks.

• Edinburgh Zoo is home to the UK’s only Queensland koalas – this is the first time there have been two joeys at once. 

• Kalari mated with male Tanami who lives separately from the females at Edinburgh Zoo. Inala mated with Dameeli who now lives in Pairi Daiza in Belgium. 
• The koala joeys were born on 20 May and 13 July in 2022. Newborn koalas are the size of a jellybean and move straight into the mother’s pouch where they stay for several months. 
• After outgrowing the pouch, joeys spend around 12 months on their mother’s back before becoming more independent.
   

About the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (rzss.org.uk)   

• The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is a wildlife conservation charity with a bold vision: a world which protects, values and loves nature.  

• Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park are gateways to the natural world through which people can experience nature, learn about the challenges facing wildlife and discover how we harness our expertise in conservation science and animal care alongside the unique power of the RZSS family – our teams, supporters and partners – to save animals from extinction.