Koala Forest Now Open!
Come and meet "Oz" the koala, now on exhibit. The Palm Beach Zoo was chosen by the Koala Species Survival Plan (SSP) of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to participate in a long-term koala breeding program. Soon "Oz" will be joined by "Abby", a female koala. Dr. Terry L. Maple, President and CEO of the Palm Beach Zoo said, "Koalas are one of the most fascinating and wonderful creatures in the world, a perfect addition to our growing collection of rare and endangered species. Our koala exhibit is dedicated to the children of Palm Beach County.
The koala exhibit includes trees for the koalas to climb, and sheltered areas for resting or getting out of the sun or rain. Visitors have ample shaded viewing areas for close-up observation of the koalas. The installation includes an indoor holding area for night housing and extreme weather protection. The goal of the exhibit is to teach zoo visitors and school children about this fascinating and threatened animal, and inspire them to support local and global conservation efforts.
Koalas are arboreal marsupial mammals found only in Australia. They are vulnerable throughout their region and very few are available for exhibit in American zoos. Although the koala is not a bear, when first adopted by English speakers, the name koala bear became popular, as this roughly evoked the species' similarity in appearance to the Teddy bear, to people unfamiliar with it. The koala was hunted almost to extinction in the early 20th century, largely for its fur. Millions of furs were traded to Europe and the United States, and the population has not fully recovered from this decimation.
Please Buy Dinner For Our Koalas
Koalas are notoriously picky eaters. They eat exclusively eucalyptus, which is expensive. The eucalyptus must be freshly cut – after a few days it becomes unpalatable for the koalas. They also have distinct preferences for certain varieties of eucalyptus. Fortunately, we have information from their previous care givers so we know exactly what they like.
Our koala pair will eat 35 bundles of eucalyptus per week. Each bundle is about five pounds, so we will need 175 pounds per week. It will cost the zoo $30,000 to $35,000 per year to feed our koalas.
Help us keep "Oz" hip and sassy. Get together with your family, neighbors, classmates, office mates, fraternity or sorority and sponsor a day or a week or a month of Eucalyptus. Or, give a gift of eucalyptus to honor someone special.
Please follow this link and make an online donation to help feed "Oz". Thank you for your support.
