For parents of newborns, forming a strong bond with their baby is of the utmost importance. Feeding them day and night, snuggling them close, and keeping them safe are just a few ways to nurture a relationship that helps a little one grow happy, healthy, and secure.
These parental responsibilities are equally vital for koala moms like Adori and Merindah, who recently welcomed their joeys, Inala and Bunji, to the colony at the San Diego Zoo. After spending several months growing and being sheltered in their mothers’ pouches, these mini marsupials have started poking their heads out to explore their brand-new world.
Koalas rely on eucalyptus for food, shelter, and to safely raise their families.
A Century of Collaboration
Inala and Bunji’s arrival is the perfect way to celebrate 100 years of another strong, formative bond: our partnership with Taronga Conservation Society Australia. Since the first koalas arrived in San Diego from Taronga in 1925, this relationship has grown into a groundbreaking collaboration dedicated to the care and conservation of koalas.
Together we are committed to securing the future for this vulnerable species. Koalas unfortunately face significant threats in their native ranges, including devastating bushfires in the eucalyptus forests they depend on for food, shelter, and safely raising their families. By combining our expertise, we’re working to safeguard koalas around the world.
Our team of experts collaborate to supply koalas with bundles of various eucalyptus species every day.
Caring for the Colony
The wildlife we care for directly contribute to global conservation. Koalas help close gaps in vital knowledge about what this species needs to survive and thrive in Australian forests. With everything teams learn by caring for this unique species, conservationists can find even better ways to protect them. At the Zoo, we’re also helping to increase their global population. The colony of over 30 individuals—the largest colony outside of Australia—is a testament to these conservation efforts.
Koalas are what’s known as specialized eaters: they rely solely on one food source, eucalyptus, typically consuming around one to one and a half pounds of their favorite varieties per day. Our expert horticulture team grows and hand-harvests countless pounds of the leafy branches, which our dedicated care teams then use to supply bundles of various species every day.
Koala moms incorporate "pap" into their little one's diets as they mature. This substance helps their body learn to digest eucalyptus.
Learning and Growing
Surprisingly, while koalas are dependent on eucalyptus to thrive, joeys like Inala and Bunji aren’t born knowing how to eat the fragrant green leaves—nor are they automatically equipped to digest them. Eucalyptus is toxic to most wildlife. That’s where koala moms come in. During the first five to six months of their lives, joeys grow in their mothers’ pouches and rely solely on her milk. As they mature, they begin incorporating “pap” into their diet. Pap, a unique substance produced by their mothers, is rich in the specialized organisms needed to digest eucalyptus leaves, helping a joey’s stomach adjust to accommodate their lifelong diet.
Adori and Merindah are devoted mothers, meeting all their joeys’ needs as they make this transition. Our experts observe these pairs from a distance, allowing the mothers to guide their little ones through these critical phases of development.
Every little joey is a very big deal—each helps increase and strengthen their global population.
A Future Worth Protecting
From the first koalas that arrived at the Zoo over 100 years ago to the thriving colony we care for today, Inala and Bunji represent the next chapter in our century-long partnership and commitment to the species. Every tiny new joey is a big deal because it helps to increase and strengthen their global population.
As an Alliance, we know that when we unite expertise and put it into action, we can make a difference that extends far beyond what we could do alone. Thanks to our collaboration with Taronga, we’re making strides to safeguard koalas for generations to come. As Inala, Bunji, and their colony thrive, we remain dedicated to protecting and caring for koalas—well into the next century and beyond. Together we’re ensuring a brighter future for this iconic species.
Discover how your support helps care for vulnerable wildlife like koalas through our Australian Forest Conservation Hub, and make sure to connect with the colony for yourself on your next visit to the San Diego Zoo.
